ASIAN CUCUMBER SALAD RECIPE

I’ll take my Asian Cucumber Salad Din Tai Fung style anytime of the year Thanks! Crunchy refreshing Chinese cucumber salad recipe with a garlicky and tangy honey chili vinaigrette literally goes well with everything! This Chinese style cucumber salad is super simple and addictive, and is just the dish to keep you cool all summer long!
ASIAN CUCUMBER SALAD WITH HONEY CHILI VINAIGRETTE
Cucumber is probably one of my favorite vegetables in summer months. It’s a super versatile vegetable that pairs literally with any salad dressings. I’ve used it in many of my recipes – from Chinese smashed cucumber salad and Japanese potato salad to Chinese stir-fry dish – Moo shu chicken.

Today’s Asian-style cucumber salad is inspired by Din Tai Fung. What makes this dish so good is a terrific honey garlic vinaigrette which you can make it spicy or not spicy to the juicy, crisp cucumber.

WHAT YOU NEED FOR ASIAN EASY CUCUMBER SALAD RECIPE
Persian or mini cucumbers
Coarse sea salt
HONEY CHILI GARLIC VINAIGRETTE – ASIAN CUCUMBER SALAD DRESSING:
Garlic
Rice vinegar
Honey or keto honey (product link in recipe card)
Toasted sesame oil
Sichuan chili oil (optional. product link in recipe card)
Asian cucumber salad dressing with chiliLittle Spicy Version
A bowl shows asian cucumber salad dressing non-spicy versionNone-Spicy Version
WHAT TYPE OF CUCUMBERS TO USE
I recommend using Persian cucumbers, Japanese cucumbers, or Mini cucumbers. Persian cucumbers are small, have thin skin, and are nearly seedless. They are super crunchy, snappy, a little sweet, and less watery. Because the skin is thin you don’t need to peel it.

ASIAN CUCUMBER SUBSTITUTE
If you can’t find Asian cucumbers, the next best substitute is English cucumbers. English cucumber also has thin skin so you don’t need to peel it but it tastes less sweet and a bit more watery so make sure you block the water well with a paper towel, following the instructions below.

HOW TO MAKE CHINESE CUCUMBER SALAD
Salt: Dice the cucumbers to ½-inch thick cylinder shape pieces. Toss with salt and let rest for 30-45 minutes.
Dressing: Combine the salad dressing in a bowl.
Rinse: Rinse the cucumbers to remove the salt.
Dry: Pat dry the cucumbers with a clean towel.
Combine: Pour the dressing over the cucumber. Toss well and serve!

WHY NEED TO SALT THE CUCUMBERS
For this Asian cucumber salad recipe, the salt does two things –

It draws water from the cucumbers and therefore they remain crunchy
Salt seasons the cucumbers and therefore they are more tasty.
HOW LONG DOES THE CUCUMBER SALAD KEEP IN THE FRIDGE
If the cucumbers are mixed with the dressing, I recommend finishing it the next day.

HOW TO MAKE AHEAD
If the cucumbers haven’t mixed with the dressing and are patted dry after salting, you can store them in a container, lined with clean paper towels in the fridge for 2 days. Just toss them with the dressing before serving. This is the best way to make ahead Chinese cucumber salad!

ASIAN CUCUMBER SALAD WITH HONEY CHILI GARLIC VINAIGRETTE
INGREDIENTS
▢12 oz. Persian cucumbers, about 6- 7 mini cucumbers
▢1 tsp coarse sea salt
For the honey chili garlic vinaigrette:
▢2.5 tbsp rice vinegar
▢0.3 oz garlic, grated
▢2 tbsp keto honey, or 1.5 tbsp regular honey
▢1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
▢1-1.5 tsp Sichuan chili oil, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
Dice the cucumbers to ½-inch thick cylinder shape pieces. In a large mixing bowl, toss with salt and let rest for 30-45 minutes.
In the meantime, combine the salad dressing in a bowl. It should taste garlicky, tangy, and a little sweet. Store it in the fridge.
Rinse the cucumbers 2-3 times to remove the salt. The cucumbers should taste a little salty but not too salty.
Pat dry the cucumbers with a clean towel.
Place them in a large serving plate and stack the extras on top to make a little tower.
Pour the dressing over the cucumber. Toss well and serve immediately!
NOTES
How long does the salad keep in the fridgeIf the cucumbers are mixed with the dressing, I recommend finishing it the next day.
How to make ahead –If the cucumbers 1) haven’t mixed with the dressing and 2) are patted dry after salting, you can store them in a container, lined with clean paper towels in the fridge for 2 days. Just toss them with the dressing before serving. This is the best way to make ahead Chinese cucumber salad!
Tip:The cucumbers will continue to leak water after you pat them dry so only combine them with the dressing before serving.
The total prep time does not include rest time to salt the cucumbers.
The nutritional label is estimated with keto honey.
NUTRITION
serving: 1serving, calories: 59kcal, carbohydrates: 9g, protein: 1g, fat: 5g, saturated fat: 1g, polyunsaturated fat: 2g, monounsaturated fat: 2g, trans fat: 1g, cholesterol: 1mg, sodium: 594mg, potassium: 134mg, fiber: 1g, sugar: 6g, vitamin a: 90iu, vitamin c: 3mg, calcium: 18mg, iron: 1mg