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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Published: Mar 27, 2025 by AshleyFreeman ·

    Sweet Pepper and Cucumber Salad with Ginger Dressing

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This sweet bell pepper cucumber salad is my newest side dish obsession. There are so many reasons to love this recipe. First, it's gorgeous and super impressive without being tricky (yet no one has to know). I mean, the vibrant color of those fresh vegetables alone makes me want to dig in! 

    Second, it's a fantastic no-cook, make-ahead dish. The flavors only improve over time. Hooray for all you meal preppers out there! Finally, and best of all, this crunchy salad is oh-so-delicious and goes with so many recipes from sushi rice bowls to grilled chicken, pork, and beef!

    Wooden rimmed white bowl filled with sweet pepper and cucumber salad on top of a raffia placemat along with a wooden spoon and blue towel.

    I first came across the recipe that inspired this one on TikTok--yes, it's one of those recipes: the viral cucumber pepper salad. Being a culinary content creator, I find inspiration for recipes everywhere, from places I travel to, shows I watch, restaurants I visit, social media, and yes, even a tiktok recipe.

    I would never have thought to add everything bagel seasoning to a salad but it makes so much sense and is such a great idea. The mix of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion, and garlic goes so well with the homemade ginger dressing and crunchy texture of the mini bell peppers and fresh cucumbers.

    If you don't happen to have everything bagel seasoning (or don't want to buy it), don't worry. I include a recipe below on how to make it yourself. And, if you're in a hurry, you can buy your favorite store-bought dressing instead of making one from scratch.

    For an easy dinner, spoon this salad and the juices from the bottom of the bowl over some steamed rice and serve with some sliced grilled tuna or my grilled pork chops. It's also the perfect side dish to serve with my copycat Chicken Salad Chick chicken salad sandwiches or these pinto bean burgers.

    Ready to make this amazing potluck ready cucumber salad recipe? Let's do it!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Tasty Tip
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Related
    • Pairing
    • 🍽Get the recipe
    • RECIPE GUIDELINES AND TEST KITCHEN TIPS
    • Food safety

    Ingredients

    Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this cucumber pepper salad recipe:

    Ingredients for bell pepper cucumber salad.
    • mini cucumbers
    • sweet mini peppers
    • green onions
    • everything bagel seasoning
    • vegetable oil
    • dark sesame oil
    • rice vinegar
    • fresh ginger
    • low-sodium soy sauce
    • light brown sugar
    • chili crisp

    (See recipe card for quantities.)

    Instructions

    Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!

    Sliced cucumbers and some sliced mini peppers on a wooden surface with a chef's knife to the side.
    1. First, thinly slice the cucumbers. Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers and thinly slice.
    Peeling fresh garlic with a spoon on a wooden surface.
    1. Next, peel and grate the ginger.
    Whisking together a sesame ginger vinaigrette in a glass bowl.
    1. Then, whisk together the vegetable oil, sesame oil, vinegar, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, and chili crisp in a small bowl.
    Pouring sesame ginger vinaigrette over a glass bowl full of sliced cucumbers and sweet peppers.
    1. Finally, combine the sliced cucumbers, peppers, green onions, everything bagel seasoning, and dressing in a bowl and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Hint: This salad only improves with time so it's a great make-ahead side!

    Substitutions

    Need to make some ingredient swaps? Here are some ideas:

    • Cucumber - Instead of mini Persian cucumbers, use an English cucumber. The slices will be larger, but they'll still be tender and delicious. And, you don't need to peel the cucumbers.
    • Sweet Peppers - I love to use a bag of mini sweet peppers for this recipe. Feel free to substitute a mix of red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, and/or orange bell peppers instead.
    • Vegetable oil - Substitute regular olive oil or canola oil for the vegetable oil if you'd like.
    • Rice vinegar - White vinegar is a great alternative if you're out of rice vinegar.
    • Everything Bagel Seasoning - The great thing about this seasoning blend is that it has so many delicious seasonings all together including sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and granulated garlic. You can use just sesame seeds if that's all you have.

    Variations

    Here are more ways to change up this cucumber and sweet pepper salad recipe:

    • Spicy Cucumber Salad - Add a kick of heat to this salad by stirring some crushed red pepper flakes into the ginger dressing.
    • Super Fast - Short on time? Instead of making the sesame ginger dressing from scratch, use your favorite refrigerated ginger dressing. I like Makoto, but use whatever you prefer.
    • Asian Cucumber and Pepper Slaw - Beef up this salad and make it a slaw. Toss with a package of shredded coleslaw mix and double the dressing if you'd like.
    • Sushi Bowl - This is the perfect topping for my ahi tuna poke bowls recipe. Add some creamy avocado too for the ultimate sushi bowl.

