This simple recipe for a spicy cucumber salad is perfect for a quick and easy side dish. With just a few ingredients, you can whip up a tasty and refreshing salad with crunchy cucumbers in a rich savory dressing that will add some heat to any meal. {Vegan, Gluten-Free Adaptable}
Cucumber salad is a popular dish on Chinese dinner tables. No matter if you want to add a crisp appetizer to accompany a bowl of hot noodle soup, to balance out a pot of hearty braised pork belly, or have something green to serve with grilled meat, this spicy cucumber salad is a perfect choice.
I’ve shared this classic northern Chinese style cucumber salad in the past. In this recipe, I want to share a fancy way to cut and prepare cucumber for the best texture.
Spicy cucumber salad ingredients
What type of cucumber to use
Mini cucumbers and persian cucumbers are the best type for this recipe. You can use English cucumbers as well, although their size is quite big for this cutting method. If you’re near a Chinese market, you can also use Chinese cucumbers (one of my favorites).
I do not recommend using American cucumbers because they’re quite thick and watery.
Chili oil
Since chili oil is a key ingredient in spicy cucumber salad, I recommend either making it at home or using a jar from a good brand.
Making chili oil is quite easy and I have a recipe showing you how to do it in your own kitchen.
If you prefer to buy chili oil, I recommend the one from The Mala Market, or the classic Lao Gan Ma Chili Crisp.
Mise en place
You only need 7 ingredients to make this delicious dish!
- Cucumber
- Rice vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Garlic
- Sugar
- Chili oil
- Sesame seeds
How to make spicy cucumber salad
Here I want to show you how to make spiral cucumber cuts so you can create a beautiful looking dish like a Chinese restaurant.
- Place a pair of chopsticks on the sides of the cucumber as a guide so you don’t cut through the cucumber, thinly slice the cucumber at a 45 degree angle.
- Flip the cucumber and cut it the same way on the other side.
- Salt the cucumber and let it sit for a while, to release moisture.
- Mix the dressing.
- Drain the moisture from the cucumber and pat dry.
- Pour the dressing over the cucumber before serving.
Create crunchy cucumber
In this recipe I salted the cucumber and let it marinate for 10 to 15 minutes. During this time, the cucumber will release moisture and become slightly crunchier. The cucumber will also have a better flavor this way.
It’s important to keep the marinating time short, and rinse off the salt once the marinating is done. So the cucumber won’t taste too salty.
How to serve and store spicy cucumber salad
Spicy cucumber salad is a great side dish to accompany almost any type of Chinese main dish. You can also serve it as an appetizer for your Chinese BBQ party.
Spicy cucumber salad tastes the best if you make it and serve it as soon as possible. That being said, you can make it ahead and bring it to a party without any issue. You can make the salad the same day and serve it later. If you plan to make it ahead and serve the next day, I recommend mixing the cucumber with the dressing right before you serve it. Once salted, the cucumber will keep releasing moisture and dilute the dressing.
Other delicious appetizer and side dishes
Spicy Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 (1 lb / 450 g) mini cucumbers
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili oil (use less if you prefer a less spicy dish)
- 1 teaspoon white toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
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Cut and discard the ends of the cucumbers. Place one cucumber between two disposable chopsticks. Make thin diagonal slices at a 45 degree angle. Then flip the cucumber over and do the same on the other side. Then halve the cucumber crosswise. Cut the rest of the cucumbers the same way, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the salt and toss thoroughly with your hands. Leave the salt on for 15 minutes or so, to draw out water. Once done, rinse cucumbers and discard the water. Drain thoroughly and lightly pat the cucumbers dry.
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Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
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Right before serving, pour the sauce over and mix well. If not served immediately, the cucumbers will keep releasing water. Drain the water before mixing the sauce. Serve at room temperature as an appetizer or side.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 45kcal, Carbohydrates: 2.3g, Protein: 0.3g, Fat: 3.5g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g, Sodium: 223mg, Potassium: 43mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 1.5g, Calcium: 6mg
