Asian Cucumber Salad

This Asian Cucumber Salad is one of our favorite side dishes; we love it for being simple to prepare packed in flavor and low calorie. You can create these gorgeous, bouncy spiraled cucumbers in just a few minutes. All you need is a pair of chopsticks and a knife. Cucumber spirals not only look elegant, but this technique allows the cucumber to absorb lots of the dressing. You can easily turn this into a meal with a side of rice or cauliflower mash and your protein of choice, such as salmon or chicken.

What stands out

Remember slinkies? Those stretchy, bouncy coil toys that were popular when we were kids? Today we’re turning crunchy Persian cucumbers into a spiral salad, resembling slinkies. It’s so important to keep things novel and exciting in the kitchen—whether you are on a health journey or just trying to do more home cooking—and this Asian Cucumber Salad is a unique way to get your veggies in. Crisp cucumbers are doused in an Asian-inspired dressing that’s saltysweet and a little spicy. It’s a straightforward recipe that’s suited to kids, those of counting marcos, or anyone looking for a straightforward, healthy side dish.

How to Prepare

Wash and pat dry the cucumbers.

Take a pair of chopsticks, lay them on a flat surface, perpendicular to one another. Then, 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. Then let them sit to draw out the moisture, no longer than 10 minutes.

Then, after 10 minutes, rinse the cucumbers well to remove the salt. Pat dry and prepare the dressing.

Next, 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! Finally, enjoy!

Kitchen tip

For best results, salt the cucumbers well, rub the salt in and let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, rinse the salt off and pat them dry.

Swaps

1. As always, please measure with your hear t! Add more chili oil for more heat. Add extra soy sauce for more salt. Adjust according to your preferences.
2. You can add additional vegetables to this salad: thinly sliced yellow onion or scallions, finely chopped fresh cilantro, or grated carrots.
3. 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.
4. We love Persian cucumbers for their mild flavor and thin peel. However, you can use any kind of cucumber: English cucumber, garden cucumber, even pickling cucumber.

Serve it with

• We love serving this with a simple carb, such as Cauliflower Mash or Zucchini Rice.
• Serve this salad alongside, a straightforward protein, like grilled shrimp chicken or salmon.
• For a full Asian-inspired meal, serve with Shrimp Fried Rice.
• Try this served with our sushi-inspired Chicken Bake Cups.

Questions

is this gluten-free? can it be made gluten-free?

Soy sauce contains gluten, so to make this gluten-free use tamari instead of soy sauce.

how long will this keep in the fridge?

We think this dish is best enjoyed right after preparing it.

is this dish vegetarian?

Yes, all the ingredients are fully vegetarian. To make this vegan, omit the honey or replace it with agave.

what if i don’t have chopsticks?

If you don’t have chopsticks, you can also secure the cucumber between two skewers. Or you can chop the cucumber into slices.

Ingredients

Makes 1 portion

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

Equipment

• Chopsticks
• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Chefs Knife
• Garlic Press

Method

The Cucumbers

1. Wash and pat dry the cucumbers.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. After 10 minutes, rinse the cucumbers well to remove the salt. Pat dry and prepare the dressing.

The Dressing

1. 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.
2. Pour the dressing over the cucumbers, mix, and add sesame seeds on top! We recommend enjoying this salad right away.
3. 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.

Kitchen notes

• A Note on Cucumbers: Persian cucumbers are thin, long, and crunchy. We 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.