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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Appetizers/Sides

    Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad

    Published: Nov 18, 2023 by christieathome

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad. A crispy, refreshing and spicy cucumber salad. Seasoned with soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, green onions, sugar, sesame oil, sesame seeds and chili oil. This side dish is ready in 20 minutes!

    Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad

    What is Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad?

    It's a refreshing spicy salad featuring crunchy cucumbers in a garlicky, soy, vinegar dressing with chili oil. A quick and easy side dish that serves well with rice and your favourite proteins. I enjoy making this dish for meal prep because it's easy and it lasts a few days in the fridge. So it's perfect for those busy weeknights when I need a fast vegetable side dish. The best part is that it requires no reheating!

    This cucumber recipe is inspired by my traditional Chinese smashed cucumber salad. You also don't have to make spiralize the cucumbers - simply slice them thinly. Interestingly enough, my recipe went viral on social media gathering 12M views on Instagram alone with many enjoying it! I hope you enjoy it too.

    Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad

    Ingredients

    Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements. 

    ingredients

    Note: Most Western or Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.   

    • Mini cucumbers, or 6 Persian cucumbers: or substitute with regular cucumbers, English cucumbers or Japanese cucumbers. My personal preferences are to use Persian cucumbers because they have a refreshing crunch to them! If you're using kirby cucumbers, I wouldn't spiral them and instead smash and slice them because these are thicker. 
    • Salt: to drain excess liquid or the high water content in the cucumbers. By draining out the moisture content, you will have much crunchier cucumbers. Table salt, kosher salt, or sea salt will work for this. 

    Dressing:

    • Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If youโ€™re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice. 
    • Plain rice vinegar: or aka rice wine vinegar. Or substitute with white vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or Chinese black vinegar
    • Chili oil (store bought or check out my homemade Chili Oil recipe) for spicy flavors! Or substitute with chili garlic sauce, Korean chili flakes, spicy red pepper flakes, or red chili flakes. 
    • Sugar: or substitute with honey, maple syrup, or any sweetener of your choice. 
    • Sesame oil: Please avoid using olive oil or heavily scented oils in place of this. I would suggest substituting with a neutral oil like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil.
    • Sesame seeds
    • Green onions or spring onions

    How to Make Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad

    Prepare Cucumbers

    First on a cutting board, place cucumber between two chopsticks that you donโ€™t mind nicking up (like takeout chopsticks).

    Then make thin diagonal slices on the top. Flip the cucumber over and do the same on the other side.

    Then cut cucumber into halves. Transfer to a large bowl. Alternatively, thinly sliced cucumbers will work fine as well.

    *Refer to video below for better visuals. Note: Do not cut them in on a straight angle or the spiral will not work. 

    steps

    Salting & Dressing Cucumbers

    Next sprinkle salt over cucumbers and gently massage into them. Let cucumbers sit in the salt for 5 minutes at room temperature to remove excess moisture (no more than 10 minutes or they will break down). Rinse with cold water at least 3-4 times to completely remove the salt. Strain excess water and set aside.

    Then in a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients.

    Finally pour the dressing over cucumbers and gently mix. Enjoy!

    steps

    Storage

    This dish will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Keep in mind, with time, the cucumbers will become saltier because of the spicy dressing ingredients. So the next day, the cucumbers will taste more salty than the day you made them.

    Expert Tips

    • Use chopsticks to make spiral cucumbers. If you want to make your cucumbers into fun spirals (this is totally optional), use a pair of chopsticks that you donโ€™t mind slightly nicking up, like takeaway chopsticks. Place the two sticks beside both sides of your cucumber and begin slicing on an angle with your knife (must be on an angle or it won't work otherwise). Then flip over and do the same on the other side. Do it slowly and with time youโ€™ll get faster!
    • Combine the Sauce. For best results, combine sauce in a small bowl before adding it to the cucumbers. By pre-mixing, we are ensuring an even distribution of ingredients maximizing taste!
    • Rinse salted cucumbers well! Because weโ€™re adding more sodium, itโ€™s super important to rinse off the salt from the cucumbers after they have been sitting in it. This step is crucial, or you will have very salty tasting cucumbers.