    Equipment

    Here's the equipment you'll need to make this recipe:

    • chef's knife
    • measuring spoons
    • liquid measuring cup
    • microplane grater
    • whisk
    • small bowl
    • large bowl

    Storage

    Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

    This recipe doesn't freeze well.

    Tasty Tip

    Don't have everything bagel seasoning? It's easy to make your own! Mix together equal parts white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, dried onion, granulated garlic, and poppy seeds. Add kosher salt to taste. I usually use 2 tablespoons of each individual ingredient and 2 teaspoons salt.

    Frequently asked questions

    What's the difference between a Persian cucumber and a regular cucumber?

    Persian cucumbers are smaller cucumbers than regular cucumbers and have less seeds. The skin is also thinner so you don't have to peel them.

    Why are English cucumbers wrapped in plastic?

    Because English cucumbers have thinner skin compared to regular cucumbers, they are wrapped in plastic to prevent bruising. They're also able to retain moisture better.

    Should you peel Persian cucumbers?

    Nope! There's no need to peel them since the skin is thin (and delicious).

    Why are my cucumbers slimy in my salad?

    That's your clue to toss the salad out. Since cucumbers have a high water content, after a couple of days, they can get too watery and even slimy.

    Can you eat raw bell peppers in a salad?

    For sure! Raw peppers are delicious and add a nice sweet crunch to the salad.

    What is chili crisp and where can I find it?

    Chili crisp, sometimes called chili crunch, is an oil-based condiment that can be found among the Asian products in the international aisle. Besides chili flakes, you'll also often find dried minced garlic and onion in the oil. It's a great flavor-packed ingredient.

    Related

    Looking for other delicious recipes like this? Try these:

    • Bamboo tray with a coral napkin, white plate of poke nachos with ahi tuna, a blue bowl of spicy mayo, and small white appetizer plates.
      How to Make the Best Poke Nachos with Ahi Tuna
    • White bowl filled with Ruby Tuesday Broccoli Salad with a yellow striped napkin on the side and a wooden handled spoon inside the bowl.
      Simple Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheddar Recipe
    • Three blue dot-rimmed white plates with Roasted Beet and Watermelon Salad on a basket-weave surface along with two blue glasses and small bowl of dressing with a wooden spoon.
      Roasted Beet and Watermelon Salad with Goat Cheese
    • A wooden rimmed platter filled with copycat Cracker Barrel Kale and Brussels Sprouts salad with two wooden spoons and a blue-rimmed linen napkin, a bowl of salad, and salt and pepper shakers off to the side.
      Brussels Sprouts Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

    Pairing

    These are my favorite dishes to serve with this cucumber bell pepper salad:

    • Easy Skillet Shrimp with Homemade Honey Garlic Sauce in a blue handled pan.
      Easy Skillet Shrimp with Homemade Honey Garlic Sauce
    • Houston's Hawaiian Ribeye copycat recipe on a white oval platter with slices of grilled pineapple wedges and green onions with a wooden handled meat fork off to the side as well as a teal striped kitchen towel on a wooden table surface.
      Hawaiian Grilled Ribeye (Houston's Copycat Recipe)
    • White bowl filled with Egg Roll in a Bowl with Trader Joe's Cruciferous Crunch on top of a black and natural wicker placement, a light blue napkin, bowl of sliced green onions, a bowl of wonton strips, and a gray glass of water.
      Egg Roll Bowl with Trader Joe's Cruciferous Crunch
    • Oval wooden platter with Teriyaki-Glazed Spam Musubi on a yellow chevron runner with a white bowl of furikake, a purple orchid, and white and yellow napkin to the side.
      How to Make Teriyaki-Glazed Spam and Egg Musubi

    🍽Get the recipe

    Wooden rimmed white bowl filled with sweet pepper and cucumber salad on top of a raffia placemat along with a wooden spoon and blue towel.

