Description
A refreshing and tangy Asian Cucumber Salad featuring thinly sliced cucumbers tossed in a flavorful dressing of rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili garlic sauce. Perfect as a light side dish or appetizer with a balance of sweet, savory, and spicy notes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Turkish, Persian or English cucumbers (about 5 cups sliced)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4–5 scallions, finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
Dressing
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (for gluten-free use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or Coconut aminos)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey, or sugar), more to taste
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (sambal olek) or sriracha, more to taste
- 1–2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Score Cucumbers: Using the tines of a fork, score the cucumbers lengthwise to help the dressing cling to them. This step can be skipped if in a hurry.
- Slice and Salt: Slice the cucumbers thinly and place them in a mixing bowl. Toss with the salt to help them release water and let them stand while preparing the other ingredients.
- Strain Cucumbers: Strain the cucumbers using a fine mesh strainer without rinsing and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Combine Dressing: Add scallions, grated ginger, minced garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, chili garlic sauce, and toasted sesame seeds to the cucumbers. Mix everything to combine well.
- Taste and Adjust: Taste the salad and adjust salt, sweetness, and spice according to your preference by adding more salt, maple syrup, or chili paste as desired.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the salad until ready to serve. It is best served the same day but will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Optional additions include fish sauce, lime juice, crushed roasted peanuts, Gochujang, cilantro or Thai basil, red onions, peanut chili crunch, and radishes for extra flavor and texture.
- Use gluten-free soy sauce alternatives like Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or Coconut aminos if needed.
- Adjust the level of sweetness and spice to suit your taste preferences.
- For a more intense flavor, let the salad marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 70 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
