This cold and refreshing cucumber salad is easy to prep and ready in minutes.
One of my favorite ways to eat cucumbers is Chinese-style cucumber salad. Crisp cucumber pieces are seasoned with just a few simple spices to create a crunchy and flavorful dish.
During a recent trip home, my mom prepared the cucumber salad a little differently from her usual recipe. I was surprised at its simplicity and how much I enjoyed it. Her recipe cuts out about half of the spices, but without affecting the taste.
Her recipe uses just garlic, salt and sugar. Usually the dish has a little spice created through chili paste or pepper flakes. I decided to use sriracha instead.
I ended up adding a few pepper flakes and cilantro for garnish to make the dish more attractive, but it’s definitely optional and not necessary. This is going to be a new summer staple.
You can view my original cucumber salad recipe here.
Sriracha Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 4 Persian cucumbers (see note)
- 1/2 to 1 tsp salt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp sriracha sauce
Optional garnishes
- 1/2 tsp chopped cilantro
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cut the cucumbers into thirds. Then slice each third in half, lengthwise, and then once again in half, lengthwise (so that each third makes four pieces). Place cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt over them. Let them sit for about 30 minutes, to let the salt draw out water from the cucumbers. Drain out water.
- Add in all the remaining ingredients and mix until cucumbers are evenly coated in seasonings. Taste and adjust as needed. You can eat right away or let the cucumbers sit in the fridge to further develop the flavors.
Notes
- It's best to use Persian cucumbers because they're smaller and crunchier than regular cucumbers.
- Nutrition estimate includes 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of sugar. The estimate does not include the optional garnishes.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Both versions of the recipe look great! Plus, I’m all for simplicity! Can’t wait to make this (need to buy Persian cucumbers since I have everything else).
yay! hope you like it!
What an awesome summer salad, love the flavoring!!
it’s such a perfect dish for summer!