A crispy, refreshing and spicy Asian cucumber salad seasoned with soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, green onions, sugar, sesame oil, sesame seeds and chili oil. This easy side dish is ready in 20 minutes with simple and minimal ingredients!
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What is it
Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad features crunchy cucumbers seasoned in a tasty garlicky, soy, vinegar dressing with chili oil. This simple side dish serves best with rice and your favourite proteins making it easy to work into a weekly rotation.
I enjoy making this Chinese dish for meal prep because it's easy and it lasts 3-4 days in the fridge. 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 spiral the cucumbers - simply slice them thinly.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
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 (aka Persian cucumbers): I recommend these cucumbers as they have a refreshing crunch! Or substitute with English cucumbers or Japanese cucumbers. Avoid cucumbers with seeds, like American cucumbers.
- Salt: to drain excess liquid in the cucumbers to make them crunchier!
Dressing
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
- Rice vinegar: Or substitute with white 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, gochugaru, or red chili flakes.
- Sugar: or substitute with honey, maple syrup, or any sweetener of your choice.
- Sesame oil: if you're allergic, omit altogether or substitute with more chili oil.
- Sesame seeds: omit if you're allergic
- Green onions
Expert Tips
- Short on time? Thinly slice the cucumbers and skip the spiral!
- Use chopsticks to make fun spiral cucumbers (optional). Use a pair of chopsticks that you don’t mind slightly nicking up, like takeaway chopsticks. Make sure to slice the cucumbers on an angle or you won't get the spiral effect.
- Rinse salted cucumbers well! Because we’re adding more sodium, it’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.
- Combine the sauce before adding cucumbers. By pre-mixing, we are ensuring an even distribution of ingredients maximizing taste!
- For more flavor, let the cucumbers marinate for another 10 minutes in the sauce in the fridge before enjoying.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make spicy Asian cucumber salad:
Prepare Cucumbers
First on a cutting board, place cucumber between two chopsticks that you don’t mind nicking up (like disposable takeout chopsticks).
Then make thin diagonal slices on the top on angle. Flip the cucumber over and do the same on the other side. Do not cut them in on a straight angle or the spiral will not work. Alternatively, thinly sliced cucumbers will work fine as well.
Then cut cucumber into halves.
Now you have spiral cucumbers. Transfer to a large bowl. Refer to video below for better visuals.
Salt Cucumbers and Make Dressing
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.
Dress Cucumbers
Finally pour the dressing over cucumbers and gently mix.
Serve and enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Please note with time, the cucumbers will become saltier due to the dressing.
- Freezer friendly? I would not suggest freezing this cucumber salad as the freezer air over softens the cucumber texture.
Pairing Suggestions
This serves best with egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice or fried rice, Mongolian Chicken, Honey Sesame Chicken, Bang Bang Shrimp, Gochujang Chicken, Soy Garlic Tofu and more!
FAQ
Yes, thin cucumber slices will work fine for this spicy cucumber salad! I just wanted to share a fun and creative way to showcase these mini cucumbers.
Yes, any long slender seedless cucumbers will work.
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📖 Recipe
Easy & Quick Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad
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 don’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. (Refer to video below for better visuals. Do not cut them in on a straight angle or the spiral will not work.)Alternatively, you can thinly slice your cucumbers too.
- 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!
Noli
It was easy to make. We had all the ingredients, except for the green onions, but I don‘t like those. Very tasty and spicy.
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for the kind review, Noli! Glad you enjoyed it!
Christina K.
