This Carrot & Cucumber Noodles Salad with creamy Avocado Dressing uses spiralized vegetables for a healthier, refreshing pasta salad alternative with fewer carbs.
The salad game at our house been revolutionized since we got a spiralizer!
I know most people use their spiralizer to replace pasta in their dinner recipes and I am sure we will get there too at some point. For now however, we've been using ours to make creative salads.
I've wanted to try out a spiralizer for a while, but since starting our journey of location independence last year, we live with only the essentials that can be packed up into our suitcases every few months.
But then I came across this small, handheld spiralizer on Amazon and asked my mother-in-law to bring it for us when she came for a visit to Vietnam.
I love that it is small enough to not really add to our carry load and it does the trick of turning vegetables into long spirals just fine. Well, there was a bit of a learning curve...
Since I skipped reading the instructions, I had to learn the hard way, that this type of spiralizer works only with long, not too thick vegetables.
Our favorite vegetables to spiralize have turned out to be cucumbers and carrots, so it only made sense that I would feature those in my first spiralizer recipe.
It has absolutely amazed me to see how much the amount of vegetables that my husband eats and uses, when he prepares dinner, has increased.
When previously he barely ate the 3 slices of cucumber I serve on the side of dishes like Thai Fried Rice, now it is quite common that the 2 of us eat an entire spiralized cucumber along with supper.
Konrad isn't big on salad dressing (unless it's Caesar dressing) and prefers simple salt and pepper with his vegetables. Well, more for me!
Because this Avocado Cilantro Dressing is really awesome! Not just on salad even. I love the leftovers drizzled on rice and could totally see it being amazing on tacos. For another creamy salad dressing idea, check out this Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette.
For the sake of taking these pictures, I left the vegetable noodles in long strands. For eating though, I cut them down into smaller pieces.
I usually just spiralize away the entire vegetable, then take my kitchen shears to the bowl and make a few cuts across to achieve bite sized lengths.
More Delicious Recipes:
- Avocado Corn Tomato Salad
- Shrimp Louie Salad Recipe
- Shredded Beet Salad
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
Spiralized Carrot & Cucumber Noodles Salad with Avocado Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 long seedless cucumber
- 1-2 large carrots to equal cucumber
Creamy Avocado Dressing:
- ½ avocado
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup cilantro
- 1 small garlic clove
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- squeeze of lime juice
- 2-4 tablespoons water enough to blend smoothly
- pumpkin seeds for topping
Instructions
- To make the dressing, blend in a food processor avocado, yogurt, cilantro, garlic, salt, lime juice and as much water as needed to blend smoothly.
- Clean the carrot and cucumber (and peel, if desired). Using a spiralizer, make spaghetti-sized noodles out of the carrot and cucumber and cut down to bite sized length.
- Arrange vegetable noodles in a bowl, drizzle with creamy avocado dressing to taste and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds for topping.
- The dressing is best when fresh, but you can store leftover dressing covered in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Creamy Avocado Dressing slightly adapted from Pinch of Yum.
Products Used in this Carrot & Cucumber Noodles Salad Recipe:
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Random Question
To make cucumber noodles without a spiralizer, you can use a julienne peeler, mandoline slicer, or a sharp knife to create thin, long strips resembling noodles.
Yes, a spiralizer is a valuable kitchen tool, especially if you enjoy incorporating more vegetables into your meals. It offers a fun and creative way to prepare vegetables, making them more appealing and versatile.
After spiralizing the cucumber, you can cut the noodles to a desired length using kitchen shears or a sharp knife. This step helps in achieving manageable, bite-sized cucumber noodles for easy eating.
To spiralize cucumbers, choose a handheld or countertop spiralizer designed for vegetables. Trim the ends of the cucumber, attach it securely to the spiralizer, and turn the handle to create long, spiraled cucumber noodles.
rachel @ athletic avocado
So simple and delicious! Love that avocado dressing too 🙂
Regina
Thanks a ton Rachel. The dressing truly is the bomb!
Melissa Belanger
This looks delicious! I love the avocado dressing 🙂 Can't wait to try it!
Regina
Thank you Melissa! Yes! Do try the dressing. It's awesome 🙂