Spicy Cucumber Salad

5 from 6 votes

This Spicy Korean cucumber salad is refreshing, tangy and zesty. Made with easy ingredients and ready in 10 minutes.

Prep Time10

marinating15

Total Time20

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings:

Author: Bailey

6-7 mini cucumbers about 3-4 cups, English cucumber will also work.
½ tsp course sea salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1½ tsp ginger, minced
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
½ tsp white granulated sugar
½ tsp red pepper flakes Dried red bell pepper flakes will also work for less spice.
½ tsp white sesame seeds

Optional: Make my Homemade Chili Onion Crunch if using. Set aside in a sealed container.
Thinly slice the cucumbers, add to a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Set aside for 15 minutes. The salt pulls out extra moisture*
Meanwhile, mix the sauce together while the cucumbers salt.
Discard the salty moisture in the bowl from the cucumbers, you can also use a paper towel to soak up the liquid. Lay the cucumbers on a paper towel and dab up the moisture.
Add the sauce mix to the bowl with cucumbers. Mix well. Top the cucumber salad with Chili Onion Crunch or sesame seeds.

Cucumbers: Use Persian or English cucumbers for the best results. They have the best texture, few seeds, less water, and a thin skin which requires no peeling.

Enjoy Freshly Made: While you can still enjoy it for a few days, this salad is no doubt the best when it's just made. As it sits the cucumbers release their water diluting the dressing and softening a bit.

Adjust the Spiciness: While the salad is meant to be on the spicy side you can easily adjust it to your tastes. You can always serve a bowl of chili onion crunch on the side to allow everyone to add more if they want it extra spicy.

Salting the Cucumbers: Don't skip this step! This helps draw out extra water from the cucumbers to keep the dressing more flavorful.