Asian Cucumber Salad

A bowl of spiral-cut cucumbers with a glossy, seasoned dressing, sprinkled with sesame seeds. A hand uses chopsticks to lift a spiral cucumber slice. Background features a softly lit window with grid patterns.

5 from 3 votes

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.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: asian cucumber salad, cucumber salad, spicy cucumber salad

Servings: portion

Author: The Modern Nonna

Equipment

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.

Video

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.

Nutrition