Description
This Spicy Cucumber Salad is a refreshing and tangy dish featuring crisp mini cucumbers dressed in a flavorful blend of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, garlic, and chili flakes. Perfect as a light side or accompaniment to grilled meats or seafood, it offers a delightful crunch and a hint of heat.
Ingredients
Scale
The Salad:
- 8 mini or Persian cucumbers
- 1 green onion, ends trimmed and finely sliced
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
The Dressing:
- 1 ½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos (if gluten free)
- 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed or whole red chili flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the Accordion Cucumbers: Wash, dry, and trim the ends off the cucumbers. Place a cucumber between two chopsticks and make thin diagonal slices at a 45° angle carefully without cutting all the way through. Flip the cucumber and cut across at a 90° angle to create a spiral effect. Cut the spiraled cucumbers in half and add them to a large mixing bowl. Alternatively, thinly slice cucumbers using a mandolin.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, minced garlic, and red chili flakes until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as preferred.
- Assemble the Salad: Pour the dressing over the prepared cucumbers and mix gently to avoid breaking them. Garnish the salad with finely sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- English Cucumber: If you don’t have mini or Persian cucumbers for the accordion style, you can use an English cucumber cut into bite-size pieces or slices.
- Add Nuts: Enhance crunch and flavor by adding ½ cup of chopped almonds, cashews, or peanuts.
- Add Lettuce: Serve the salad on a bed of chopped romaine, spinach, Boston lettuce, or iceberg for added volume and texture.
- Serving Suggestions: This salad pairs well with grilled chicken, air fryer chicken thighs, Asian chicken meatballs, teriyaki chicken, or seafood dishes like furikake salmon bowls, air fryer tilapia, and teriyaki salmon bites.
- Storage: Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days for best freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 2.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
