Superfood Spinach Cucumber Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

QUICK SUMMARY

This Spinach Cucumber Salad is a crisp, refreshing, 10-minute side dish made with baby spinach, cucumber, bok choy, kale, microgreens, and a light apple cider vinaigrette.

The superfood boost comes from cruciferous vegetables like bok choy and kale, which contain glucosinolates that break down into bioactive compounds such as indoles and isothiocyanates when chopped, chewed, and digested.

It’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, and easy to make vegan by using egg replacer in the vinaigrette. Simple, fresh, and full of God-given plant power!

My Spinach Cucumber Salad is perfect for those times when you just want fresh veggies without a lot of fanfare. Cruciferous vegetables give this recipe a bioactive boost!

This salad is topped with delicate microgreens and drizzled with a light, sugar-free apple cider vinaigrette. Sometimes, simple is best!

Cruciferous Vegetables Can Change Your Health

Cruciferous vegetables are some of the best vegetables you can put on your plate. They’re low in calories, high in nutrients, and loaded with the bioactive compounds that make food more than just fuel. The flavor of cruciferous vegetables is often slightly bitter, and you can identify them by their cross-shaped flowers with four petals. Every veggie in this group is part of the cabbage family. (1)

Here’s the thing: that slightly bitter flavor is a gift. It comes from sulfur-containing phytonutrients called glucosinolates. During food prep, chewing, and digestion, these glucosinolates break down into biologically active compounds, including indoles and isothiocyanates. The National Cancer Institute notes that these compounds have been shown in animal and cell studies to help protect cells from DNA damage, inactivate carcinogens, reduce inflammation, induce apoptosis, and inhibit tumor blood vessel formation and migration. (2)

That’s not hype. That’s God’s design on display.

Current research continues to support cruciferous vegetables as cancer-fighting, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and chemoprotective foods. Human studies are still mixed when researchers isolate single cancer outcomes, but the overall message is clear: eat more real, colorful, plant-based foods, and make cruciferous vegetables part of your weekly rhythm. (3)

A 2025 dose-response meta-analysis also found that higher cruciferous vegetable intake was associated with a lower risk of colon cancer, with the strongest protective range seen around modest daily intake. Put simply, you don’t need to eat a mountain of kale every day to start moving in the right direction. Consistency matters. (4)

We use bok choy and kale in this recipe, two delicious cruciferous vegetables. Other examples of cruciferous veggies include:

• Arugula
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Collard Greens
• Horseradish
• Mustard Greens
• Radish
• Rutabaga
• Turnips
• Watercress
• Wasabi

I make it a goal to include some of these beautiful gifts from God in my diet each week. One of the easiest ways to get a hefty dose of bioactive compounds from cruciferous vegetables is to make fun salads like this one!

Application: Chop, chew, and enjoy your cruciferous vegetables. Those simple actions help activate the very compounds that make this food family so powerful.

Super Greens Salad & Dressing Ingredients

This recipe is such a delicious way to nourish your body! It uses simple ingredients to create a plate full of lovely greens. A delicious vinaigrette takes it to a whole new level!

Organic Greens: Aside from the superfood veggies we already mentioned, this salad is full of baby spinach. An old saying says your plate should be as colorful as possible, and this salad does just that! Spinach, kale, and bok choy add fiber, minerals, chlorophyll, and plant compounds that help make this a satisfying side dish. Fiber supports fullness, gut health, and healthy blood sugar patterns, and the CDC notes that fiber can help increase insulin sensitivity. (5)

Organic Cucumbers: Cucumbers are one of the most refreshing things God created. This is mainly due to their high water content. Cucumbers are about 96% water, which makes them a crisp, hydrating addition to salads, snacks, and infused water. (6) When you eat a cucumber, you’re not only nourishing your body but also helping hydrate it. When your body is hydrated, you feel better overall!

Organic Microgreens: Microgreens are a beautiful garnish, and they have a light flavor that complements the crispness of the vinaigrette perfectly! Research from USDA scientists found that many microgreens have significantly higher concentrations of certain phytonutrients than mature leaves from the same plants, and Brassica microgreens have been identified as good sources of food polyphenols. (7, 8) Good things come in small packages!

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Most store-bought vinaigrettes use cheap refined oils as their base. That may help a company’s bottom line, but it doesn’t help your family eat clean. Extra-virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and valuable polyphenols that help support antioxidant and inflammatory balance. (9) But not all olive oils are equal. Some olive oils are tainted so much that nutritionally, they don’t resemble the real deal. When purchasing olive oil, stick with extra-virgin. This variety is the most unadulterated.

Pasture-Raised Organic Eggs: Adding eggs to your vinaigrette is a simple chef’s trick that helps the dressing stick to the lettuce. It also adds a lot of smoothness to the dressing. If you have an egg allergy, you can use an egg replacer and purified or distilled water. I love using egg replacers in this sort of recipe, as it’s virtually undetectable. For anyone avoiding raw eggs or serving someone pregnant, elderly, very young, or immune-compromised, use egg replacer or pasteurized eggs. (10)

Organic Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar: This vinegar comes from fermented apples. It has a slightly sweet, mild flavor. Studies have shown that vinegar can help support healthy blood sugar responses, including improved insulin sensitivity after a high-carbohydrate meal in people with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. (11) More recent clinical research also suggests apple cider vinegar may support fasting blood glucose, A1C, and lipid markers in people with type 2 diabetes when used consistently alongside a healthy diet. (12) When purchasing apple cider vinegar, be sure to get the kind with the “mother.” This is where all of the benefits lie!