    FAQ

    Can I slice the cucumbers thinly without the spiral?

    Yes cucumber slices will work fine for this Asian spicy cucumber salad recipe! I just wanted to share a fun and creative way to showcase these mini cucumbers.

    Substitute for sesame oil?

    โ€‹Unfortunately, not one that provides a nutty flavor and aroma. I would simply substitute with any neutral oil but avoid olive oil, coconut oil or heavily scented oils. 

    Can I use other cucumbers? 

    โ€‹Yes, any long slender seedless cucumbers will work. 

    Do I need to spiralize the cucumbers?

    No, feel free to cut the cucumbers into slices. 

    Can I add other seasoning ingredients?

    โ€‹Yes, red onion or fresh ginger will work too!

    Other side dish recipes you may like!

    • Korean Cucumber Salad
    • Chinese smashed cucumber salad
    • Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad

    ๐Ÿ“– Recipe

    Easy & Quick Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad

    christieathome
    Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad. A crispy, refreshing and spicy cucumber salad. Seasoned with soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, green onions, sugar, sesame oil, sesame seeds and chili oil. Perfect as a side dish.
    5 from 28 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine Chinese
    Servings 2 as small side
    Calories per serving 144 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 6 Mini cucumbers or Persian cucumbers
    • 2 teaspoon Salt to drain water

    Dressing:

    • 1 tablespoon Regular soy sauce
    • 2 cloves Garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon Rice vinegar or white vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon Chinese chili oil
    • 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
    • 1 teaspoon Sesame seeds
    • 2 tablespoon green onion finely sliced

    Instructions
     

    • Wash cucumbers and cut off the ends.
    • Place one cucumber between two chopsticks that you donโ€™t mind nicking up (like takeout chopsticks). Make thin diagonal slices on the top. Then flip the cucumber over and do the same on the other side. Then cut cucumber into halves. Repeat for remaining cucumbers. Transfer to a large bowl. Alternatively, you can thily slice your cucumbers too.ย *Refer to video below for better visuals. Note: Do not cut them in on a straight angle or the spiral will not work.
    • Sprinkle salt over cucumbers and gently massage into them. Let cucumbers soak in salt for 5 minutes (no more than 10 minutes or they will break down). Rinse with cold water at least 3-4 times to completely remove the salt. Strain and set aside.
    • Combine dressing ingredients in a separate bowl.
    • Pour dressing over cucumbers and gently mix. Enjoy!
    Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!

    Suggested Equipment & Products

    Santoku Knife
    Cutting Board
    Mixing bowl
    Measuring Set

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Nutrition
    Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 2834mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 194IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg

    More Appetizers/Sides

    • soy sauce eggs
      Soy Sauce Eggs
    • Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)
    • Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Gแปi Cuแป‘n)
    • Butternut Squash Fritters
      Butternut Squash Fritters

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Eti

      March 19, 2022 at 9:41 am

      5 stars
      Love it !!!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        March 19, 2022 at 3:51 pm

        I am so happy you enjoyed my recipe! Thanks for making it! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    2. Liz

      March 20, 2022 at 10:05 am

      5 stars
      Yum!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        March 21, 2022 at 6:43 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it Liz! Thanks so much for your review and for making my recipe!

        Reply
    3. ThatTeowonna

      March 20, 2022 at 1:56 pm

      5 stars
      Very good! This was my first time using chili oil. This one had whole peanuts in it. Pretty darn good. Since Iโ€™ve recently fallen in love with avocado, I add a whole avocado after the sauce soaked into the cucumbers. Very good! Creamy, crunchy, sweet, and savory. Thanks for this awesome recipe. A great addition to Korean night at our house.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        March 21, 2022 at 6:44 pm

        I am so happy to read this and glad you enjoyed it! How exciting for your first time using chili oil, isn't it such a wonderful ingredient. The avocado addition sounds amazing as well! Thanks for making my recipe ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    4. Nancy

      March 27, 2022 at 9:01 am

      How do you make this ahead?

      Reply
      • christieathome

        March 28, 2022 at 2:25 pm

        You can make it one day ahead but just note that there will be more water content the next day since the soy sauce is high in sodium forcing more water out from the cucumber as days pass.

        Reply
    5. Elly

      March 28, 2022 at 11:38 pm

      5 stars
      so yummy and best of all easy to make!!!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        March 29, 2022 at 11:38 am

        Thrilled to read this! So glad you enjoyed it and thanks for making my recipe Elly!

        Reply
    6. Sylvia

      March 29, 2022 at 6:31 pm

      Hi! Really want to try this but worried it might be too spicy ๐Ÿ™ is there anything I can use to substitute for the chilli oil? Thanks!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        March 30, 2022 at 11:30 am

        Hi there! I would recommend omitting the chili oil altogether and if needed, add more soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar to your sauce prior to adding to the cucumbers. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    7. D. Jay

      April 02, 2022 at 3:58 pm

      5 stars
      The allure of this dish was instant. I was looking for a side dish to accompany some marinated (lime juice, smashed garlic cloves and sea salt) chicken thighs I was going to grill and โ€œbangโ€ this was it. So easy to make and delicious! Even the chili oil went unnoticed by a partner who usually avoids spicy food. Make it, enjoy it. Itโ€™s a winner!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        April 04, 2022 at 7:42 pm

        Thank you so much for making my recipe and I'm so glad you enjoyed the ease and deliciousness of this dish! I truly appreciate your kind review on my blog and I hope you have a fantastic day ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
      • Michael

        August 18, 2023 at 9:45 pm

        Made this following your recipe (no fancy cut) just thin sliced. Took me literally 5 minutes minus the salt and rinse time. Perfect! Thank you! Will be making this on a regular basis. Love it.

        Reply
        • christieathome

          August 22, 2023 at 2:59 pm

          Thank you so much for making my recipe, Michael! So glad you enjoyed my simple recipe ๐Ÿ™‚

          Reply
    8. J L

      April 03, 2022 at 5:36 am

      5 stars
      Mmmm, so good!
      Happy to find this recipe.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        April 04, 2022 at 7:40 pm

        Thank you for making my recipe! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Have a lovely day.

        Reply
    9. Veronica

      April 08, 2022 at 6:03 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delish!!! I knew Iโ€™d love it so I doubled the recipe. GONE! Now I need more cucumbers! Thanks for the recipe! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • christieathome

        April 12, 2022 at 2:15 pm

        Thank you so much for making my recipe! So glad you enjoyed it well ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    10. LLL

      April 11, 2022 at 6:44 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for the first time today and it was a big hit with my kids. My 12 year old son asked when he can have it again. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        April 12, 2022 at 2:15 pm

        I'm so glad you and your kids enjoyed it! Thank you so much for making my recipe ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    11. Lizzie

      May 15, 2022 at 2:07 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious!!! Very easy to make. I did half sugar and left out sesame oil because my boyfriend doesnโ€™t like it - and it is addicting!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        May 16, 2022 at 12:01 pm

        Hi Lizzie, thank you so much for making my recipe and I'm so glad you enjoyed my cucumber salad! Have a great day! - Christie

        Reply
    12. Trina

      July 30, 2022 at 3:41 pm

      5 stars
      Made this with zucchini was fantastic. I also added some diced Asian pear. My new fav salad.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        August 03, 2022 at 12:25 pm

        Thanks so much for making my recipe Trina! So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    13. Renee

      November 01, 2022 at 11:27 am

      5 stars
      Made this to have with some pan fried gyoza. Itโ€™s absolutely delicious! so full of flavour, especially with homemade chilli oil. Will make this again and again. Thank you!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        November 01, 2022 at 3:37 pm

