VietnameseEasy · Room Temperature
Bright Cucumber and Carrot Salad with Sesame and Herbs
A light, refreshing Vietnamese-inspired salad with crisp julienned cucumber and carrot dressed in a savory-sweet sesame-lime sauce, finished with a tumble of fresh herbs at the table.
Prep
15 min
Rest
5 min
Total
20 min
Method
Prepare the Vegetables
1
Make the Sesame-Lime Dressing
3
In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, juice of one lime, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and honey until well combined. Taste and adjust the balance of salty, sweet, and citrus as you like.
Assemble and Finish
4
Add the dried cucumber and carrot to the dressing. Toss gently, ensuring every strand is lightly coated with the amber sesame oil.
5
6
Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the salad just before serving so they stay crunchy. The salad is ready to enjoy immediately.
A
Nutri-Score
Excellent balance
A–E · lower is better · score -2
Calories
191
per serving
Low sugar · 5g
Protein
4g
Carbs
16g
Fat
15g
Sat. fat
2g
Fiber
5g
Sugar
5g
Sodium
371mg
Low CalorieLow Cholesterol
Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.
A
Environmental impact
Very low impact
A–E · lower is better · includes estimates
kg CO2e
0.2
per serving
ACarbonAEU all-round· both agree
Water
0.4m³
Land
8.0Pt
Runoff
0.03g P
Cucumber drives 34% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.
Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.
Flavor Profile
6
Umami
4
Sweet
5
Salty
5
Sour
1
Bitter
0
Spicy
Textures
CrispyTenderFresh
Aromas
CitrusNuttyHerbal
Kitchen Equipment
Primary Tool
Mixing BowlCounter FootprintSmall
Techniques
Safety & Storage
Cross Contamination
Clean all utensils, cutting boards, and preparation surfaces thoroughly after handling sesame seeds and soy sauce to prevent cross-contact with allergen-free foods.
Allergen Warning
This recipe contains sesame and soy allergens. Alert guests to allergen content before serving and keep allergen-containing components separate from unlabeled dishes.
Handling
Wash all vegetables and fresh herbs thoroughly under running water before julienning to remove soil, pesticides, and potential contaminants.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover salad in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. The sesame seeds will lose crunchiness over time. Best consumed immediately after preparation.
High Risk Population
This dish contains raw vegetables and fresh herbs. Immunocompromised individuals, pregnant persons, or those with compromised immune systems should ensure produce is washed and may prefer lightly blanched vegetables.
Equipment Safety
Use a mandoline or sharp knife with caution when julienning vegetables. Keep fingers away from blade and use the provided safety guard.
Pro Tips
Technique
When julienning your vegetables, think thin—like matchsticks catching light. If your strands are too thick, they'll weigh down the delicate sesame dressing and lose their snap. A mandoline makes this effortless, but a sharp knife and patient hand work just as well.
Substitution
If limes aren't at their peak, a splash of rice vinegar with a touch more honey can step in, though the brightness will shift slightly. The fresh herbs, however, are non-negotiable—dried herbs simply cannot carry the same vitality in this dish.
From the chef
Cucumber and carrot julienned into fine matchsticks carry a particular freshness — crisp, clean, almost translucent — that a heavier dressing would dull entirely. A light sesame-lime sauce coats every strand without weighing them down: sesame oil for depth, lime for brightness, a touch of honey to balance the salt. The herbs come last, tossed with a light hand so they stay whole and vibrant rather than wilting into the salad. Sesame seeds scatter over the top just before serving to stay crunchy. Everything here is alive and meant to be eaten the moment it is assembled.
TagsNo CookFreshLightHealthyVegetarianQuick
AllergensSesameSoyGluten
Source: generated · June 10, 2026