Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 1 large English cucumber (about 12 oz / 340 g), roughly chopped
- 1 packed cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems (about 30 g)
- 2 scallions, sliced
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded if desired, roughly chopped
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (30 ml) + 1 tsp lime zest
- 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (45 ml)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2–4 Tbsp cold water (30–60 ml), to thin
- Optional: 1 tsp honey (5 ml) or 1/2 tsp sugar (2 g)
Do This
- 1) Rough-chop cucumber, cilantro, scallions, jalapeño, and garlic.
- 2) Add to a food processor with lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, and salt.
- 3) Pulse 8–12 times until finely chopped and saucy (don’t fully puree unless you want it smooth).
- 4) Add 2 Tbsp water; pulse 2–3 times. Add more water 1 Tbsp at a time until pourable.
- 5) Taste and adjust: more salt, lime, or optional honey/sugar to balance.
- 6) Chill 20 minutes for best flavor, then spoon or pour over grilled fish, tacos, or rice bowls.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bright and refreshing: Cool cucumber + cilantro + lime tastes like instant summer.
- Fast and no-cook: A food-processor sauce that’s ready in minutes.
- Perfect texture: Chunky-saucy and pourable, so it works as both salsa and sauce.
- Versatile: Amazing on grilled fish, shrimp tacos, rice bowls, grilled chicken, or roasted veggies.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 large English cucumber, 1 bunch cilantro, 2 scallions, 1 jalapeño, 1 lime, 1 small garlic clove
- Dairy: None
- Pantry: Extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, honey or sugar (optional)
Full Ingredients
For the cucumber-cilantro salsa sauce
- English cucumber: 1 large (about 12 oz / 340 g), roughly chopped (no need to peel)
- Fresh cilantro: 1 packed cup leaves and tender stems (about 30 g)
- Scallions: 2, trimmed and sliced (white and green parts)
- Jalapeño: 1 small, roughly chopped (remove seeds and white ribs for milder heat)
- Garlic: 1 small clove
- Fresh lime juice: 2 Tbsp (30 ml)
- Lime zest: 1 tsp (from about 1 lime)
- Extra-virgin olive oil: 3 Tbsp (45 ml)
- Kosher salt: 1/2 tsp
- Cold water: 2–4 Tbsp (30–60 ml), to thin to a pourable consistency
Optional (highly recommended for balance)
- Honey: 1 tsp (5 ml), or
- Sugar: 1/2 tsp (2 g)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep the produce for even blending
Roughly chop the 1 large English cucumber into 1-inch pieces. No need to peel; the skin adds color and freshness. If your cucumber is very seedy or watery, you can halve it lengthwise and scoop out the watery seed core with a spoon (optional).
Pick the cilantro as needed (tender stems are fine), and measure 1 packed cup. Slice 2 scallions. Chop 1 jalapeño (seeded for mild, left with some seeds for more heat). Peel 1 small garlic clove.
Step 2: Add everything to the food processor
To a food processor bowl, add the chopped cucumber, cilantro, scallions, jalapeño, and garlic.
Add 2 Tbsp (30 ml) lime juice, 1 tsp lime zest, 3 Tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt.
Step 3: Pulse to a bright, salsa-sauce texture
Pulse 8–12 times, stopping once or twice to scrape down the bowl, until the mixture looks finely chopped and juicy. You’re aiming for a texture that’s somewhere between salsa and dressing: spoonable, but able to pour.
If you prefer it smoother (more like a green sauce), pulse a few more times until it’s closer to a loose puree.
Step 4: Thin to “pourable” with cold water
Add 2 Tbsp (30 ml) cold water and pulse 2–3 times. Check the consistency. If you want it looser for drizzling over fish or tacos, add more water 1 Tbsp (15 ml) at a time, pulsing briefly between additions, up to 4 Tbsp (60 ml) total.
Step 5: Taste and balance the flavor
Taste the sauce. If it tastes a little sharp or “too green,” stir in 1 tsp honey (or 1/2 tsp sugar) and pulse once more. Adjust with a pinch more salt if needed, or an extra squeeze of lime if you want it punchier.
Remember: this sauce will mellow slightly after chilling.
Step 6: Chill briefly, then serve as a topper
Transfer the sauce to a jar or bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Serve cold or cool over grilled fish (salmon, tilapia, mahi-mahi), tucked into tacos, or spooned onto rice bowls. Stir before serving, since the cucumber can release a bit of liquid as it sits.
Pro Tips
- Use an English cucumber for best texture: It’s less watery and has thinner skin than standard cucumbers.
- Pulse, don’t puree (unless you want it smooth): Short pulses keep it bright and salsa-like instead of turning it into green juice.
- Control the heat easily: For mild, remove jalapeño seeds and ribs. For spicy, keep some seeds or use a larger pepper.
- Fix a too-thin sauce: Pulse in an extra handful of cilantro or a few extra cucumber chunks to thicken slightly, or chill longer to let it tighten up.
- Make it taste “restaurant bright”: Don’t skip the lime zest; it adds a big citrus aroma without extra acidity.
Variations
- Creamy cucumber-cilantro sauce: Blend in 1/4 cup (60 g) plain Greek yogurt (adds tang and body). Add water only as needed.
- Avocado-lime green salsa: Add 1/2 ripe avocado for a richer, creamier texture (best eaten the same day).
- Minty summer version: Replace 1/4 cup of the cilantro with fresh mint leaves for an extra cooling finish.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below for up to 3 days. The sauce may separate slightly as it sits; simply stir or shake before using. For best color and freshest flavor, make it up to 24 hours ahead. Freezing is not recommended because cucumber becomes watery and grainy after thawing.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate, based on 8 servings: 70 calories, 7 g fat, 2 g carbs, 1 g protein, 1 g fiber, 180 mg sodium.
