This roasted ginger dressing is smoky, spicy, aromatic, funky, sweet, and complex — tossed with sweet juicy plums and crunchy cucumbers for a vibrant summer salad bursting with flavor.
I’ve long been an avid fan of fresh ginger. Chopped and added to sautés or dressings, steeped in boiling water for tea, grated to add some spice to desserts….but broiled whole with the skin on then tossed just like that into the bowl of food processor? The thought has never even crossed my mind. Until I came across this salad on Bon Appetit. And it absolutely blew my mind.
Why this Recipe Works
- No peeling ginger needed. Use it whole — skin and all.
- All the flavors. The smoky roasted ginger vinaigrette is balanced by peppery greens, sweet juicy plums, cool crunchy cucumbers, and crispy fried shallots.
- Eat no more boring salads. There’s a whole wide range of complex textures and flavors going on in here.
- This salad is everything a summer dish should be: flavorful, light, totally satisfying, and starring seasonal produce (plums!).
- If plums aren’t in season, they can easily be swapped for another fruit or even veggie!
This salad is a great way to eat your colors and it’s every bit as delicious as it is healthy!
The possibilities for this charred ginger paste are endless. Have ideas of a dish it would go wonderfully on?!?! I wanna know too! Please share your idea with me in the comments below.
What is Mizuna?
Mizuna, also called Japanese Mustard Green, has a mild peppery flavor, slightly similar to arugula but is less spicy. If you can’t find any just sub in arugula instead.
How to Make this Plum & Cucumber Salad
Whole ginger, peel and all, is put under the broiler for 45 min until it’s blackened all over (it ain't pretty folks). The blackened ginger and the rest of the dressing ingredients are pulsed in a food processor until a smooth paste forms. Crisp up the shallots. Wash greens and cilantro, slice up cucumbers and plums. Arrange all. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Please enjoy these step-by-step images showing how to assemble the salad.
Cooks Tips
- Scrub that ginger well since we’re eating the peal too!
- If you have a mandolin, use it for the cucumbers and shallots. If no, slice as thinly as possible with a knife.
- The Mizuna can easily be replaced by arugula (or another peppery green).
- Keep a close eye on those shallots and remove ‘em from the heat when they’re lightly golden! Remember they’ll continue cooking a bit after removal from the pan.
- Make extra shallots! And try ‘em sprinkled over other savory dishes.
- Dressing can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.
- Crispy shallots can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months.
- When possible, buy local and organic produce.
Want More Vibrant Summer Salads?
Summer salads are my love language — peak produce, minimal fuss, maximum color. Here's what I make all season long.
- Tomato Salad — the blueprint for every tomato, peak season or not.
- Watermelon Feta Salad — sweet, juicy watermelon and creamy briny feta. Ready in 20 minutes and you'll want it all summer long.
- Tomato Watermelon Salad — sweet, salty, juicy, crunchy, and all the colors of summer.
- Peach Burrata Salad — juicy peaches, creamy burrata, fresh basil, balsamic. All stone fruits welcome.
- Strawberry Burrata Salad — sweet strawberries, creamy burrata, croutons, balsamic, basil. A very Cali panzanella.
- Peach, Prosciutto & Burrata — sweet peaches, crispy prosciutto, creamy burrata. Sweet, salty, crunchy and done in 20 minutes.
- Fig Salad with Prosciutto — sweet caramelized figs, salty prosciutto, blue cheese, hazelnuts. Every texture, every flavor.
Or check out my Summer Salad Ideas to get a summer salad recipe blueprint to enjoy all season long.
If ya try this recipe, I'd love to hear about it - leave a comment below and let me know, and tag me on IG, @danielagerson, so I can see too.
Keep exploring for more seasonal recipes and colorful produce guides designed to inspire ya to play in the kitchen.
Let’s make waves in the kitchen.
Plum Salad with Cucumbers & Roasted Ginger Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4 plums pitted and cut into 1” wedges sliced (can sub another stone fruit)
- 7 oz Mizuna can sub with arugula or another peppery green
- 3 shallots thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp canola oil to crisp up the shallots
- 1 English cucumber thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro loosely packed
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
For the Roasted Ginger Vinaigrette
- 8 ounces fresh ginger
- 1 Thai chili green or red
- 1 garlic clove
- 3 tbsp fish sauce omit it vegan
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- Zest & Juice 1-2 limes to taste
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Heat broiler. Broil ginger, skin and all, until blackened and beginning to scorch in places and a paring knife passes through the center with relative ease, 40–50 minutes.
- Slice ginger (yep the skin is still on) and pulse in a food processor with… ginger, chili, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, oil, and 2 Tbsp. water in a food processor, adding additional water by tablespoonful’s if needed, until a smooth paste forms.
- Thinly slice shallots. Combine shallots and oil in a saucepan over high heat and cook, stirring constantly, as shallots fry. When shallots are a light golden brown, transfer to a paper towel lined plate and season with salt. Shallots will continue cooking a bit after you remove them from the pan so don’t let them get to dark before doing so. Allow to cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months.
- Arrange Mizuna (or arugula) in a large salad bowl or tray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss with the dressing (to taste). I like to first toss the greens and then add the sliced cucumbers, plums and cilantro tossing again gently with your hands.
- Top salad with crispy shallots and black sesame seeds over the salad and enjoy!
Notes
- Scrub that ginger well since we’re eating the peal too!
- If you have a mandolin, use it for the cucumbers and shallots. If no, slice as thinly as possible with a knife.
- The Mizuna can easily be replaced by arugula (or another peppery green).
- Keep a close eye on those shallots and remove ‘em from the heat when they’re lightly golden! Remember they’ll continue cooking a bit after removal from the pan.
- Make extra shallots! And try ‘em sprinkled over other savory dishes.
- Dressing can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.
- Crispy shallots can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months.
- When possible, buy local and organic produce.
So fresh, healthy and delicious ??
Thank you so much! Love and appreciate your feedback :).
This is very very good. “No more boring salads” is accurate. Only thing is there’s too much fish sauce for my liking. 1 tbsp would be enough.
Thanks so much for the feedback Nia! Haven't made this salad in a while + will update the recipe. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts :)!
This was delish! It’s peak plum season and this was the perfect way to eat them! I halved the fish sauce and it was perfect. This one’s a keeper!
Thanks so much Ginny and love playing with seasonal ingredients! Enjoy cucumber salad year round and so stoked ya enjoyed the seasonal plum twist :).