Lychee and Cucumber Salad
Fresh Florida lychees and cool cucumber come together in a salad that is cold, sweet, salty, and barely takes any effort. A lime and fish sauce dressing pulls everything into sharp focus without overwhelming the fruit. This is the thing you make when the heat index hits 100 and you still want to eat something worth eating.
Florida lychees, cucumber, and a punchy lime dressing, ready in under 15 minutes.
When Florida lychees are in season, you eat them fast and you do not overthink it. The window is short, the fruit is delicate, and the best thing you can do is keep the preparation simple so the lychee is actually the thing you taste.
This salad has four real things going on: sweet lychee, cool cucumber, a salty lime dressing, and just enough chile to keep you paying attention. It comes together in fifteen minutes and asks nothing of your stove. Around here, that counts for a lot in July. You can read how we raise them here.
Ingredients
Method
- 1
Peel and pit the lychees, pulling the flesh away from the seed. If any are very large, halve them. Set them in a wide, shallow bowl.
- 2
Add the sliced cucumber to the bowl with the lychees.
- 3
In a small bowl, stir together the lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar until the sugar dissolves completely. Taste it. It should be bright and a little salty with just enough sweetness to balance the lime.
- 4
Pour the dressing over the lychees and cucumber and toss gently so everything is coated without bruising the fruit.
- 5
Scatter the chile rings and torn mint over the top. Serve immediately while everything is cold and crisp.
Notes from our kitchen
- Florida lychee season runs roughly May through July. If you find them at a farmstand or Asian market, buy more than you think you need. They go fast and they do not keep long once picked.
- Canned lychees will work in a pinch but drain them well and skip the sugar in the dressing since canned lychees are packed sweet. The texture will be softer but the flavor still holds up.
- For a little more richness, drizzle a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil over the finished salad. It plays very well with the mint and chile.
- This salad does not hold well. Make it right before you plan to eat it. The cucumber starts to weep after about 30 minutes and the whole thing gets watery.
Common questions
Where can I find fresh Florida lychees?
Roadside farmstands, Asian grocery stores, and some farmers markets in Southwest and South Florida carry them during the season, which runs May through July. Homestead and the Redland area in Miami-Dade produce a lot of them. If you see them, grab them.
Can I make this without fish sauce?
Yes. Swap in soy sauce for a similar salty depth, or use a pinch of flaky sea salt and a splash of rice vinegar if you want to keep it lighter. The fish sauce gives it that savory backbone that makes the fruit pop, but the salad is still good without it.
Is this salad spicy?
Mildly. A Fresno chile adds a gentle heat that builds slowly, and the lychee sweetness keeps it from feeling hot. If you want more fire, leave the seeds in the chile. If you want none at all, just leave it out.
What goes well alongside this?
It is great next to anything grilled. Chicken thighs, a piece of snapper, or even just some cold leftover rice. The sweet and salty dressing cuts through anything fatty or smoky coming off the grill.