Description
Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad is a refreshing, crunchy dish that packs a flavorful punch. It’s easy to make with spiral-cut cucumbers tossed in a savory, tangy, and spicy dressing. Perfect as a side dish or a snack for quick lunches or dinner parties.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6–8 Persian cucumbers
- 2 tbsp salt
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Place a chopstick on either side of the cucumber. Make 45-degree slices into it; the chopsticks will help you avoid slicing all the way through. Rotate the cucumber to the other side and make straight 90-degree cuts to create a beautiful spiral shape.
- Put all the spiral cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Gently massage the salt into the slices and let them sit for 15-20 minutes.
- While it sits, mince your garlic and thinly slice the green onion.
- After 15-20 minutes, rinse the salt off the cucumbers quickly and drain. Pat the cucumbers dry with a paper towel.
- Add the garlic, green onion, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, gochugaru, brown sugar, and sesame seeds to the cucumbers. Massage everything well to mix the flavors.
- Enjoy your salad right away while it’s still crunchy!
Notes
- For an even more vibrant flavor, let the salad sit for about 10 minutes after mixing the dressing, so the cucumbers absorb the flavors.
- Adjust the amount of gochugaru if you like it more or less spicy.
- You can use different kinds of cucumbers, but Persian cucumbers have a nice crunch that works perfectly.
- Add sliced carrots or radishes for extra crunch and color.
- For a sweeter version, try adding a splash of honey or maple syrup.
- This salad is best eaten fresh as the cucumbers will soften over time.
- If you don’t have gochugaru, you can substitute with red pepper flakes, Aleppo pepper, or a mix of paprika with a small amount of cayenne.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 45
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg