This Asian Cucumber Salad will completely transform how you eat cucumbers! With its perfect balance of crisp, sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors, it’s the ideal side dish, appetizer, or complement to any of your favorite Asian meals. Ready in under 20 minutes!
My top tips - Use thin-skinned cucumbers with no seeds, and adjust the amount of chili crisp to your taste to control the level of heat. Continue for more!
👉 This spicy Asian cucumber salad recipe has been a personal favorite since I first shared the recipe in 2022. It was updated with new photos and more details in March 2025.
Cucumber salads are a staple in our home, but this spicy version has completely won me over. Every time I make it, I can't help but polish off the entire batch on my own—whether as a quick lunch or a satisfying snack.
The perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy dressing paired with the crisp cucumber makes this one of the best ways to enjoy cucumbers.
The Asian cucumber salad went viral on TikTok because it's simple, refreshing, and easy to make, yet incredibly delicious. It's quick, effortless, and a perfect way to showcase cucumbers in a bright, flavorful way.
This recipe is inspired by the TikTok salad but with a slight twist, making it even easier to prepare—no need to slice the cucumbers into spirals or drain them after salting.
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Best type of cucumber to use
The best cucumbers to use are thin-skinned varieties, like English or Persian cucumbers.
English cucumber: They have a mild, subtly sweet flavor and a thin, delicate skin that doesn’t require peeling, making them ideal for fresh salads.
Persian cucumber: They are typically smaller, about 4 to 6 inches long, and with a flavor profile similar to English cucumbers—sweet with a slight crunch—but are more flavorful than the common slicing cucumber.
Avoid cucumbers with seeds that require peeling. The skin adds fiber, texture, and color contrast, while also helping the slices hold up well even after salting.
Best spicy sauce to use
For this recipe, I used a blend of red pepper flakes and chili crisp. The chili crisp adds a delightful crunch with crispy chili bits in vibrant red oil, but it’s not as spicy as it might seem. To amp up the heat, I added some extra red pepper flakes. Here are a few other delicious alternatives you can try.
Chinese or Thai chili oil: It adds a smoky, spicy flavor and a vibrant red color. When combined with red pepper flakes, it provides the same texture and rich color as chili crisp.
Gochujang: The spicy Korean chili paste is spicy, slightly sweet, and adds depth and umami flavor.
Sriracha: The popular Sriracha sauce adds a smoother heat and is perfect if you want a slightly sweet, garlicky kick to your salad.
Chili garlic sauce: It’s spicy with a bold, garlicky kick—perfect for those who love a strong garlic flavor. You might also love our round up post of more than 16 garlic recipes.
How to make Asian Cucumber Salad?
👩🍳 Pro tip: Gently smash the cucumber until it slightly flattens, being careful not to crush it open.
👉 The salt draws out moisture from the cucumber, which helps keep it crunchy while enhancing their flavor.
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👩🍳 This salad is best when served immediately!
Why do you smash cucumbers?
Cucumbers have a naturally slippery texture, which makes it difficult for the dressing to adhere. Smashing it breaks down the cell walls, creating an uneven surface that absorbs the dressing more effectively and also allows ingredients to cling better to the vegetable.
Tools to smash: A meat mallet is an excellent choice, as it lets you gently smash the cucumber without breaking it apart. Alternatively, a heavy-bottomed skillet, such as a cast iron skillet, or a rolling pin also work well for the task.
How to eat?
You’ll find that the longer this salad sits around, the more water is drawn out of the cucumbers. So it is best to enjoy it right away. The dressing is more intense flavoured . The longer it sits, the dressing is diluted from extra water drawn from the cucumber and the cucumber loses it's crisp texture as well.
👉 Eat with a spoon! Unlike most salad recipes that are typically eaten with a fork, this spicy cucumber salad is best enjoyed with a spoon, allowing you to scoop up some of the dressing with every bite. That’s the best part—it’s absolutely delicious!
Love fiery foods? We have an extensive collection of spicy dinner recipes and spicy snack ideas that you might love.
Make it your own
Although this recipe is titled an Asian cucumber salad, feel free to customize it to your taste. Make it Korean by adding Gochujang paste, or go Thai by adding chopped cilantro, mint, red onions, toasted peanuts, and Thai bird’s eye chilies for an extra kick.
Recipe tips
- Use English cucumber variety.
- Adjust the spice level to suit your taste!
- Eat the salad right away!
- Make sure to scoop up some of the dressing with every bite—it’s the best part!
More sweet and spicy food ideas
Asian Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1 large English cucumber
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Dressing
- ¾ tablespoon sugar
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds toasted
- ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili crisp refer notes for more options
Instructions
- Place cucumber on a cutting board and smash it lightly along its full length using a meat mallet until it cracks lightly. 👉 Gently smash the cucumber until it slightly flattens, being careful not to crush it open.
- Cut into ½-inch thick slices, transfer to a large bowl and mix gently with salt, until thoroughly combined. Leave aside for 10-15 minutes.
- Combine all the dressing ingredients and toss well. Taste the sauce and adjust the heat, sugar, or vinegar to your preference.
- This salad is best when served immediately! Eat with a spoon, scooping up some of the dressing with every bite. That’s the best part—it’s absolutely delicious!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love your feedback! Please let me know by leaving a comment or review below or snap a photo and share on Instagram.
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