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Hand holding a round bowl with cucumber salad topped with sesame.
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5 from 4 votes

Spicy Cucumber Salad

This TikTok viral Spicy Cucumber Salad is crunchy, bright and so refreshing! It's the perfect side dish to complement any meal and keep you cool in the hot summer months.
Prep Time20 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Rena Awada

Ingredients

  • 1 pound mini cucumbers
  • 2 teaspoons fine kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 teaspoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
  • 1-2 tablespoon Crispy chili oil or 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • Optional: 1 green onion thinly sliced

Instructions

  • To cut the cucumbers into spirals, place 2 chopsticks on the sides of your cucumber as shown in the photos. First make diagonal cuts, about 1/8 inches apart. Then flip the cucumber, keeping the chopsticks, and cut vertically.
  • Place them in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Allow them to sit for 10-15 minutes.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, garlic powder, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, chili oil (if using), and sesame seeds.
  • Add in the cucumbers and stir well to coat with the dressing. Garnish with green onions, if desired.

Video

Notes

  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Since there is salt added, the cucumbers will begin to wilt so the salad is best eaten fresh or within a few hours of making.
  • Original recipe calls for the use of Asian chili oil crisp. It is not pictured because my kids can't handle it and they really love this salad. haha. I sometimes use a tiny bit of cayenne pepper or chili flakes but it tastes best with chili oil which I recommend that you use.
  • Use 1-2 tablespoons of chili oil and mix it in with the sauce.
  • Note: In the video, I added the chili oil which is what the original recipe calls for but I didn't add it in the pictures because I feel like it's optional and my kids sometimes can't handle spice. I do love it with the chili oil so please watch the video if you are going to add it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Sodium: 837mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.4mg