Ultra refreshing and full of flavor, this cucumber and Tajin salad aka Pepinos con Chile, is an absolute must try.
This Mexican cucumber snack comes together in just minutes with a homemade Tajin seasoning, and can be a superb vegan side dish or appetizer.
If you love Mexican food, you’ve definitely got to give this recipe a try.
I’ve recently been mildly obsessed with cucumbers, specifically English cucumbers.
They have a nice crunch factor that’s perfectly balanced with the juiciness on the inside, which makes them a great healthy snack to enjoy on hot summer days.
And while I did use a few of them to make a nice cucumber pico de gallo, I was really looking for something a bit more low effort.
And that’s when I tried this, and quite frankly, it has become my favorite snack.
So much so that I also experimented with another variation of the recipe, and tried out a spicy mango and tajin snack too.
Jump to:
- Why I Love this Recipe
- Ingredients For the Cucumber and Tajin Salad Recipe
- How to Make the Cucumber and Tajin Salad
- Substitutions & Variations
- Equipment
- How to Store the Leftover Tajin Cucumber Salad
- Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- How to Serve the Cucumber and Tajin Salad
- FAQs
- Related Recipes
- Cucumber and Tajin Salad | Pepinos con Chile
- Food Safety
Why I Love this Recipe
I love this simple cucumber salad recipe for many reasons.
Not only is it incredibly easy to make, but is actually a super versatile Mexican snack that you can team up with just about any of your favorite foods.
I love serving it as a side with my Elote casserole, and the combination is a total hit in my household.
Ingredients For the Cucumber and Tajin Salad Recipe
Ready to try out this refreshing Mexican cucumber snack? Here’s all you’ll need.
Cucumbers: You’ll need a couple of ripe, fresh cucumbers. English and Persian cucumbers are the best choice, since they have a super crunchy texture, but you can also use regular garden cucumbers if you want to.
Tajin seasoning: You’ll also need a bit of your homemade or store-bought Tajin spice mix. This one’s often marketed as chile lime seasoning.
Lime juice: For some extra tanginess, you’ll need some fresh lime juice as well.
Pink salt: This one’s optional, but you can also sprinkle a bit of pink Himalayan salt in addition to the Tajin seasoning.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make the Cucumber and Tajin Salad
Ready to try this Mexican cucumber recipe? Here’s the process you’ll need to follow to do it.
Cut up a cucumber in half lengthwise, and then slice it further into sticks. You can also cut cucumber slices if you want to.
Sprinkle the cucumbers with Tajin seasoning and add a squeeze of lime juice. Mix it all well.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you don’t have fresh lime juice, you can use some lemon juice instead or just sprinkle some dehydrated lime into the Tajin seasoning.
- Bottled lime juice can also work in a pinch.
- If you’re not able to find Tajin, and don’t want to make the seasoning from scratch, you can use a blend of mild chili peppers, a squeeze of lime juice and some salt to make do.
Equipment
How to Store the Leftover Tajin Cucumber Salad
If you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container and refrigerate them.
They should stay fresh for up to a day, but remember that cucumbers tend to lose water once you cut them and sprinkle the seasonings, so you’ll need to drain off all of it before you serve them.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- To add some extra lemony flavor to this cucumber Tajin salad, you can add some lime zest too!
- While I would highly recommend keeping the peel on, you can also choose to peel the cucumbers if you want to.
- You can also cut the cucumber as per your personal preference. Sliced cucumbers are great if you want to keep things simple, but cucumber sticks, in my opinion, somehow look so much better.
- To add some more brightness and color to the salad, you can also drizzle some Mexican Chamoy sauce over it.
- Don’t forget to garnish with lime wedges right before you serve.
How to Serve the Cucumber and Tajin Salad
This tangy, spicy and easy Mexican cucumber dish can be put together in just minutes, and is a great snack recipe to make when you’re hit by a craving, or are looking for a teammate to your Mexican recipes.
Here are a few ideas to get you inspired to serve this easy snack.
With a Mexican Main
This refreshing cucumber dish can work wonderfully as a side to any of your Mexican mains- from tacos and enchiladas and even burritos.
As a Snack or Appetizer
This spicy cucumber dish can actually be a great snack for hot summer days, or as an appetizer for a Mexican feast you’re whipping up.
Apart from serving this Tajin cucumber recipe as an appetizer or snack, you can also choose to chop up the cucumber finely and use the spiced cucumber as a topping for your homemade tacos.
FAQs
A simple mix of chili powder and salt can be great if you’re not using Tajin for this recipe. You can use Chipotle, Guajillo or Ancho chili powder.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Cucumber and Tajin Salad | Pepinos con Chile
Ingredients
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 teaspoon Tajin seasoning
- ½ teaspoon lime juice
- 1 pinch Pink Himalayan salt
Instructions
- Cut up a cucumber in half lengthwise, and then slice it further into sticks. You can also cut cucumber slices if you want to.
- Sprinkle the cucumbers with Tajin seasoning and add a squeeze of lime juice. Mix it all well.
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove