Description
Light and refreshing, this Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad bursts with bold flavors from soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and chili oil. Crisp cucumbers soak up the sweet, savory, tangy and spicy dressing—perfect for a quick side dish for warm days or as a complement to Asian‑inspired meals.
Ingredients
- 6 Persian cucumbers
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons chili oil (or chili oil crisp)
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 3 stalks green onion, diced
Instructions
- Slice off the ends of the cucumbers. Place each cucumber between two chopsticks (or equivalent guides) and make thin diagonal cuts at a 45‑degree angle without cutting all the way through. Then flip and make straight cuts on the opposite side so the cucumber remains intact but spiralized.
- Place the prepared cucumbers in a bowl, sprinkle with the salt, toss to coat, and let sit for about 5 minutes to draw excess moisture. Then rinse briefly and pat dry.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, chili oil, grated garlic, sesame oil, sesame seeds and diced green onions to make the dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the cucumber mixture and toss gently until the cucumbers are evenly coated.
- Serve immediately for best crunch and texture.
Notes
- Adjust the heat by adding more or less chili oil or chili flakes.
- Substitute English or Japanese cucumbers if Persian cucumbers aren’t available.
- For extra crunch, top with crushed peanuts or fried shallots.
- To make gluten‑free, swap soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
- Salting the cucumbers helps draw out moisture and prevents a watery salad. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: No‑cook / Tossed
- Cuisine: Asian‑inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
