Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe

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Asian cucumber salad is a refreshing and crunchy salad made with thinly sliced cucumbers, tossed in a tangy, sweet and spicy dressing. This salad is bursting with flavours of rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and red chilli flakes.

About the recipe

The spicy cucumber salad recipe is just what you need - light, flavorful, and perfect for hot weather.

This recipe very simple, yet flavorful dish that's perfect for anyone looking to add some healthy and delicious options to their meal rotation. With fresh ingredients and a zesty dressing, this salad is sure to become a new favourite.

Making this healthy dish is so simple, cut cucumber, prepare the dressing and toss everything together and your great salad will be ready to enjoy.

It's the perfect side dish to serve with grilled chicken, fish, lamb chops or chilli garlic paneer, and it's also great on its own as a light lunch or snack.

Even it pairs well with Asian-inspired main dishes such as stir-fries, sushi, or noodle bowls.

With its bright, colourful appearance and zesty taste, this salad is sure to become a favorite

Why you’ll love this recipe:

It's Vegan

Takes only 5 minutes to make

Healthy and delicious

You can easily double or triple the recipe

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About the recipe
Why you’ll love this recipe:
Ingredients
Instructions
How to make Asian cucumber salad
Substitutions and Variations
Top tip
FAQ
Related
📖 Recipe

Ingredients

Here is the list of ingredients needed to make easy cucumber salad

Cucumber- The main ingredient in this recipe is cucumber. Use fresh and firm ones. English cucumbers and Persian cucumbers are good alternatives

Garlic- Fresh garlic is minced and used

Red chilli flakes and red chilli powder - adds a nice spiciness to the salad

Sesame seeds - adds a nice taste to the dish

Sugar - I have used brown sugar, but can use any sweetener like honey or normal granulated sugar

Sesame oil and rice vinegar are used

For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient, check the recipe card below

Instructions

How to make Asian cucumber salad

Risen the cucumber thoroughly. Slice into even pieces using a Mandoline. You can peel this skin if you prefer.

In to mixing bowl, add cucumber slices, and salt and stir gently to combine well. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes

While the cucumbers are sitting, prepare the dressing.

In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, red chilli powder, brown sugar, chilli flakes, sesame seeds, and garlic until the sugar has dissolved.

After 10 minutes, using a sieve drain the excess salt water from the cucumber completely

Place the cucumbers in a large bowl, then pour the salad dressing over them. Toss to coat the cucumbers with dressing.

Serve immediately

Substitutions and Variations

To make this salad even better, consider adding additional vegetables like sliced bell peppers or shredded carrots, diced mango, red onion, and edamame for extra crunch and nutrition

Salad Dressings: While this recipe features a simple dressing made with rice vinegar and sesame oil, feel free to experiment with other dressings. For example, a sesame-ginger dressing or a peanut sauce would both work well with the flavors in this salad.

Substitute minced garlic with fresh ginger

Add soy sauce if you want more flavour to the salad along with some lime juice

You can substitute rice wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar

Add some heat: If you like a little bit of spice, consider adding some sliced jalapeños or red pepper flakes to your salad.

If you prefer cut the cucumber into thick slices instead of thin

For some extra crunch, you can some roasted peanuts to the salad

Top tip

Choose fresh, crisp cucumbers that are firm to the touch and have no soft spots or discolouration. This will ensure that your salad has a nice crunch and texture

You can also adjust the dressing to your liking by adding more or less sugar or red pepper flakes to adjust the sweetness and spiciness levels.

Be sure to slice the cucumber thinly to ensure they absorb the maximum amount of the best flavor from the dressing.

FAQ

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

The salad is best served immediately. The cucumber becomes soft when mixed with the dressing and kept for a long time. I would suggest keeping the sliced cucumber and dressing separate until ready to use

What to serve with Asian cucumber salad?

This salad is so refreshing and light, you can have it as a snack or side dish with grilled chicken and BBQs

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