I’ve always loved Asian marinated cucumber. So it’s no surprise that I’m incredibly addicted to this. I’ve been to Costco three days in a row to buy more bags of mini cucumbers. My husband and I finish a 1.5 pound bag in a day (it’s mainly me, though)! I bought two bags today and just made a huge batch that will hopefully last at least a couple of days. I like to add MSG and some chili crisp, in addition to the chili oil. And I use way more garlic and green onion (than the recipe calls for), so it has tons of flavor. I’ve definitely gotten quite good at cutting the spiraled cucumbers. Anyway, I’ve definitely spent way more money on cucumbers than I anticipated this week… Such a great recipe—thank you!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for sharing this positive review, Christina!! So glad to hear that you'd enjoy this recipe with extra aromatics 🙂 Your story about Costco gave me a good chuckle and happy this recipe made it all worthwhile!
Amanda
Perfect! This recipe really inspired me and I used what I had on hand: soy sauce, sriracha, avocado oil, chili crisp, sugar, red wine vinegar, and a squeeze of mandarin orange. I had English cucumbers and sliced them thin. It turned out so well - I’ll be making again in the future!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for leaving a positive review, Amanda! I'm so glad you enjoyed it with the substitutes!
Lisa M Morgan
Super easy and really delicious! We will have this one on the menu each week! Sooooo GOOD!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for leaving a positive review, Lisa! Happy it's on a weekly rotation 🙂
Juliet L Cavanaugh
These were great! I did not have chili oil, so I used a bit of hot pepper flakes and Gochujang. I also used an English cuke instead of Persian. Really great flavor that was perfect with our Korean BBQ grilled chicken and this dish will be part of our permanent rotation! And definitely don't skip throwing them back in the fridge to marinate and get cold again before serving. Thanks Christie:-)
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for sharing your positive experience, Juliet! I'm so glad it worked out well and it will become apart of your regular rotation 🙂
Tamiko
This recipe was quick and easy to make. I used what I had in my kitchen (chuckle). For the cucumber, I used the American one (I removed the seeds). I used avocado oil in place of the Chinese chili & Sesame oils. Sugar - I used a little less than the recipe stated and I used sweet chili sauce along with Sriracha sauce. No sesame seeds. Everything else was the same. It tastes wonderful. I appreciate this recipe and I look forward to making it the way it is listed.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for the kind review! I appreciate you making my recipe and for sharing your positive experience with it, Tamiko! So glad the substitutes worked too!
Shannon Bryan
Could I jar this up and keep it in my fridge?
Christie Lai
It'll last up to 2-4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge but I wouldn't recommend storing past that time frame as the cucumbers will become very salty.
Deb
Very flavor packed!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for sharing your positive review, Deb!
Shellie
I have made these almost every week now. So stinking yummy. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Shellie! So happy you enjoy them so much!
Hollie
Just made this because I've been dying to try this cucumber salad. Great recipe! Even without the scallions! (Just didn't have any on hand)
I saved it and will be making it many many times!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Hollie! Very happy to hear that you enjoyed my salad recipe and glad it worked without the scallions 🙂
SD
So easy and delicious
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe, SD! Glad you found it easy and delicious!
Jannelle Lauffer
This is the best cucumber salad I have used so far! I’ve made similar recipes and the cucumbers either get too soggy (didn’t know to salt and rinse before), too salty, or barely any flavor at all. I made this all the time now and have sent it to others! Thank you for this recipe!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Janelle! So happy that you like it so much and for sharing it with others 🙂
Katherine Dalton
My favorite cucumber salad. My husband has started buying cucumbers just so we can make this.
Maryann Rimoin
Wonderful! Wonderful! Nothing left.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Maryann! So happy you enjoyed it and that there was nothing left to waste! Happy New Year!
Carrie Rose
My son (7) begged me for cucumbers to make this salad and he cut the cucumbers helped mix and ate with chopsticks. He loved it!
Christie Lai
This brought such a big smile to my face! It's so wonderful that he helped you make this recipe. Thank you for making it and so happy you both enjoyed it 🙂 Happy new year!
Maryann Rimoin
Spicy, hot, delicious . I doubled the recipe. Used English cukes. Wonderful!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Maryann! So glad you enjoyed it and I appreciate the kind review!
Simi sachdev
DE-LI-CIOUS
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making it!