Forget boiling a pot of water. Strips of thinly shaved cucumber are a refreshing, no-cook base for a lean, green pasta salad alternative. Salty halloumi (or you could use feta), creamy avocado, and a vibrant miso-lemon dressing add heft and assertive flavour to this summery side dish.
Cucumber Noodles with Halloumi, Avocado, and Miso-Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber, cold
- 1 large or 2 small avocados, cold
- 100 g halloumi or feta, sliced, cubed, or crumbled, cold
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated fresh ginger
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) sweet white miso paste
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped parsley or mint
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) toasted sesame seeds
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) chili flakes or Aleppo-style pepper
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories247
- protein6g
- fat21g
- saturated fat6g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates11g
- sugars3g
- fibre5g
- sodium548mg
Directions
01
For salad, using spiral slicer or vegetable peeler, spiral slice or shave unpeeled cucumber lengthwise into long noodles, and then add to serving platter. Peel and slice avocado into wedges, and then nestle into noodles, along with halloumi or feta.
02
For dressing, whisk to combine ginger, lemon juice, oil, and miso. Drizzle dressing evenly over salad, garnish with parsley or mint, sesame seeds, and chili flakes or Aleppo-style pepper. Serve immediately.
03
Tip: skip the dairy, replacing cheese with strips of smoked tofu or marinated tempeh instead.
Allison Day, RHN, is a nutritionist, blogger, and cookbook author. Check out her cookbooks, Whole Bowls and Purely Pumpkin (Skyhorse Publishing, 2016).