Organic Herbes de Provence: I love Italian seasoning in my dressings, but I learned that sage could decrease breast milk supply, so I switched to herbes de Provence. LactMed notes that sage has traditionally been used to reduce lactation, though scientific studies evaluating its effect on milk supply are lacking. (13) My family has loved herbes de Provence so much that it’s all we use! This spice blend is a mix of thyme, basil, rosemary, and oregano.

Pink Himalayan Salt or Sea Salt: Traditional table salt undergoes a laborious harvesting process that strips most of its nutrients. We recommend using Colima sea salt. This lovely salt has been hand-harvested, leaving it as God intended. It tastes great! You can also use pink Himalayan salt.

Make Superfood Spinach Cucumber Salad

This salad takes just 10 minutes to prep, and that includes making your own gourmet vinaigrette! This recipe serves 4-6 people, generously. It makes a fantastic light lunch or side dish.

Spinach and Cucumber Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette (With Vegan Option)

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Author Mama Z

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Servings

2x4x6x

Ingredients

Salad

• 2 cups finely chopped organic bok choy stalks AND leaves
• 2 cups organic Tuscan kale OR other kale first remove stem and spine and then tear into small pieces
• 2 cups organic baby spinach
• 2 large organic cucumbers, peeled, seeded, AND thinly sliced
• Organic chia sprouts OR your favorite sprouts OR microgreens, for garnish

Vinaigrette

• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar
• 1 large pasture-raised organic egg OR 1 tablespoon egg replacer PLUS 2 tablespoons purified OR distilled water
• 1 teaspoon fresh organic chives, chopped
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence OR herbs of Italy OR organic dried Italian seasoning blend*
• ½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt OR sea salt, ground
• ¼ teaspoon organic white pepper, ground

Supplies

• Mini blender , immersion blender, OR small mixing bowl
• Large salad bowl

Instructions

 

• For the salad: Toss the bok choy, kale, spinach, and cucumbers in a salad bowl.
• For the vinaigrette: Pour the olive oil into a mini blender or whisk it in a bowl. Slowly pour in the cider vinegar to emulsify. Add the egg and blend thoroughly. Season with chives, dried herbs, sea salt, and white pepper. Store the vinaigrette in the fridge, where it will last 2-4 weeks, depending on your climate.
• As you plate the salad, top each serving with a small amount of chia sprouts. Drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Notes

*Use herbes de Provence or herbs of Italy if breastfeeding, as sage can slow breast milk production.

Step One: Make the Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Pour the olive oil into a mini blender or whisk it in a small bowl. Slowly pour in the apple cider vinegar to emulsify. Add the egg or egg replacement and blend thoroughly. Season with chives, dried herbs, sea salt, and white pepper. Set aside while you make the salad.

Step Two: Make the Salad

Toss the bok choy, kale, spinach, and cucumbers in a salad bowl. As you plate the salad, top each serving with a small amount of chia sprouts. Drizzle with the vinaigrette.

I prefer adding the dressing to this salad after plating it to keep the veggies crisp. Enjoy!

Spinach Cucumber Salad FAQs

What is spinach cucumber salad good for?

Spinach cucumber salad is good for adding more hydrating vegetables, leafy greens, fiber, and bioactive compounds to your meal. This version is especially powerful because it includes bok choy and kale, two cruciferous vegetables known for glucosinolates that break down into health-supporting compounds.

Is this spinach cucumber salad healthy?

Yes! This salad is loaded with whole-food ingredients: spinach, cucumber, bok choy, kale, microgreens, extra-virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, herbs, and mineral-rich salt. It’s a simple way to support a plant-forward, anti-inflammatory diet without relying on packaged salad dressings.

Can I make this salad vegan?

Yes. Use the egg replacer option in the vinaigrette instead of the pasture-raised egg. The dressing still blends beautifully and gives you that smooth, clingy texture without using eggs.

Can I make spinach cucumber salad ahead of time?

You can prep the greens, cucumbers, and vinaigrette ahead of time, but don’t dress the salad until you’re ready to serve. This keeps the bok choy, kale, spinach, and cucumbers crisp instead of soggy.

Why add bok choy and kale to a cucumber salad?

Bok choy and kale turn a simple cucumber salad into a superfood salad. They add crunch, color, minerals, fiber, and cruciferous vegetable compounds that make this recipe much more nutrient-dense than a plain lettuce-and-cucumber side dish.

Is apple cider vinaigrette sugar-free?

Yes, this apple cider vinaigrette is sugar-free. It gets its bright flavor from apple cider vinegar, herbs, chives, sea salt, white pepper, and rich extra-virgin olive oil. No refined sugar needed.

Should I peel cucumbers for salad?

This recipe calls for peeled, seeded cucumbers for a delicate texture. If you’re using organic cucumbers and your family digests the peel well, you can leave some peel on for extra crunch and color.

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