Spicy Cucumber Salad

This 10-ingredient crunchy cucumber salad requires just minutes of prep and is light, crunchy, refreshing, and packed with well-balanced spicy, tangy, salty, and sweet flavors!

Humble cucumber is a versatile ingredient that can be elevated to new heights with just a few simple ingredients, creating fresh, crisp, vibrant salads like this spicy cucumber salad! Combining popular flavors like garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes (Regular or Korean gochujang), this spicy cucumber salad tastes super bold but has a refreshing crunch in every bite.

There are actually several regional marinated cucumber recipes/salads (like this cucumber dill salad or cucumber salsa), but our version is most similar to a Korean-inspired cucumber salad (Oi Muchim/ 오이무침), which is a popular side dish made with Korean chili flakes and great as part of a larger meal or an appetizer.

Best of all, this spicy cucumber salad recipe comes together in just a couple of bowls and a few minutes, with no peeling or de-seeding necessary, and tastes delicious when served chilled on warmer days.

The Ingredients and Substitutes

What Else Could I Add to this Cucumber Salad?

• Chili paste: A small amount of regular Korean chili paste (or a chili sauce) will add flavor depth to make a delicious cucumber salad.
• More vegetables: To add extra crunch and flavor, try shredded/ribboned/sliced carrot, radish, bell pepper, sugar snap peas, and/or red onion.
• Avocado (guide to avocado): For a rich, creamy addition. Add it just before serving.
• Fruit: Add juicy sweetness with the addition of pineapple or mango.
• Fresh herbs: Cilantro or parsley could work.
• Thai-inspired cucumber salad: Replace the vinegar and sesame seeds with lime juice, crushed peanuts, and garnish with Thai basil.
• Wakame/seaweed seasoning: For a Japanese-inspired cucumber salad, sprinkle this over to garnish. Optionally, also omit the sesame oil.

How to Make Spicy Cucumber Salad

There are several ways to slice the cucumber for cucumber salad, including simple round slices, at a bias, or in ribbons. Use a fork to scrape lines down the side of the cucumber for ridges where the dressing can cling.

For even better flavor (and to make it extra refreshing), allow the cucumber salad to marinate/meld for an hour or two in the fridge before serving.

Recipe Pro Tips

• Don’t slice the cucumber too thin: Otherwise, it will become soggy/limp faster.
• Prepare the dressing first: This allows all the flavors to meld. We recommend preparing it 1-2 hours ahead if you have time.
• To speed up prep: A mandoline, food chopper, or food processor slicing/shredding disks will speed up the cucumber slicing and help to make perfectly even slices every single time.
• Tweak the dressing: Allow it to sit first for the flavors to meld, then either taste and adjust any ingredients immediately OR assemble this simple cucumber salad first, then taste and adjust before serving.   

FAQs

Serving Suggestions

This easy cucumber salad is a light, refreshing, and flavor-packed addition to any dinner table, BBQ, picnic, potluck, and more. Especially with dishes that provide balance and contrast in texture and flavor, like:

• Tofu spring rolls with mango and avocado/summer rolls
• Steamed or fried tofu vegetable crispy wontons
• Fluffy white or brown rice (how to cook brown rice) or easy vegetable fried brown rice
• Veggie chow mein or a noodle salad
• Stir-fries (like shiitake asparagus tofu stir-fry or quick teriyaki tofu stir-fry )
• Grilled vegetables or proteins (grilled tofu steak recipe, mushrooms, the best cauliflower steaks, eggplant stacks , etc.)
• Vegan burgers and other protein-heavy dishes
• 10-minute vegan ramen
• Vegan kimchi

How to Store this Cucumber Salad?

We highly recommend preparing the dressing (or the entire assembled salad) 1-2 hours before serving.

Once prepared, this cucumber salad will remain freshest, with the most crisp texture, in the first 24 hours. However, leftovers should store okay for an additional 1-2 days (possibly slightly longer if you salted the cucumber).

Taste it between servings and liven it up if needed with extra vinegar and/or fresh cucumber slices.