Chinese Cucumber Salad with Garlic and Sesame
Make a crisp Chinese cucumber salad with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, and easy chili crisp alternatives.
Slice, smash, or cut into chunks. Salt lightly and rest for 5 minutes if the cucumber is watery.
Combine garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and chili crisp if using.
Drain excess cucumber liquid, toss with dressing, and serve cold.
English cucumbers and mini cucumbers stay crisp and have tender skins.
Rice vinegar is common in larger supermarkets; white wine vinegar is the closest fallback.
Use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar if rice vinegar is unavailable.
Use chili flakes in warm oil instead of chili crisp.
Cucumber: English cucumber, Mini cucumbers, Persian cucumbers. Watery field cucumbers work too if you remove some seeds and salt briefly before dressing.
Rice vinegar: White wine vinegar, Apple cider vinegar, Lemon juice. Lemon juice is brighter and less traditional, so use a little less at first.
Chili crisp: Chili flakes warmed in oil, Sriracha plus sesame oil, Skip for a mild salad. Add chili at the end so the salad can stay mild for children or heat-sensitive guests.
No. Smashing creates rough edges for dressing, but sliced cucumber works when you want a cleaner presentation.
Can Chinese cucumber salad be made ahead?
You can cut and salt the cucumber ahead, but add the dressing close to serving so it stays crisp.
What dishes go well with cucumber salad?
It pairs well with mapo tofu, tomato egg stir-fry, scallion oil noodles, and other rich or saucy dishes.