    Sweet Pepper and Cucumber Salad with Ginger Dressing

    Crisp cucumbers and sweet peppers come together in this no-cook, colorful salad, tossed with a homemade ginger-soy dressing. The secret ingredient, everything bagel seasoning, adds an unexpected savory crunch. Even better: This is a salad that's flavors improve with time so it's the perfect make-ahead recipe.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, Asian
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8

    Equipment

    • chef's knife
    • measuring spoons
    • liquid measuring cup
    • microplane grater
    • whisk
    • small bowl
    • large bowl

    Ingredients

    • 6 mini cucumbers (I used Persian but Kirby are great too)
    • 1 (16-ounce) package mini sweet peppers
    • 3 green onions, thinly sliced
    • 1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning
    • 1 1 inch piece fresh ginger
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil
    • 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
    • 3 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon chili crisp (optional)

    Instructions

    • Thinly slice the cucumbers. Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers and thinly slice the peppers.
    • Using the sharp edge of a spoon, scrape the skin off the ginger. Grate the ginger using a microplane grater to equal 1 teaspoon.
    • Make the dressing: Whisk together the vegetable oil, sesame oil, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and chili crisp in a small bowl.
    • Combine the cucumbers, peppers, green onions, and everything bagel seasoning in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

    RECIPE GUIDELINES AND TEST KITCHEN TIPS

    When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

    • Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
    • When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
    • I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
    • When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

    Food safety

    Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.

    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
    • Never leave cooking food unattended.
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    More Side Dishes

    • Wooden bowl filled with creamy chicken macaroni salad with ceramic serving spoons, an orange checked cloth, two yellow glasses filled with ice water, and one pottery plate topped with a serving to the side.
      The Best Creamy Macaroni Pasta Salad with Chicken
    • Light wooden bowl filled with Zoe's Kitchen Copycat Pasta Salad with a wooden salad set in the bowl, a blue cloth, two blue glasses, a bowl of fresh basil, and salt and pepper shakers on the side.
      Tomato, Basil, and Feta Pasta Salad (Zoe's Copycat)
    • Green bowl filled with Elote Pasta Salad with a small wooden bowl of Cotija cheese and a small white bowl of cilantro on the side plus a green checked napkin and wooden serving spoon.
      Zesty Elote (Mexican Street Corn) Pasta Salad
    • Blue rimmed oval platter topped with crispy smashed potatoes garnished with chopped chives along with a white linen and small white bowl of more chives off to the side and a yellow bowl of sour cream on the platter.
      Crispy Smashed Fingerling Potatoes with Garlic

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Swathi says

      May 30, 2025 at 5:40 pm

      5 stars
      Cucumber salad with peppers are so delicious and crunchy and colorful even kids loved it.

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        May 31, 2025 at 7:02 am

        Hooray! That's the best!

        Reply
    2. Marie-Pierre Breton says

      May 30, 2025 at 9:29 am

      5 stars
      This was a great way to use my new batch of homemade Mediterranean-Style Everything Bagel mix! This salad is the bomb! So fresh and crunchy!

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        May 31, 2025 at 7:02 am

        Oh yay! I'm so glad to hear that!

        Reply
    3. Elizabeth says

      May 30, 2025 at 9:18 am

      5 stars
      This salad is delicious! I love the crunch from the sweet peppers and cucumber. So easy to make as well!

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        May 31, 2025 at 7:02 am

        Thanks so much for your note Elizabeth! I love the crunch too!

        Reply
    4. Paula says

      May 29, 2025 at 2:41 pm

      5 stars
      This salad was absolutely delicious. There's nothing like a salad with fresh veggies in the summer and the ginger dressing on top was incredible!

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        May 30, 2025 at 6:40 am

        For sure! It's a crunchy, refreshing side perfect for the summer.

        Reply
    5. Vicky says

      May 29, 2025 at 2:35 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this for lunch and it was super refreshing! The ginger dressing ties everything together. Definitely adding this to my summer salad rotation!

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        May 30, 2025 at 6:40 am

        Hooray! Thanks so much Vicky!

        Reply
    6. Susan Ross Hill says

      May 15, 2025 at 9:28 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my goodness. My husband said he could eat this every day for the rest of his life! And I have to agree. This was so beautiful and fun to look at. And the ginger dressing was so yummy. I felt like I was getting a lot of my daily veggy requirements in this refreshing salad. And it keeps for several days and remains just as crunchy. We actually thought day 2 was the most flavorful! tytyty

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        May 16, 2025 at 7:26 am

        Susan, thank you so much for your note! It made my day! I'm so glad y'all loved it!!

        Reply
    5 from 6 votes

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    Photo of Ashley Strickland Freeman in a kitchen.

    Hi, I'm Ashley, "your best friend in the kitchen." I'm a food stylist, culinary producer, editor, travel junkie, and author of The Duke's Mayonnaise Cookbook from Charleston, SC. Thanks for stopping by Little Black Skillet!

    More about me →

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