Refreshing and crunchy, this spicy Asian cucumber salad is the proper fast appetizer for busy days. Loaded with garlic, sesame seeds, chili paste, and soy sauce, it’s obtained all of your favourite Asian substances in a single chunk.

Easy Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe

Prepped a day forward, this Asian cucumber salad is an easy however flavorful facet dish or appetizer concept stuffed with crunchy cucumbers, chili paste, and soy sauce. Topped with black sesame seeds, each chunk is simply the correct amount of garlicky, spicy, and earthy.

Don’t fear for those who don’t have sufficient time to salt and marinate the salad a day forward— you possibly can skip all of it after which toss the whole lot collectively without delay. You can minimize just a few corners by slicing thicker cucumbers and serving this recipe in the identical bowl you made it in.

With a mixture of Korean Gochujang and gochugaru chili powder, each chunk packs your favourite Asian flavors. Once it hits the desk, you may end up pushing the primary dishes apart with a purpose to load up on this refreshing cucumber salad.

What You’ll Need

Time to dig into the Asian substances in your pantry. Check the recipe card on the backside of the submit for full ingredient quantities.

• Persian cucumbers
• Salt
• Water
• Garlic
• Apple cider vinegar
• Granulated sugar – Light brown sugar works too.
• Gochujang chili paste
• Gochugaru chili powder – Japanese Shichimi togarashi is a good substitute.
• Sesame oil – Feel free to make use of peanut oil.
• Soy sauce
• Black sesame seeds – It’s okay to make use of white sesame seeds.

What Cucumbers Should I Use?

Persian, Japanese, English, or Turkish cucumbers are greatest for this recipe as a result of they’ve obtained fewer seeds and thinner pores and skin. Some shops promote them as “mini cucumbers”. They’re ideally suited for this salad as a result of they will stay crunchy for an extended time frame.

Recipe Variations

These recipe variations will make it easier to expend no matter you’ve readily available.

• Use common chili powder. If you possibly can’t discover Korean Gochujang or Gochugaru, use common chili powder to style as an alternative.
• Sprinkle with inexperienced onion. This provides pungent spiciness, much like garlic, and a pleasant crunch.
• Use garlic powder. Add 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove within the recipe.
• Grate some ginger. Freshly grate 1/2 teaspoon of ginger and blend it with the remainder of the substances for spicy earthiness.
• Add chili oil. Make it spicier by including 1/2 teaspoon of chili oil to the salad and giving it a superb combine. Sriracha additionally works.

How to Make Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad

Salting the cucumbers is the “hardest” a part of this recipe. The relaxation is simply tossing and serving.

• Salt the cucumbers. Cut the cucumbers into 1/4″ slices and place them in a bowl. You could make them thinner or thicker, however 1/4″ gives you the final word crunch whereas nonetheless absorbing a lot of the flavors. Sprinkle them with salt and provides them a superb combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clear kitchen towel and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours to permit them to launch extra moisture.

• Rinse them. Remove the cucumbers from the fridge and run them over chilly water for a couple of minutes, stirring them together with your palms consistently. Remove all of the salt, drain, and place them again within the bowl. You can even do a style take a look at. If the cucumbers are nonetheless salty, you’ll want to hold rinsing them.
• Add the sauces. Add the garlic, apple cider vinegar, sugar, Gochujang chili paste, Gochugaru chili powder, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Use a spoon or your palms to mix the substances with the cucumbers. Cover the bowl once more and refrigerate it for half-hour or in a single day to permit the flavors to develop.

• Serve. Remove from the fridge and serve the salad chilled. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to style and revel in.

Tips for Success

One of the following tips is a time saver whenever you’re in a rush.

• Thinly slice. The thinner the cucumbers, the extra taste they’ll take up. However, they are going to be much less crunchy.
• Skip the resting time. If you’re in a rush, you possibly can skip salting the cucumbers and letting them marinate within the sauce. Excess moisture received’t be an issue afterward for those who’re consuming the salad straight away.
• Use the identical bowl. You can cut back clean-up by serving the salad in the identical bowl you made it in.

What to Serve With Asian Cucumber Salad

This salad is ideal for your entire Asian-inspired meals and take-out cravings.

For hen, I like to pair it with my Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe, Chicken Lettuce Wraps, and Chinese Chicken and Broccoli. For beef and shrimp, attempt it with my Pepper Steak Stir Fry Recipe, Bang Bang Shrimp, and Sweet Korean BBQ Beef Tacos.

Can This Be Made in Advance?

• Yes! This Asian cucumber salad tastes greatest when made and refrigerated at some point prematurely as a result of the flavors come collectively a lot better. While you possibly can technically make it as much as 2 days prematurely, I don’t suggest it as a result of the cucumbers will start to lose their crunch.

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ENJOY!