Spicy Cucumber Salad

This 10-ingredient crunchy cucumber salad requires just minutes of prep and is light, crunchy, refreshing, and packed with well-balanced spicy, tangy, salty, and sweet flavors!

Humble cucumber is a versatile ingredient that can be elevated to new heights with just a few simple ingredients, creating fresh, crisp, vibrant salads like this spicy cucumber salad! Combining popular flavors like garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes (Regular or Korean gochujang), this spicy cucumber salad tastes super bold but has a refreshing crunch in every bite.

There are actually several regional marinated cucumber recipes/salads (like this vinegar dill cucumber salad or cucumber Pico de Gallo), but our version is most similar to Korean cucumber salad (Oi Muchim/ 오이무침), which is a popular ‘banchan’ (side dish) made with Korean chili flakes and great as part of a larger meal or an appetizer.

Best of all, this spicy cucumber salad recipe comes together in just a couple of bowls and a few minutes, with no peeling or de-seeding necessary, and tastes delicious when served chilled on warmer days.

The Ingredients and Substitutes

The Sesame Cucumber Salad

• Cucumber: Use low-seed, thin peel varieties like Persian, Korean, or English cucumbers or small pickling cucumbers.
• Green onion: To add a mild oniony flavor to the healthy cucumber salad.
• Sesame seeds: Raw or lightly toasted to garnish the Asian spicy cucumber salad.

The Salad Dressing

• Aromatics: Chili cucumber salad relies on garlic and ginger for its aromatic base.
• Soy sauce: Dark soy sauce adds the most flavor, though use light/reduced-sodium soy sauce if preferred. Alternatively, tamari or coconut aminos work best for a gluten-free spicy cucumber salad.
• Rice vinegar: Adds a tangy, slightly sweet flavor for a super ‘bright’ cucumber rice vinegar salad. Alternatively, try apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. Regular white vinegar may work, but you’ll likely need extra sweetener.
• Sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil adds a rich, toasty, nutty flavor.
• Sweetener: To balance the flavors. We like maple syrup or agave, though regular white sugar or a sugar alternative will work. Adjust the amount to taste.
• Red pepper flakes: For a traditional Korean cucumber salad (oi muchim), use Korean chili powder ‘gochugaru’ (which is a vibrant red but has a fairly mild, fruity heat). Regular red pepper flakes will work (and are what we used this time) but are 3-5x hotter, so adjust accordingly.
• Salt: If needed, to further season.

What Else Could I Add to this Cucumber Salad?

• Chili paste: A small amount of regular Korean chili paste (or a chili sauce) will add flavor depth to make a delicious cucumber salad.
• More vegetables: To add extra crunch and flavor, try shredded/ribboned/sliced carrot, radish, bell pepper, sugar snap peas, and/or red onion.
• Avocado: For a rich, creamy addition. Add it just before serving.
• Fruit: Add juicy sweetness with the addition of pineapple or mango.
• Fresh herbs: Cilantro or parsley could work.
• Thai-inspired cucumber salad: Replace the vinegar and sesame seeds with lime juice, crushed peanuts, and garnish with Thai basil.
• Wakame/seaweed seasoning: For a Japanese-inspired cucumber salad, sprinkle this over to garnish. Optionally, also omit the sesame oil.

How to Make Spicy Cucumber Salad

• 1) First, wash and thinly slice the cucumber into around 1/8^th-inch slices using a knife or mandoline, and transfer them to a large bowl. Then, peel and mince the garlic and ginger, and thinly slice the green onion.

There are several ways to slice the cucumber for cucumber salad, including simple round slices, at a bias, or in ribbons. Use a fork to scrape lines down the side of the cucumber for ridges where the dressing can cling.

• 2) In a separate small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients (garlic, ginger, soy sauce, salt, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sweetener, and red pepper flakes). Stir well, then leave it for 5 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Alternatively, omit the salt at this point and only add it just before serving, after tasting the saltiness of the overall salad.

• 3) Pour the dressing over the cucumber and toss well, then serve garnished with green onions, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and additional red pepper flakes.

For even better flavor (and to make it extra refreshing), allow the cucumber salad to marinate/meld for an hour or two in the fridge before serving.

Recipe Pro Tips

• Don’t slice the cucumber too thin: Otherwise, it will become soggy/limp faster.
• Prepare the dressing first: This allows all the flavors to meld. We recommend preparing it 1-2 hours ahead if you have time.
• To speed up prep: A mandoline, food chopper, or food processor slicing/shredding disks will speed up the cucumber slicing and help to make perfectly even slices every single time.
• Tweak the dressing: Allow it to sit first for the flavors to meld, then either taste and adjust any ingredients immediately OR assemble this simple cucumber salad first, then taste and adjust before serving.   

FAQs

Serving Suggestions

This easy cucumber salad is a light, refreshing, and flavor-packed addition to any dinner table, BBQ, picnic, potluck, and more. Especially with dishes that provide balance and contrast in texture and flavor, like:

• Fresh spring rolls/summer rolls
• Steamed or fried dumplings/wontons
• Fluffy white or brown rice or vegetable fried rice
• Warm noodles or a noodle salad (sesame noodle salad)
• Stir-fries (like shiitake tofu stir-fry or teriyaki tofu stir-fry )
• Grilled vegetables or proteins (tofu, mushrooms, cauliflower, eggplant, etc.)
• Vegan burgers and other protein-heavy dishes
• Ramen
• Kimchi

How to Store this Cucumber Salad?

We highly recommend preparing the dressing (or the entire assembled salad) 1-2 hours before serving.

Once prepared, this cucumber salad will remain freshest, with the most crisp texture, in the first 24 hours. However, leftovers should store okay for an additional 1-2 days (possibly slightly longer if you salted the cucumber).

Taste it between servings and liven it up if needed with extra vinegar and/or fresh cucumber slices.

More Easy Vegan Salad Recipes

• Mediterranean lentil chickpea salad
• Rainbow salad
• Pita panzanella salad
• Crunchy peanut salad
• Texas caviar
• Quinoa salad

Photos by Alfonso Revilla