        So happy to read this kind comment! Happy to hear you enjoyed it with some delicious gyoza, Renee! Thanks for making my recipe ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    14. Atlas

      November 13, 2022 at 3:43 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely amazing! Talk about an explosion of flavors in your mouth, the sugar balances the spic e from chili oil perfectly. My husband loved it so much, that he drizzled the sauce over his grilled chicken as well. Thank you for sharing Christie, we canโ€™t wait to try more of your recipes.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        November 14, 2022 at 11:26 am

        Thanks so much for sharing your kind review Atlas! So glad you and your husband both enjoyed my recipe so much! I hope you enjoy my other recipes as well ๐Ÿ™‚ Have a lovely day!

        Reply
    15. tay

      March 15, 2023 at 4:25 am

      can you make this with regular sized cucumbers?

      Reply
      • christieathome

        March 15, 2023 at 4:55 pm

        Yes ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    16. Kim

      April 13, 2023 at 1:47 pm

      5 stars
      So easy and absolutely DELICIOUS! This will be a staple in my house going forward. Easy to take to the office for a quick snack/lunch and it stays great for a couple of days.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        April 13, 2023 at 8:34 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks for making it!

        Reply
    17. Jade

      April 24, 2023 at 7:25 pm

      5 stars
      This is absolutely amazing!! Just ate two whole cucumbers with it cant wait to use the sauce for other things as well!! To die forrrr!!!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        April 25, 2023 at 8:00 pm

        Thank you so much for making my recipe and for leaving such a raving review, Jade! Glad it hit the spot!

        Reply
    18. Anna

      May 17, 2023 at 3:08 pm

      5 stars
      Super lecker ๐Ÿ˜‹ nur mit den Mengenangaben haben wir ein wenig variiert... und nachher noch viel sauce รผbrig gehabt um andere tolle Sachen damit zu toppen.
      Vielen Dank ๐Ÿ‘

      Reply
      • christieathome

        May 29, 2023 at 3:02 pm

        Vielen Dank, dass Du mein Rezept gemacht hast! Ich schรคtze es wirklich. Ich hoffe, diese Google-รœbersetzung ist auch richtig geworden ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    19. Storm

      June 22, 2023 at 7:05 am

      5 stars
      Awesome! I added some avo and a smidge of kewpie mayo and itโ€™s amazing !

      Reply
      • christieathome

        June 22, 2023 at 4:09 pm

        Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it and thanks for making it!

        Reply
    20. Natasha

      June 29, 2023 at 4:05 pm

      5 stars
      Light and refreshing!
      I used cayenne pepper since I honestly did not feel like making chili oil and I ran put of my jar. I also used just a tiny squirter of stevia liquid instead of sugar but I may omit it altogether next time! This is a great recipe and a good way to eat your cucumbers. It is a lower calorie option then plain or with hummus and I can't eat dairy so dressing is not something I am going to use so this was perfect!

      Thank you for sharing it!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        July 04, 2023 at 5:48 pm

        Thanks for making my recipe, Natasha! So happy you enjoyed it with stevia and cayenne pepper!

        Reply
    21. Jessica

      June 30, 2023 at 12:58 am

      5 stars
      Got super lazy tonight and decided to make something easy. Let me tell you, this salad takes the cake! The whole thing took me about ten minutes. At first, I was a little nervous to make it with the spirals but I decided to give it a go. I didnโ€™t have chopsticks on hand so I used straws and it worked out just great. The final result was amazing and I would definitely recommend making it.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        July 04, 2023 at 5:47 pm

        Thanks so much for making my recipe, Jessica! Happy it all worked out for your! Glad it takes the cake.

