It’s no secret that I have always thought that fruit salads needed a rebrand. A bowl of fruit is great, obviously, but I want a fruit salad with a little more going on. This Blackberry Ginger Cucumber Salad has components that warrant it being more than just a bowl of fruit. We have crunchy five spice sesame granola bark (or toasted sesame seeds, if you want to keep it simple), crisp cucumbers, blackberries, fresh herbs, and a creamy ginger dressing that I think tastes like candy (in a good way!).
The cucumbers get a little special treatment here. We smash them first, then salt and drain them to get rid of their excess water. This keeps the salad from getting soupy, but it also gives the cucumbers a craggy texture that lets them soak up all that salty-sweet, gingery dressing.
It all comes together into a fresh, crunchy, salty, sweet salad that’s perfect for summer. It’s simple, but has enough going on to keep you coming back for another bite.
Table of contents
Ingredients you’ll need
For the salad:
- 1/2 recipe of Five Spice Granola Bark, or 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- 2 large cucumbers
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 pound blackberries
- 1 cup (1 oz) fresh mint
- 1 cup (1 oz) fresh basil
For the creamy ginger dressing:
- 1-inch knob ginger
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Ingredient substitutions
The beauty of this salad is that you can use any summer fruit you like. Cucumber, ginger, and sesame are what give the salad its personality, so I’d keep those as-is and just play around with the fruit or the dressing ingredients as desired.
- Blackberries: Again, truly any summer fruit will work. Feel free to use strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, watermelon, other melons – whatever your heart desires!
- Lemon juice: Can be swapped for white wine vinegar or lime juice
- Honey: Maple syrup or agave would work perfectly
- Olive oil: Swap for avocado oil, grapeseed oil, really any oil you like!
Let’s talk about why this dressing is so good
I call this my candy dressing because it’s thick and creamy, it’s the perfect balance of salty-sweet, and has a gingery flavor that reminds me of a chewy ginger candy. It’s made with just five ingredients and comes together in seconds in a blender. It requires minimal effort but has a lot of payoff, and it’s what really brings this salad together.
How to bring this salad together
1. Prepare the sesame bark
Prepare the granola bark according to this recipe. If you are just using sesame seeds, add them to a small pan over medium heat. Toast for 2-4 minutes, until they are fragrant and turning golden. Set aside.
2. Drain the cucumbers
Slice the cucumbers lengthwise into quarters. Use the flat side of your knife to smash them, seed-side-down, until they are nicely crushed. Add the crushed cucumbers to a large strainer or sieve and season them with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Mix well and let them sit in the sink or over a bowl to drain.
This step is crucial to keep the cucumbers from releasing their water into the salad and turning the dressing into a soupy mess.
3. Prepare the dressing and the rest of the salad
While the cucumbers are draining, wash and halve the blackberries and add them to a large bowl. Tear in the basil and mint.
In a small blender, like a Bullet or Ninja, add all the ingredients for the ginger dressing. Blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt if needed, but I find it never needs any.
4. Toss it all together and serve
Now that the cucumbers have had time to drain, give them a few more big shakes in the sieve to get out any remaining water. Pat them lightly with a paper towel and add them to the bowl with the blackberries. Add half of the dressing and mix. Add more dressing as desired, and top with the sesame bark or sesame seeds.
Storage tips and how to prep this salad ahead of time
This salad is definitely best enjoyed immediately. However, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. The cucumber will release liquid over time, and the herbs may soften.
If you’d like to prep it ahead of time, you can prep the granola bark, cucumber, and dressing first. Store them all in separate airtight containers. Toss everything together just before serving, and add the herbs at the last minute so they stay fresh and vibrant.
Unfortunately, I do not recommend freezing this salad.
Looking for more salad recipes?
Cucumber and Mango Salad
Lemon Tahini Salad with Radishes, Dates & Sesame Seeds
Cucumber and Melon Salad
And that’s it for this Blackberry Ginger Cucumber Salad!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
You can also shop this video if you’re looking for the exact pieces I use – I’ve linked everything on my ShopMy! *some links may contain affiliate commissions
And of course, feel free to leave any questions, comments, or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Equipment
- 1 strainer
Ingredients
- 1/2 recipe Five Spice Granola Bark, or 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- 2 large cucumbers
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 pound blackberries
- 1 cup (1 oz) fresh mint
- 1 cup (1 oz) fresh basil
For the creamy ginger dressing:
- 1-inch knob ginger
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
InstructionsÂ
- First, prepare the sesame bark according to this recipe. If you are just using 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds, add them to a small pan over medium heat. Toast for 2-4 minutes, until they are fragrant and turning golden. Set aside.
- Slice 2 cucumbers lengthwise into quarters. Use the flat side of your knife to smash them, seed-side-down, until they are nicely crushed.
- Add the crushed cucumbers to a large strainer or sieve and season them with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Mix well and let them sit in the sink or over a bowl to drain.
- While the cucumbers are draining, wash and halve 1 pound of blackberries and add them to a large bowl. Tear in 1 cup of basil and 1 cup of mint.
- In a small blender, like a bullet or ninja, add 1-inch knob of ginger, 2 tablespoons of white miso, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt, but I find it never needs any.
- Now that the cucumbers have had time to drain, give them a few more big shakes in the sieve to get out any remaining water. Pat them lightly with a paper towel and add them to the bowl with the blackblerries.
- Pour in half of the dressing and mix. Add more dressing as desired, and top with the sesame bark or sesame seeds.
- Serve right away!
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