Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe 🥒⁠✨ Addictively Crunchy, Tangy and Savory

soy sauce

🥗Healthier: low-sodium soy sauce

💰Cheaper: tamari

Low-sodium soy sauce reduces sodium intake while tamari is gluten-free.

sesame oil

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Olive oil is heart-healthy, while canola oil is often more affordable.

rice vinegar

🥗Healthier: apple cider vinegar

💰Cheaper: white vinegar

Apple cider vinegar offers health benefits, while white vinegar is cost-effective.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: agave syrup

Honey provides natural sweetness, while agave syrup is often less expensive.

Rinse and pat dry 6 mini cucumbers.

Place 2 wooden skewers or chopsticks on each long side of the cucumber as a guide for cutting.

Use a sharp knife to cut the cucumber into 1/4 inch straight lines through the whole cucumber.

Flip the cucumber over and place the skewers or chopsticks on each long side again.

Finely slice the cucumber on a diagonal at about 45 degrees, no larger than 1/4 inch wide, through the whole cucumber.

Repeat the cutting steps for all remaining cucumbers.

Place all the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl and add 1/2 tablespoon of coarse salt over them.

Toss the cucumbers until well coated with salt and let them drain for about 15 minutes to release excess liquid.

While the cucumbers are draining, prepare the sauce in a separate bowl.

Add 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tablespoon of coarse gochugaru, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into the bowl.

Mix all the sauce ingredients together until well combined.

Once the cucumbers finish draining, rinse them to remove the salt and shake to dry.

Toss the cucumbers with the prepared sauce in a large bowl.

Garnish the salad with toasted sesame seeds before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens