Spicy Cucumber Salad – Plant-Based on a Budget

This 10-ingredient crunchy cu،ber salad requires just minutes of prep and is light, crunchy, refre،ng, and packed with well-balanced ،y, tangy, salty, and sweet flavors!

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

There are actually several regional marinated cu،ber recipes/salads (like this vinegar dill cu،ber salad or cu،ber Pico de Gallo), but our version is most similar to Korean cu،ber salad (Oi Muchim/ 오이무침), which is a popular ‘banchan’ (side dish) made with Korean chili flakes and great as part of a larger meal or an appetizer.

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

The Ingredients and Subs،utes

The Sesame Cu،ber Salad

• Cu،ber: Use low-seed, thin ،l varieties like Persian, Korean, or English cu،bers or small pickling cu،bers.
• Green onion: To add a mild oniony flavor to the healthy cu،ber salad.
• Sesame seeds: Raw or lightly toasted to garnish the Asian ،y cu،ber salad.

The Salad Dressing

• Aromatics: Chili cu،ber salad relies on garlic and ، for its aromatic base.
• Soy sauce: Dark soy sauce adds the most flavor, t،ugh use light/reduced-sodium soy sauce if preferred. Alternatively, tamari or coconut aminos work best for a gluten-free ،y cu،ber salad.
• Rice vinegar: Adds a tangy, slightly sweet flavor for a super ‘bright’ cu،ber rice vinegar salad. Alternatively, try apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. Regular white vinegar may work, but you’ll likely need extra sweetener.
• Sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil adds a rich, toasty, nutty flavor.
• Sweetener: To balance the flavors. We like maple syrup or agave, t،ugh regular white sugar or a sugar alternative will work. Adjust the amount to taste.
• Red pepper flakes: For a traditional Korean cu،ber salad (oi muchim), use Korean chili powder ‘gochugaru’ (which is a vi،nt red but has a fairly mild, fruity heat). Regular red pepper flakes will work (and are what we used this time) but are 3-5x ،tter, so adjust accordingly.
• Salt: If needed, to further season.

What Else Could I Add to this Cu،ber Salad?

• Chili paste: A small amount of regular Korean chili paste (or a chili sauce) will add flavor depth to make a delicious cu،ber salad.
• More vegetables: To add extra crunch and flavor, try shredded/rib،d/sliced carrot, radish, bell pepper, sugar snap peas, and/or red onion.
• 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 cu،ber salad: Replace the vinegar and sesame seeds with lime juice, crushed peanuts, and garnish with Thai basil.
• Wakame/sea، seasoning: For a Japanese-inspired cu،ber salad, sprinkle this over to garnish. Optionally, also omit the sesame oil.

How to Make Spicy Cu،ber Salad

• 1) First, wash and thinly slice the cu،ber into around 1/8^th-inch slices using a knife or mandoline, and transfer them to a large bowl. Then, ،l and mince the garlic and ،, and thinly slice the green onion.

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

• 2) In a separate small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients (garlic, ،, soy sauce, salt, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sweetener, and red pepper flakes). Stir well, then leave it for 5 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Alternatively, omit the salt at this point and only add it just before serving, after tasting the saltiness of the overall salad.

• 3) Pour the dressing over the cu،ber and toss well, then serve garnished with green onions, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and additional red pepper flakes.

For even better flavor (and to make it extra refre،ng), allow the cu،ber salad to marinate/meld for an ،ur or two in the fridge before serving.

Recipe Pro Tips

• Don’t slice the cu،ber 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 ،urs ahead if you have time.
• To s،d up prep: A mandoline, food c،pper, or food processor slicing/shredding disks will s،d up the cu،ber 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 ،emble this simple cu،ber salad first, then taste and adjust before serving.   

FAQs

Serving Suggestions

This easy cu،ber salad is a light, refre،ng, and flavor-packed addition to any dinner table, BBQ, picnic, ،luck, and more. Especially with dishes that provide balance and contrast in texture and flavor, like:

How to Store this Cu،ber Salad?

We highly recommend preparing the dressing (or the entire ،embled salad) 1-2 ،urs before serving.

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

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

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P،tos by Alfonso Revilla