        Reply
    22. Lisa

      July 01, 2023 at 5:33 pm

      5 stars
      Nice fresh change of pace from the traditional mac and potatoe salad sides for summer!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        July 04, 2023 at 5:42 pm

        Thank you so much for making my recipe, Lisa! Happy it's a nice change for a summer side. Have a lovely day!

        Reply
    23. MK

      August 01, 2023 at 8:04 pm

      5 stars
      Wonderful quick and healthy side dish. Sometimes when I'm in a rush I just slice the cucumber on a mandoline and it comes out perfect. Thanks!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        August 02, 2023 at 7:49 pm

        Thanks so much for making my recipe, MK! It truly is such a tasty and healthy side dish when time is of the essence.

        Reply
    24. Weronika

      August 27, 2023 at 9:30 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you so much, it is so delicious! Iโ€™ll make more of the dressing and use it as a dipping sauce for dumplings and other things ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • christieathome

        August 30, 2023 at 12:57 pm

        The pleasure is all mine, Weronika! So happy you enjoyed my recipe ๐Ÿ™‚ A great idea to serve the dressing as a dipping sauce too!

        Reply
    25. JoeBKS

      September 06, 2023 at 7:27 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious recipe! Super easy.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        September 06, 2023 at 8:30 pm

        Thanks so much for making this and sharing your review with me! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    26. Cinde

      September 11, 2023 at 10:15 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious! I was out of chili oil so used olive oil and chili flakes. Thanks!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        September 13, 2023 at 2:02 pm

        Thanks so much for making my recipe, Cinde! Happy it worked out with the substitutes ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    27. Sharla ๐Ÿ’ซ

      September 24, 2023 at 8:27 pm

      5 stars
      Aloha ๐ŸŒบ ,
      When I first saw Your recipe I couldn't Believe it ๐Ÿ˜ ! M'y mouth wanted to taste it Right Away ! I Have sent it to 20 other people ๐Ÿ˜.. You Have Brought a ๐ŸŒž light on the the Table !
      Mahalo ๐ŸŒด ,
      All of US ๐Ÿ’ž

      Reply
      • christieathome

        September 26, 2023 at 3:12 pm

        Aloha! Thank you so much for the kind comment and I appreciate you sharing my recipe with others ๐Ÿ™‚ Have a lovely day!

        Reply
    28. Barbara

      October 12, 2023 at 7:19 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this with my homegrown Pickling Cucumbers...Oh My Goodness...this is Fire!! Thanks for the deliciousness!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        October 13, 2023 at 3:08 pm

        Thanks so much for making my recipe, Barbara! So glad to hear that it worked well with pickling cucumbers. Have a great day!

        Reply
    29. Logan

      October 31, 2023 at 4:51 pm

      5 stars
      My favorite snack!!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        October 31, 2023 at 8:01 pm

        I am so pleased to hear this, Logan! Thanks for making it and glad it's a favorite!

        Reply
    30. Na

      November 27, 2023 at 12:40 am

      5 stars
      This was so incredible I canโ€™t stop eating it!!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        November 28, 2023 at 4:03 pm

        I am so thrilled to read this, Na! Thank you so much for making my recipe and for this kind review ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    31. jeffrey

      November 30, 2023 at 5:42 pm

      5 stars
      This was a bit hit at thanksgiving, and I have saved it under 'crowd pleaser.' I've cobbled together versions without a recipe in the past, but following a professional's guide made all the difference. Thank you, Christie! ๐Ÿ’•

      Reply
      • christieathome

        November 30, 2023 at 8:27 pm

        I am so pleased to hear this, Jeffrey! Thank YOU so much for making my recipe and for sharing this positive kind review ๐Ÿ™‚ It really made my day! Have a wonderful weekend ahead!

        Reply

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    Christie is an Asian Recipe Blogger with an expertise on Asian recipes! She makes Asian cooking approachable and less intimidating. Her quick and easy recipes have been featured on Buzz Feed Tasty, Food52, The Kitchn and more. With a following of over 900K+, her recipes are made repeatedly by her loyal readers.

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