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Cold and crunchy Asian Cucumber Salad is the perfect accompaniment to Korean Barbecue Meatballs or any other hot, spicy food. The cucumbers are drained with salt and sugar, then tossed with vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, and soy sauce. So refreshing!
I designed this Asian Cucumber Salad as a side dish to spicy Asian meats like Korean BBQ or teriyaki meatballs. As a classically-trained chef, I love and appreciate contrasting colors, flavors, and textures. This salad brings a cool, crisp element to an otherwise hot and savory main dish, and they complement each other perfectly.
The salad itself has a balance of sweet, sour, and salty flavors. I add an extra step of salting the cucumbers first; this helps keep the salad from turning out watery. A little sugar in the mixture infuses them with sweetness.
Serve this light, refreshing cucumber salad with Asian main dishes, grilled meats, or as part of your next grain bowl or Bento box. Or, serve it alongside a selection of Asian-inspired appetizers like potstickers, crab rangoon, or Ahi Tuna.
Table of Contents
What is Asian Cucumber Salad?
Asian Cucumber Salad is a sweet, sour, salty side dish made with salted cucumbers and classic Asian flavors like soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and rice vinegar. It reminds me of pickled cucumbers which are popular on the side of sushi.
Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe Ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Cucumbers: Look for thin-skinned hot house, English, or Persian cucumbers. To substitute standard cucumbers, peel them before slicing and draining.
- Sesame seeds: To toast sesame seeds, in a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the sesame seeds until golden brown and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately transfer to a plate to cool completely.
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Rice vinegar
- Red pepper flakes
- Garlic
- Sugar
- Salt
- Cilantro
For Asian Cucumber Salad Dressing
- Rice vinegar: Or substitute distilled rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Garlic: Garlic paste in a tube from the produce section is super convenient here.
- Sesame oil: Either toasted or regular sesame oil works. A little goes a long way.
- Soy sauce: Low-sodium soy sauce is a great way to reduce your overall sodium intake without any loss in flavor.
- White granulated sugar: brown sugar, honey or even maple syrup can work in a pinch but will change the flavor.
- Red chili flakes: Consider omitting these if you’re feeding children or add more if you love the heat.
- Salt: Add to taste.
How to Make Cucumber Asian Salad
To drain the cucumbers:
- Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise and then slice into 1/4-inch crescent (half circle) slices. In the bottom of a colander set over a bowl (to catch liquid), add the cucumber slices. Sprinkle with salt and sugar, then toss to combine.
- Place in the refrigerator and let drain for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. Rinse and pat dry.
To assemble the salad:
- In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste.
- Shake the colander of cucumbers well to drain off any remaining liquid, then transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and sesame seeds.
Asian Cucumber Salad Tips and Variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 3 cups of Asian Cucumber Salad (the exact yield depends on the size of your cucumbers). This is enough for 6 servings, ½ cup each.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Slice, salt, and drain the cucumbers one day in advance.
Serving Asian Cucumber Salad
Serve Asian Cucumber Salad with hot and spicy Korean Barbecue Meatballs and plenty of rice (white rice, brown rice, or even cooked quinoa). For even more crunchy, add kimchi, pickles, or sauerkraut. Top everything with toasted sesame seeds.
Storing Cucumber Asian Salad
Store leftover Cucumber Asian Salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The cucumbers will soften and even get soggy over time, but the salad is completely safe to eat. Personally, I like it when the veggies soften. The flavors will continue to infuse them, too.
Recipe FAQs
Pai huang gua is a smashed cucumber salad served all over China. Smashing cucumbers is a classic Chinese technique that cracks the skin, releases the seeds, and breaks the cucumber into appealing chunks. This cucumber salad is made with sliced cucumbers but is inspired by pai huang gua.
Draining cucumbers helps to remove excess water via osmosis. Your resulting salad will have a more concentrated flavor and be less watery.
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Asian Cucumbers
Ingredients
For draining the cucumbers:
- 2 pounds thin-skinned cucumbers such as English (2 large or 4 medium) or Persian (8 to 10 mini, see note 1)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For assembling the salad:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes or to taste
- salt
- minced fresh cilantro for garnish
- toasted sesame seeds for garnish (see note 2)
Instructions
To drain the cucumbers:
- Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise and then slice into 1/4-inch crescent (half circle) slices. In the bottom of a colander set over a bowl (to catch liquid), add the cucumber slices. Sprinkle with salt and sugar, then toss to combine.
- Place in the refrigerator and let drain for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. Rinse and pat dry.
To assemble the salad:
- In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste.
- Shake the colander of cucumbers well to drain off any remaining liquid, then transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine. Garnish with fresh cilantro and sesame seeds.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Cucumbers: Look for thin-skinned hot house, English, or Persian cucumbers. To substitute standard cucumbers, peel them before slicing and draining.
- Sesame seeds: To toast sesame seeds, in a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the sesame seeds until golden brown and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately transfer to a plate to cool completely.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 3 cups of Asian Cucumber Salad (the exact yield depends on the size of your cucumbers). This is enough for 6 servings, ½ cup each.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Slice, salt, and drain the cucumbers one day in advance.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.