Spicy Smashed Cucumber Salad (10 Minutes)
Super addicting and refreshing Spicy Smashed Cucumber Salad has been my go-to appetizer for the past few weeks.
Ready in less than 10 minutes, this Spicy Smashed Cucumber Salad is the perfect dish that goes well with any meal.
Cucumber is crunchy, and the spicy garlic sauce goes well with EVERYTHING.
Today, I am using my family secret Spicy Garlic Chili Paste that I shared, which is a must-have condiment in your fridge!
I’ve shared many cucumber salad recipes before, but this Spicy Smashed Cucumber Salad gives you the restaurant-style quality that you find in street stalls in Taiwan!
The most crucial ingredient is my Spicy Garlic Chili Paste.
The Chen family’s addicting Chili Paste is super quick to make at home with easy-to-find ingredients.
All you need to make Spicy Garlic Chili Paste is salt, red chili, garlic, shallots, oil, ginger, and green onion; that’s it! Add this garlic chili Paste to EVERYTHING, and it will taste amazing.
If you are serving the Spicy Smashed Cucumber Salad right away, it takes less than 10 minutes, but if you want to make it in bulk, I recommend adding an extra step to ensure your cucumber stays crunchy longer.
The secret to making sure the cucumber stays nice and crunchy is to draw out the excess water.
Some people like only to use salt, but I find using half salt and half sugar help flavor the cucumber while ensuring that the cucumber stays nice and crunchy!
Add 1 Tbsp of sugar and 1 tsp of salt to the cut-up cucumber. Mix and let it sit aside for 30 minutes; this will help the cucumber stay nice and crunchy. After 30 minutes, dump out all the excess liquid.
Spicy Smashed Cucumber Salad is crunchy, savory, and highly addicting.
All you need is a bowl of rice, and you got the perfect lunch!
Depending on your spice tolerance, you can adjust the amount of Chili Paste to your liking.
Today I am making a mild version; if you want to add more heat, you can increase chili paste.
Alternatively, for those who don’t like spicy food, you can also skip the chili paste for a savory and refreshing cucumber salad that is kid-friendly.
Do you want more Vegetarian Recipes? Here are some of the go-to recipes that I love!
- Stir-Fried Garlic Green Beans (3 Ingredients ONLY!)
- Salt and Pepper Tofu (EXTRA CRISPY!)
- Vegetarian Spring Rolls (CRISPY!)
- Chow Mein – Better than Takeout!
Ingredient
- 2 whole English Cucumber
- 1 Tbsp of Sugar
- 1 Tsp of Salt
Marinate
- 2 tbsp of Vegetarian Oyster Sauce
- 3 tbsp of Black Vinegar
- 0.5 tbsp of Sugar
- 1.5 tbsp of Chopped Cilantro
- 1.5 tbsp of Spicy Garlic Chili Paste
- 1 tsp of Sesame Seeds
- 1 stalk of Green Onion (chopped)
- Smash Cucumber and cut into 1.5-inch pieces
- In a bowl mix, all the ingredients from the marinade together
- Pour on the sauce over the cucumber and enjoy!
Spicy Smashed Cucumber Salad
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
- 2 whole English Cucumber
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 Tsp Salt
Marinade
- 2 tbsp Vegetarian Oyster Sauce
- 3 tbsp Black Vinegar
- 0.5 tbsp Sugar
- 1.5 tbsp Cilantro Chopped
- 1.5 tbsp Spicy Garlic Chili Paste
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
- 1 Green Onion chopped
Instructions
- Smash Cucumber and cut into 1.5-inch pieces
- In a bowl mix, all the ingredients from the marinade together
- Pour on the sauce over the cucumber and enjoy!
I really enjoyed making this salad. I regularly do not add the spice but when I do it is nice kick.
How long does it last in fridge?
I would eat it all within a week!
This was delicious! Don’t be like me and drain the cucumbers and then put them back in the bowl with the water that you just drained. 🤦🏽♀️ My chili oil didn’t have ginger and garlic so I added some separately. I didn’t have black vinegar so the interwebz said I could do molasses/balsamic vinegar. It was a delicious sauce and I’m going to make it again!
Love your recipes…so authentic!