Short Description
A refreshing, crunchy salad featuring spiral-cut cucumbers dressed in a bold, spicy-sweet Asian-flavored dressing—perfect for a quick side dish or snack.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy: Ready in about 30 minutes, with most time spent letting the cucumbers rest.
- Crunchy spiral cut: Fun, beautiful presentation and perfectly textured.
- Bold flavors: A balanced blend of heat, umami, sweetness, and acidity.
- Healthful choice: Low-calorie, veggie-forward, and ideal for summer or Asian-inspired meals.
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
- 6–8 Persian cucumbers
- 2 Tbsp salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Directions
- Spiral-cut the cucumbers
- Place a chopstick on each side of a cucumber.
- Slice at a 45° angle, cutting down to the chopsticks.
- Rotate the cucumber 90° and make straight cuts.
- You’ll end up with long spirals that remain intact.
- Salt and rest
- Place spiral-cut cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle with salt.
- Massage the salt into the slices to draw out moisture.
- Let sit for 15–20 minutes.
- Prep aromatics
- While cucumbers rest, mince garlic and thinly slice green onion.
- Rinse and dry
- Quickly rinse the cucumbers to remove excess salt without reabsorbing water.
- Drain and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
- Make the dressing
- Add minced garlic, green onion, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, gochugaru, brown sugar, and sesame seeds to the cucumbers.
- Massage the dressing well into the cucumbers to coat evenly.
- Serve immediately
- The salad is best enjoyed right away to maintain its crisp, refreshing crunch.
Servings And Timing
- Serves: 4–6 as a side dish
- Prep Time: ~10 minutes (plus 15–20 minutes of resting)
- Total Time: ~25–30 minutes
Storage/Reheating
- Storing: Keep leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 day—optimize for crispness.
- Note: The salad softens over time; it’s best enjoyed fresh.
Variations
- Extra crunch: Add sliced radishes or thin carrot ribbons.
- Herbal twist: Finish with chopped cilantro or Thai basil.
- Nutty upgrade: Top with chopped peanuts or toasted cashews.
- Heat level: Substitute gochugaru with chili oil or fresh chili if you like it hotter.
- Citrus brightness: Add a squeeze of lime juice before serving.
FAQs
1. Can I use regular cucumbers instead of Persian?
Yes—just remove seeds if large, and slice similarly in a spiral or coins.
2. Do I have to spiral-cut?
No—but cutting thin rounds works too; spiral cutting is just visually appealing.
3. Can I make this ahead?
You can prep the cucumbers and dressing separately, but toss and serve within an hour for best texture.
4. Is this vegan-friendly?
Yes—contains no animal products.
5. How spicy is gochugaru?
Gochugaru has mild to medium heat. Add more or less depending on preference.
6. Can I reduce salt?
Yes—reduce salt to 1 Tbsp and rinse thoroughly; taste after salting and adjust if needed.
7. Can I add protein?
Yes—top with sesame-coated tofu or cooked shrimp for a more substantial dish.
8. What other acids work?
Rice vinegar is traditional; lime or apple cider vinegar are fine substitutes.
9. My cucumbers are too wet—help!
Ensure you rinse and pat dry completely before adding dressing.
10. Can I skip the brown sugar?
Yes—omit if you prefer a less sweet version; sugar balances acidity and spice.
Conclusion
This Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad is a delightful mix of crisp cucumber, bold flavors, and satisfying heat—all ready in under 30 minutes. It’s a quick, healthy crowd-pleaser that adds zesty freshness to any meal. Enjoy immediately for the best crunch!
Print
Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad
- Total Time: 25–30 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A refreshing, crunchy spiral-cut cucumber salad tossed in a bold, spicy-sweet Asian dressing—ideal as a quick side or snack.
Ingredients
6–8 Persian cucumbers
2 Tbsp salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
½ Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Place a chopstick on each side of a cucumber and cut at a 45° angle down to the chopsticks; rotate 90° and cut straight to create long intact spirals.
- Put spiral cucumbers in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, massage to draw out moisture, and let rest 15–20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mince garlic and thinly slice green onion.
- Quickly rinse cucumbers to remove excess salt, drain, and pat dry thoroughly.
- Add garlic, green onion, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, gochugaru, brown sugar, and sesame seeds to cucumbers; massage to coat evenly.
- Serve immediately to retain crispness.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 1 day—salad will soften over time.
- Optional add-ins: radish or carrot ribbons, chopped cilantro or Thai basil, toasted nuts or peanuts, and a squeeze of lime juice.
- Adjust salt and gochugaru levels to your preference.
- If using regular cucumbers, remove seeds before slicing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 15–20 minutes resting)
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No-Cook, Spiral Cutting
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 30 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
