Mexican Cucumber Salad Recipe

Name: Mexican Cucumber Salad Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 small English cucumbers, cleaned, halved and sliced (about 3 cups); 1/4 large red onion, sliced (about 1/4 cup); 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, diced; 1 1/2 tablespoon neutral oil; 1 tablespoon Tajin seasoning (plus more, for topping); 1/2 cup corn nuts, crushed

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This refreshing and flavorful Mexican Cucumber Salad Recipe is the perfect healthy snack or side dish to serve throughout the hot summer days. If Mexican food is your love language, this great salad is a love letter to your taste buds.

Cucumber with corn salad on a black plate topped with onions and cilantro

The ingredient list is short, but the flavor profile is off the charts. This Mexican Cucumber Salad has become one of my favorite summer recipes to serve as a bright side dish for grilled seafood or as a potluck dish for all of the friends and family picnics throughout the year.

What you'll need to make this recipe:

Ingredients for recipe laid out on a table and labeled.

English cucumber - this style of cucumbers holds less water and seeds, making it ideal for a simple salad. Substitute Persian cucumbers, or peel and scrape the seeds out of a regular cucumber.

Tajin seasoning - this citrusy and savory chile-lime powder is the backbone of this flavorful salad. I use it in the salad and again for a topping. If you don't have Tajin, substitute ancho chili powder and fresh lime juice, then serve with a lime wedge.

Corn nuts - our childhood corn snack has found the perfect grown-up salad to call its own. The crunchy, salty corn nuts are crushed and tossed in the cucumbers then sit atop the salad for even more color and crunch.

Full ingredient list and measurements included in the printable recipe card below.

Step by step instructions:

1. Prep and toss vegetables

Clean, dry and slice the cucumbers into half rounds. Slice the onion very thin. Dice your cilantro leaves.

cilantro, red onions and cucumber tossed in a bowl

2. Add oil and seasoning

Combine cucumbers, onion, cilantro and 1 ½ tablespoons of neutral oil. Toss to combine.

oil added to cucumber, onions and cilantro

Add 2 teaspoons of Tajin seasoning. Toss again. Taste and add the final teaspoon of Tajin, if needed.

3. Add corn

Keep out 2 tablespoons of crispy corn nuts, then roughly chop or crush the remaining in a baggie. Add the small pieces of crunchy corn snacks to the cucumber salad and toss.

crispy corn in a bowl and plastic bag and also being poured into cucumber salad

4. Garnish and serve

Serve immediately, topped with cilantro leaves, a few extra whole corn nuts and a final sprinkle of Tajin.

Looking for more Mexican-inspired sides?

FAQ'S AND SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

Can I use different spices in this simple side dish?

Ground cumin powder, garlic powder and a touch of Mexican oregano would add savory flavors to this cucumber dish. If you're not using Tajin, fresh limes will add the acid you need to balance the flavors. Tajin brings big lime flavor to the party, so I don't usually add fresh lime juice if I have Tajin.

Does this salad taste spicy?

Tajin is tangy, salty, a bit smokey with a tiny touch of heat. If you want to add more spiciness to the dish, a few pinches of ground cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes will do the trick.

What should I serve with cucumber salad?

Any Mexican-style meal would benefit from this easy side dish. I love serving it as a light side with Baja Fresh Fish Tacos and Mexican Street Corn Casserole. It would also add delicious flavor and crunch to a Baked Fish Taco dinner with Authentic Refried Beans and Mexican Red Rice.

How to store leftover cucumber salad?

Mexican cucumbers are best served the day they are made. The high water content in these veggies may leave a lot of water in the bottom of your bowl overnight, and the crunchy corn snacks will start to lose their crunch.