If you’re craving a salad that’s fresh, crunchy, and bursting with flavor, this Cucumber Carrot Salad with Miso Tahini Dressing and Curried Cashews is the kind of recipe that instantly levels up any lunch or dinner. It’s crisp, colorful, and tossed in the most addictive dressing that’s creamy, savory, & slightly sweet!
The fun twist? Homemade curried cashews that bring warmth, crunch, and the perfect hint of spice to every bite. It’s a refreshing salad with a cozy, flavorful depth… basically the best of both worlds.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan-friendly, and made with nourishing whole-food ingredients. It’s light and refreshing, but still hearty enough to keep you full! Plus, it takes just minutes to assemble!
Why You’ll Love This Salad
- Packed with vibrant, fresh, crunchy veggies
- The miso-tahini dressing is creamy, rich, and restaurant-level good
- Curried cashews add spice, protein, and satisfying crunch
- Easy to prep ahead for lunches or dinner sides
- Naturally plant-based and allergen-friendly
- Customizable with proteins, grains, or extra toppings
- Made with simple pantry ingredients
Recipe video
Ingredients You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full recipe!
Salad
- Cucumbers
- Carrots
- Shredded cabbage: tip! Use a bag of pre-shredded cabbage to make this even quicker!
- Green onions
- Fresh herbs (mint, cilantro, or both)
Curried Cashews
- Raw cashews
- Curry powder
- Olive or avocado oil
- Maple syrup
Miso Tahini Dressing
- Tahini
- White miso paste
- Lemon or rice vinegar
- Maple syrup
- Soy sauce or coconut aminos
- Grated ginger
- Garlic
- Water (to thin)
This dressing is creamy without any dairy and brings a beautiful balance of nutty, sweet, salty, and tangy flavors! I use it on so many different salad variations!
How to Make This Cucumber Carrot Salad
This salad is so easy to make! I love using this Julienne peeler from Amazon to help create those thin veggie noodles, however you can also just slice or julienne the veggies!
Step 1: Prep the Curried Cashews
Toss cashews with curry powder, maple syrup, oil, and salt.
Bake or toast until fragrant and golden.
Let them cool (they’ll get crunchier as they rest).
Step 2: Prep the Veggies
Slice cucumbers into thin coins or half-moons.
Shave or julienne the carrots.
Chop herbs and green onions.
Step 3: Make the Miso Tahini Dressing
Whisk together tahini, miso paste, lemon, maple syrup, soy sauce/coconut aminos, ginger, and garlic.
Add water until pourable and creamy.
Step 4: Assemble
Add cucumbers, carrots, and herbs to a bowl.
Pour over the dressing and toss gently.
Top with curried cashews right before serving.
Tips for the Best Flavor & Texture
Use Persian or English cucumbers
They stay crunchier, have thinner skins, and no large seeds.
Add dressing right before serving
Cucumbers can release water if they sit too long with dressing.
Toast the cashews low and slow
Helps the spices bloom without burning.
Cut the veggies thin
The thinner the slices, the better the dressing coats everything.
Variations & Add-In Ideas
- Make it a meal: add grilled chicken or salmon, crispy tofu, edamame, etc.
- Extra freshness: lime juice, mint, cilantro
- Make it spicy: red pepper flakes, chili crisp, jalapeno slices
How to Serve cucumber carrot salad
This cucumber carrot salad pairs beautifully with:
- Asian-inspired mains
- Grilled proteins
- Rice bowls
- Summer BBQs
- Meal-prepped lunches
- Light weeknight dinners
It also works well as a base for bowl-style meals—just add a protein and carb and you’re good to go.
How to Store
- Salad without dressing: 2–3 days
- Dressing: store in a seperate container in the fridge for 1 week
- Curried cashews: airtight container for up to 2 weeks
If storing as meal prep, keep dressing and cashews separate until serving.
More healthy recipes to try
- Pickle de gallo chicken salad
- Chicken hummus bowls
- Whole 30 sloppy joes
- Nourishing one pot yellow rice
- Meal prep breakfast burritos
- Easy cornbread chili casserole
- Healthy chicken broccoli rice casserole
Cucumber Carrot Salad with Miso Tahini Dressing (with Curried Cashews!)
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 large cucumber
- 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced cabbage (can use pre-shredded!)
- 2-3 large carrots
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced (i use a mandolin!)
- 1/4- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro (I like a lot!)
- 3-4 tbsp chopped mint (optional)
Dressing
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 2-3 tbsp water, as needed to thin
Cashews
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- 1-2 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp avocado or olive oil
- pinch sea salt
Instructions
Cashews
- Preheat the oven to 325F.
- Spread the cashews onto a lined baking sheet. Spray or drizzle olive oil over top. Then sprinkle over the curry powder and sea salt, then drizzle over the maple syrup. Toss well.
- Place in the oven to bake for 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown and roasted. Once the cashews have cooled a bit, you can taste a cashew and adjust seasonings as needed while still on the baking sheet.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 weeks. Best within the first week!
Dressing
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste & adjust as you'd like. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Salad
- For the veggies, you can use a Julienne peeler to create the veggie "noodles". Alternatively, you can use a mandolin and slice the veggies thin or chop them into small, long pieces.
- Add them to a bowl along with the fresh herbs and thinly sliced red onion. Add the curried cashews. Then drizzle over the tahini dressing. Toss well and enjoy!
- NOTE: if wanting to save leftovers, plate the veggies and then use the dressing. That way you can save leftover salad seperate from the dressing so it stays fresh!
