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Bon Appétit

Squid Salad with Cucumber, Watercress, and Cilantro

By Alison Roman

3.8

(2)

Image may contain Plant Food and Produce
Squid Salad with Cucumber, Watercress, and CilantroMichael Graydon + Nikole Herriott

A dressing of only vinegar and chili oil ties this salad together.

Cooks' Note

When buying the cephalopod du jour, order a mix of bodies and tentacles for different textures and visuals, and ask your fishmonger to clean the squid, if it's not already. It's basically foolproof, needing little more than a hot grill, a drizzle of oil, and a squeeze of lemon. (Though it also belongs in this spicy, crispy, summery salad.)

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 Servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for grill
1 pound squid (bodies and tentacles), cleaned
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons (or more) unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon (or more) chili oil
2 Persian cucumbers or 1 English hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 bunch watercress, thick stems trimmed (about 2 cups)
1/2 bunch cilantro, thick stems trimmed (about 1 cup)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare grill for medium-high heat; oil grate. Toss squid with 1 tablespoon oil in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper.

    Step 2

    Grill squid, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer squid to a cutting board and slice bodies into bite-size pieces.

    Step 3

    Toss squid with vinegar and chili oil in a clean large bowl. Add cucumbers, watercress, and cilantro and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more vinegar and chili oil, if desired.

TagsSaladCucumberVegetableWatercressLeafy GreensCilantroHerbs & SpicesMainDinnerDairy FreeNut FreeGluten FreeWeeknight MealsGrillingBon Appétit

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