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!
Chelsea Beal-Workman
Has anyone tried adding peanut butter to this?
megan
This was so good had to make my own chili oil and didn't have any sesame oil or seeds but still tasted really nice!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and so glad you enjoyed it with your homemade chili oil!
Kelly R Castagnola
This was a delicious and easy recipe to make that my whole family enjoyed.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and so glad the whole family liked it!
Ann
I'm going to be making this as soon as I get some cucumbers. I can't wait it looks delicious!
Christie Lai
I hope you enjoy it!
Charity
Asian-inspired cucumbers are one of my family’s favorite things. But every recipe I tried was not quite right. Good, but missing something or too much of something.
THIS is it. This is the recipe we were looking for. And my kids said the spiral cut somehow made them taste better, so thanks for the tutorial on that, as well as the recipe.
For anyone that is concerned on the spice level: my kids will eat mild salsa and occasionally medium but that’s pushing it for heat. They thought this was perfectly spiced and I used a full tablespoon of chile crisp/oil as that’s what I had on hand. So straight chile oil should be a little less spicy than mine was.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for sharing this raving review! I am so happy to hear that you and the family enjoyed it.
Jane Mc
Amazing! I could eat the whole bowl full, but alas, I have to share w my family who also love this recipe. Better than my favorite cucumber salad at a local sushi restaurant.
Thank you!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for the positive review and for making my recipe! So happy you enjoyed it and I appreciate you for sharing it with your family 🙂
Janet
Love making these spicy cucumbers! So delicious. How can I store them and for how long?
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for your positive review and for making them! The final dish will last up to 3 to 4 days in the fridge stored in an airtight container but please note that as time progresses, the cucumbers will become saltier. Hope this helps!
Marc
Is it possible to use gochujang instead of the chili oil and how would I be able to make it more "liquid"?
Christie Lai
Gochujang could work and I would suggest gradually diluting it with 1-3 tsp (or more) of cold water to make it runnier. Hope this helps!
Alli
Had Greek yogurt for creamy added protein. I also add diced peanuts with chili oil and avocado or edamame.
Thankful
Can I please just say thank you for providing so many alternatives! love that I dont have to go out to the store to buy one thing!!
Christie Lai
I am so glad I can provide substitutes for you so you can easily make this recipe at home 🙂 Thank you so much for your kind comment!
Frances
I'll be trying this over the weekend, so excited!
Lauren
We have been wanting to try this for ages and your recipe was so easy and straight forward! It’s so yummy and we will be making this often! Thank you!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and so glad you found it easy and simple! I appreciate the positive review!
Amber Reed
So simple and so delicious. I will for sure be making this over and over, I’ve already made it three times in 12 hours.
A great snack that you don’t have to feel guilty about and there is just something about that sauce that’s soo satisfying.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Amber! I'm so thrilled that you enjoy it so much and yes it's super simple!
Maureen
This recipe is so very good! I just slice up an English cucumber and follow the rest. I have been eating it everyday for a week.
I'm wondering about adding peanut butter to this, I'm going to try it. 🙂
Christie Lai
Thanks for making my recipe and sharing this positive review, Maureen! I would love to hear how the peanut butter works out 🙂
Renata Steem
Delish!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much, Renata! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Bryna Diamond
I used two large cucumbers and made some other minor tweaks because I didn’t have any scallions and I’m scared of the chili oil I just bought, but I gobbled it up.
Could you share what kind of chili oil you use?
Christie Lai
I used my own homemade chili oil which you can find a recipe for by clicking here. But when I run out of chili oil and don't have time to make more, I love the brand by Lan Gao Ma.
Summer King
My girls and I absolutely LOVE this recipe! It is fabulous and something we make almost weekly! The only thing we do differently (and this is purely because of our preference, the recipe alone is wonderful) is we use chili garlic paste (the Vietnamese one with the rooster on the bottle) Sambal Oelek instead of the chili oil. It adds an additional depth of flavor and spice. We also like to add a tablespoon of maple syrup and we double or triple the sauce because why the heck not?!? It’s refreshing, sweet, salty, spicy, and crunchy. It hits all the craving points without the added calories and carbs of junk food!!! Thank you for putting this out there!!!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for the kind and raving review, Summer! I'm really happy you and your family love it so much and thank you for sharing the substitutes. Sambal oelek is so flavorful and glad it works so well. Appreciate you making my recipe 🙂
Laurie
Hi Christie,
I stumbled onto your blog, and your recipes look wonderful! I wanted to pair this Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad with your Rainbow Fresh Rolls, but when I clicked on the thumb image for the Rainbow Fresh Rolls, I couldn't access the recipe. Would you please share your Rainbow Fresh Rolls recipe with me?
Many thanks!
Laurie
Christie Lai
Hi Laurie,
I'm so sorry to inform you that I removed my rainbow fresh rolls from my blog but I have replaced it with Fresh Shrimp Rolls (click here for that recipe). Feel free to replace the shrimp with fresh vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers or any veggies that you enjoy. Hopefully one day, I can create a recipe for rainbow fresh rolls soon!
Thanks for your patience,
Christie