Name: Asian Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1½ pounds cucumbers; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional, for garnishing); 1 red onion; 4 tablespoons lemon juice; ⅛ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or lime juice); 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or sugar); ½ tablespoon sesame oil (or vegetable oil); 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (or more to taste); 1 inch ginger (grated); 1 clove garlic (grated)

Asian cucumber salad is a quick and easy recipe with smacked cucumbers that are tossed in a sweet, and spicy dressing.

For more cucumber recipes, see our pineapple cucumber salad, tzatziki, sesame noodles, and creamy cucumber salad.

Asian Cucumber Salad with pickled red onions

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Our version of Asian cucumber salad is tossed in a mouthwatering sweet and sour dressing, then topped with tangy, quick-pickled red onions for an extra layer of flavor.

This low calorie meal pairs beautifully with other Asian-inspired dishes like our creamy peanut noodles, sticky orange tofu, or easy tofu stir fry.

We’ve kept the spice level moderate, milder than the traditional versions you might find in Asia, so it’s perfect for a wide range of palates.

But if you love a little extra heat, just add more Sriracha or stir in a tablespoon of gochujang, the Korean chili paste that adds depth and kick.

The crunchy texture and bold mix of sweet, sour, and spicy will transport you straight to your favorite Asian eatery—without leaving your kitchen.

Ingredients

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Cucumber: You can use any cucumber. We tested Kirby, English, American, Italian, and Persian cucumbers, and they were all delicious. Japanese cucumbers and mini cucumbers are excellent, too, as they have thin skin.

Salt: To drain water from the cucumbers. Use sea salt or kosher salt. Don’t worry about the amount of salt used, most of it will be removed when we drain the cucumbers.

Sesame seeds: To garnish the salad, so they are optional. They look lovely and add a nice crunch and a pleasant sesame flavor.

Pickled red onions: Add a wonderful bright purple color and a fresh, zesty, and tangy flavor that is perfect with the cucumbers. Substitute thinly sliced green onions for the pickled red onions.

Dressing:

Rice vinegar: substitute apple cider vinegar, lime juice, or white wine vinegar for rice vinegar.
Soy sauce: substitute tamari or coconut aminos for gluten-free.
Sesame oil: if you don’t have sesame oil, you can leave it out. Substitute fish sauce for sesame oil to make your salad more Thai and less Japanese.
Garlic: use grated fresh garlic or garlic paste. Garlic powder doesn’t add the same zesty and fresh flavor so that we would avoid it.
Ginger: use fresh ginger, peeled and grated. You can substitute store-bought minced ginger for grated ginger.
Maple syrup: substitute honey, agave syrup, palm sugar, brown sugar, and coconut sugar for maple syrup.
Sriracha sauce: substitute gochujang, chili oil, or red pepper flakes for Sriracha sauce.

How to make Asian cucumber salad

US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

STEP 1: Pickle the onions. Peel and thinly slice the red onions. Add them to a bowl with lemon juice, salt, and red pepper flakes.

Massage them with your fingertips to distribute the condiments, then set them aside for 15 minutes while you prepare the salad.

pickled red onions marinating in a bowl.

STEP 2: Smack the cucumbers. Rinse and dry the cucumbers, remove the tips (they can be bitter), put them flat on a cutting board, and smack them with a sturdy wooden spoon until they crack.

Smacking the cucumbers improves their textures so that the dressing sticks to them.

Cut the smacked cucumbers in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds, if any, with a teaspoon. Slice cucumbers into bite-size chunks.

Tip: don’t smack the cucumbers with a knife; the blade might snap.

Transfer the cucumber pieces into a colander and toss them with salt. Let them drain for 15 minutes.

Tip: The salt will drain out some of the cucumbers’ excess moisture, making them crunchier and less watery.

STEP 3: Dressing. Add rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, grated garlic, grated ginger, maple syrup, and sriracha sauce to a small bowl. Whisk and set aside.

dressing for asian cucumber salad in a bowl

Shake the water off the cucumbers over your sink (avoid rinsing them with water), then transfer them into a bowl and toss them with the dressing.

Top with pickled red onions and garnish the Asian cucumber salad with sesame seeds.

Asian cucumber salad with pickled onions and sesame seeds

We love this Asian cucumber salad next to other Asian dishes with rich and thick sauces, such as orange tofu, yaki udon, braised tofu, and sesame noodles.

Tofu

Orange Tofu

30-Min Meals

Yaki Udon

Tofu

Braised Tofu

30-Min Meals

Sesame Noodles

Variations

Thai cucumber salad: change the dressing and garnishing. For the dressing, substitute the ingredients as follows:

Palm sugar for maple syrup
Lime juice for rice vinegar
Tamarind juice for sesame oil
Fish sauce for soy sauce
The other ingredients stay the same.

For the garnish, substitute toasted peanuts for sesame seeds and fresh coriander for pickled onions.

Tips

Smack, don’t slice: Lightly smashing the cucumbers helps them absorb more dressing and gives the salad its signature texture. Use a wooden spoon, not a knife.

Salt and drain: Tossing the cucumbers with salt and letting them drain for 15 minutes draws out excess water, keeping the salad crisp and flavorful.

Make it spicy: Adjust the heat by adding more Sriracha or gochujang, I highly recommend this adjustment 🌶️.

More cucumber salads

If you tried this Asian Cucumber Salad or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!

Asian Cucumber Salad