Lunch · Recipe #134
Cucumber PB Chili Crunch Salad
Cold, crunchy cucumbers drenched in a warm peanut sauce with spicy chili crisp on top. It sounds weird. It is not weird. It's the most addictive thing in this book, and edamame turns it into a real lunch.
- Protein
- 25 g
- Appliance
- Microwave
- Time
- 6 min
- Serves
- 1
- Keeps
- Eat now
- Cost
- $
- Heat
- Spicy
- Diet
- V

Steps
- 1
Smash the cucumber with the flat side of a knife or the bottom of a mug, then cut into chunks.
- 2
Microwave the peanut butter, soy, vinegar and honey 10 to 15 seconds; stir smooth. Thin with a little water.
- 3
Toss the cucumber and edamame in a bowl.
- 4
Pour the peanut sauce over and toss again.
- 5
Top with chili crisp, MSG, sesame seeds and green onion.
Lazy tip
Smashing the cucumber makes rough edges that grab the sauce. Slicing works, but smashing is more fun.
Two Remixes
Tofu Crunch
Add ½ cup cubed baked tofu.
Noodle Crunch
Toss with 1 cup cooked noodles.

From the book
This is recipe #134 of 365.
The rest are in Barely Cooking, with four weekly meal plans, the $30 kit and a protein cheat sheet.
What you'll use
The $30 Dorm Kitchen Kit
Can opener
Half the protein in the book comes in a can. Get a smooth-edge one so lids don't slice your fingers.
See options on AmazonBig microwave-safe bowl (2 to 3 quarts)
For microwave pasta. Small bowls boil over every time.
See options on AmazonTwo big, wide mugs (16 oz)
Egg mugs, mug cakes and mug pizza all start here. Wide beats tall.
See options on AmazonMore lunch

Recipe #071 · 10 min
Krab Salad with Green Goddess
Fake crab, real flavor. A whole pack of krab, crunchy vegetables and a creamy herb dressing that tastes like a fancy restaurant made it. Nobody has to know it came out of a plastic tray.

Recipe #072 · 10 min
Mediterranean Tuna Protein Bowl
The lunch that makes everyone at the table look at their sad sandwich. Tuna, chickpeas, crunchy vegetables, olives and feta with a lemon dressing. It packs perfectly and actually tastes better a few hours later.

Recipe #089 · 5 min
Dorm Italian Beef
Chicago's greatest sandwich, built in a microwave. Thin beef, hot jus, spicy giardiniera and a roll that soaks it all up. Get it dipped, grab a napkin, and don't tell anyone from Chicago how easy this was.

