Asian Cucumber Salad
on Apr 09, 2025
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This Asian cucumber salad is one of my favorite side dishes; I love it for being simple to prepare, packed in flavor, and low calorie 🥒. You can create these gorgeous, bouncy spiraled cucumbers in just a few minutes. All you need is a pair of chopsticks and a knife. Cucumber spirals not only look elegant, but this technique allows the cucumber to absorb lots of the delicious dressing. You can easily turn this into a meal with a side of rice or cauliflower mash, and your protein of choice, such as salmon or chicken.
Why You’ll Love Asian Cucumber Salad
Remember slinkies? Those stretchy, bouncy coil toys that were popular when we were kids 🌀? Today we’re turning crunchy Persian cucumbers into a delicious spiral salad, resembling slinkies. It’s so important to keep things novel and exciting in the kitchen—whether you are on a health journey or just trying to do more home cooking—and this Asian cucumber salad is a unique way to get your veggies in. Crisp cucumbers are doused in an Asian-inspired dressing that’s salty, sweet, and a little spicy. It’s a super easy recipe that’s perfect for kids, those of counting marcos, or anyone looking for an easy, healthy side dish.
How to Prepare
🥒 Wash and pat dry the cucumbers.
🥢 Take a pair of chopsticks, lay them on a flat surface, perpendicular to one another. Then, place a cucumber in between the two chopsticks, making sure the cucumber is tightly nestled.
🔪 Next, make thin straight cuts on top, flip the cucumber over and make cuts on a 45 degree angle on the opposite side. With each cut, make sure that the knife is hitting the chopsticks so that you’re not cutting all the way through.
🧂 Repeat this step for each cucumber. They should look like spirals, or even a slinky! Place them in a bowl, generously season with salt and gently rub the salt into the cucumbers. Then let them sit to draw out the moisture, no longer than 10 minutes.
⏲ Then, after 10 minutes, rinse the cucumbers well to remove the salt. Pat dry and prepare the dressing.
🍯 Next, in a measuring cup (or mason jar) add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chilli oil, honey, minced garlic, and sesame oil. Mix well and taste; adjust the flavors, as needed.
🍽 Pour the dressing over the cucumbers, mix, and add sesame seeds on top! Finally, enjoy!
Nonna’s Tip 🥢
For best results, salt the cucumbers well, rub the salt in and let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, rinse the salt off and pat them dry.
Variations and Substitutions for Asian Cucumber Salad
- As always, please measure with your heart ❤️! Add more chili oil for more heat 🌶. Add extra soy sauce for more salt. Adjust according to your preferences.
- You can add additional vegetables to this salad: thinly sliced yellow onion or scallions, finely chopped fresh cilantro, or grated carrots 🧅🥕.
- If you don’t have the patience to create the springy, spiral cut of the cucumber, you can simply slice the cucumber thinly and toss it in the dressing 🔪.
- I love Persian cucumbers for their mild flavor and thin peel. However, you can use any kind of cucumber 🥒: English cucumber, garden cucumber, even pickling cucumber.
More Cucumber Recipes
Cucumber Sushi Boats
14 mins
Cucumber and Avocado Rolls
15 mins
Polish Cucumber Salad
10 mins
Salmon Cucumber Rolls
15 mins
Vegan Cucumber Rolls
10 mins
Cucumber Salmon Boats
10 mins
Best Served With
- I love serving this with a simple carb, such as Cauliflower Mash or Zucchini Rice.
- Serve this salad alongside, an easy protein, like grilled shrimp, chicken, or salmon 🍗.
- For a full Asian-inspired meal, serve with Shrimp Fried Rice 🍚.
- Try this served with my sushi-inspired Chicken Bake Cups.
Common Questions
Soy sauce contains gluten, so to make this gluten-free use tamari instead of soy sauce.
I think this dish is best enjoyed right after preparing it.
Yes, all the ingredients are fully vegetarian. To make this vegan, omit the honey or replace it with agave.
If you don’t have chopsticks, you can also secure the cucumber between two skewers. Or you can simply chop the cucumber into slices.
Asian Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
The Cucumbers
- 6 Persian cucumbers
- 2 teaspoons salt
The Dressing
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chili oil or chili flakes, I used Gochugaru (any will work)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- sesame seeds, to taste
Instructions
The Cucumbers
- Wash and pat dry the cucumbers.
- Take a pair of chopsticks, lay them on a flat surface, perpendicular to one another. Place a cucumber in between the two chopsticks, making sure the cucumber is tightly nestled.
- Next, make thin straight cuts on top, flip the cucumber over and make cuts on a 45 degree angle on the opposite side. With each cut, make sure that the knife is hitting the chopsticks so that you're not cutting all the way through.
- Repeat this step for each cucumber. They should look like spirals, or even a slinky! Place them in a bowl, generously season with salt and gently rub the salt into the cucumbers. Let them sit to draw out the moisture, no longer than 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, rinse the cucumbers well to remove the salt. Pat dry and prepare the dressing.
The Dressing
- In a measuring cup (or mason jar) add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chilli oil, honey, minced garlic, and sesame oil. Mix well and taste; adjust the flavors, as needed.
- Pour the dressing over the cucumbers, mix, and add sesame seeds on top! I recommend enjoying this salad right away.
- Note: if you don't have Gochugaru chili oil, a few options are: hot honey as a substitute for both the honey and oil, Calabrian chili oil, chili flakes, or anything else you have on hand.
Nonna’s Notes
- A Note on Cucumbers: Persian cucumbers are thin, long, and crunchy. I love them for their mild flavor and thin peel. You can use any kind of cucumber: English cucumber, garden cucumber, even pickling cucumber.
- A Note on Patience: If you don’t have the patience to create the springy, spiral cut of the cucumber, you can simply slice the cucumber thinly and toss it in the dressing.
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
LOVE this method of cutting the cucumbers! So delicious and fun!!! 🤩
WOW! I’m floored by how unbelievably addictive this salad is! Spicy, crunchy and packed with those awesome Asian flavours. Bonus that it’s healthy and extra fun to eat in spiral form!
Love it Kelsey! It’s a great addiction to have 😉
OMG such a flavorful little snack! Crunchy, healthy and delicious!