Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe

This spicy Asian cucumber salad recipe consists of refreshingly cool cucumbers with a pleasant jolt of kick from crushed red pepper flakes. This cucumber salad will certainly take your snacking to a whole new level. It’s a quick and simple recipe to keep on hand. For more yummy cucumber recipes, check out these Mexican cucumbers and cucumber lime agua fresca!

Asian cucumber salad is an instant hit at casual summer get togethers as a light, easy-to-throw-together snack.

Everyone from the refined pickle aficionado to the healthy snacker will enjoy this refreshing cucumber salad.

This recipe’s combination of rice vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce is pleasantly complex. This side salad has every flavor sensation imaginable thanks to a sprinkle of sugar for sweetness, crushed red peppers for heat, and sesame seeds for crunch.

Ingredients needed

Most of the ingredients needed to make this salad are ones you probably already have on hand. They include:

Cucumbers

English cucumbers are long, thin, and sweeter than other cucumber varieties. If they’re not entirely seedless, they should still have fewer seeds making them great for our side salad.

It’s not necessary to peel English cucumbers’ skin off because the skins are generally thin and haven’t been waxed. You’ll be losing out on the nutrients on the skins so only peel them if you absolutely must, based on personal preference.

The most important thing is to pick out nice fresh cucumbers for the best refreshing and crisp bite.

Rice Vinegar

Rice Vinegar is a popular Asian condiment made from fermented rice. There are many uses for this condiment such as in salad dressings, seasonings, or dipping sauces.

Don’t confuse rice vinegar (also called rice wine vinegar) with rice wine. They’re not interchangeable and have different uses in recipes.

Sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds

Sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds add a nutty, earthy flavor to our side salad. The sesame flavor adds an exciting layer of flavor to our simple cucumber salad and the toasted sesame seeds push the earthy and nutty taste further with a pleasant crunchy texture.

Crushed red pepper flakes

Crushed red pepper flakes are derived from a variety of red peppers as opposed to just one type of chili. The pepper variety may vary but is typically made from Cayenne, Serrano, Jalapeno, Ancho, Guajillo, or Anaheim peppers.

We’re adding crushed red pepper flakes to our side salad not just for the heat but also for appearance. It adds beautiful specks of red to our dish so aside from the heat, they are also added in for aesthetic purposes.

Feel free to swap with Gochugaru or Korean red pepper flakes if you have it at home but skip the chili powders.

Seasonings and Flavorings

Our brine won’t be complete without the sweet – sour pull coming from the vinegar, sugar, and salt. A touch of umami is provided by the soy sauce for a truly complex taste.

How to make spicy Asian cucumber salad

Thinly slice the cucumbers and add them to a large glass bowl.

In a measuring cup, mix together the rice vinegar, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, soy sauce and brown sugar.

Pour the mixture over the cucumbers. Mix well with a pair of tongs to make sure the cucumbers are evenly coated.

Give the cucumbers a taste and check for salt. Add some if desired. Also, adjust the other seasonings as needed.

You may serve the cucumbers immediately or you can chill them in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.

The cucumbers will taste best the day they’re made as the longer they sit they will start to lose their crispness.

Tips for the best cucumber salad

• Thinly sliced cucumbers are best for this recipe.
• Adjust the seasonings to suit your taste.
• This cucumber salad is best enjoyed the day it’s made.

I hope you enjoy this yummy spicy Asian cucumber salad. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it in the comments below and don’t forget to give it a rating.

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