Spicy and light, this one is a tasty barbecue side. There’s an Asian flair to this spicy cucumber salad, provided by the light coating of rice vinegar, sesame oil and soy sauce, and it’s brought to spicy life by a sprinkle of crushed red pepper or cayenne powder. It may look unassuming, but there’s a lot of flavor here. It works as an appetizer or a side, and we love pairing it with savory barbecue. As different as the flavors are, they just work together.
🌶️ Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Cool, crisp cucumber in a tangy dressing of rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and toasted sesame oil, with chili heat on top. |
| Primary heat source | A teaspoon of crushed red pepper or cayenne, a teaspoon of chili paste, and a final sprinkle on top. |
| Heat level | Mild to medium with crushed red pepper. Hotter with cayenne. |
| Texture | Crisp, thin slices, a little softened from salting. |
| Best uses | A cool side for barbecue and grilled meat, or a quick appetizer. |
| Customization ideas | More or less chili, cayenne in place of the flakes, green onion or sesame seeds on top. |
| Before you start | About 35 minutes, most of it letting the salted cucumbers rest. |
Flavor notes
Why salt the cucumbers first? Salt pulls water out of the sliced cucumbers, and pouring it off before you dress them means the dressing clings to the slices and doesn’t end up as a watery puddle at the bottom of the bowl.
The dressing is small but busy. Rice vinegar brings a mild tang, soy sauce adds salt and savory depth, the sugar rounds off the vinegar, and a teaspoon of sesame oil gives the bowl its toasty aroma. And a full tablespoon of raw garlic makes it sharp, so go lighter if you’re not a garlic fan.
The heat comes in layers: chili paste and crushed red pepper in the dressing, then more chili on top. Crushed red pepper usually runs about 15,000 to 30,000 Scoville heat units, while cayenne runs 30,000 to 50,000, so the two aren’t a one-for-one swap. Using cayenne? Start with about half as much.
Adaptation ideas
Most of these change the heat, and all of them are quick.
- Want it milder? Skip the sprinkle on top, or use half the crushed red pepper.
- Want it hotter? Switch to cayenne, add more chili paste, or both.
- Which cucumbers? English or Persian cucumbers have thin skins and small seeds, so there’s no need to peel them.
- Add some crunch: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds or sliced green onion over the top before serving.
- Too salty? Rinse the salted cucumbers and pat them dry before you add the dressing, since the soy sauce adds salt of its own.
Serving ideas
What goes with it? Anything rich or smoky off the grill.
- With barbecue: Next to ribs, pulled pork or brisket, where the cool, tangy cucumbers cut the richness.
- With grilled chicken or fish: As a quick, crisp side.
- With rice bowls: Spooned on top of rice with grilled meat or tofu.
- As an appetizer: In small bowls with toothpicks, before the main event.
Storage notes
It’s best the day you make it, while your cucumbers are still crisp. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge, but the slices keep releasing water and get softer by the next day. So drain off any liquid and give them a toss before serving.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Korean Cucumber Salad: Oi muchim, with red pepper flakes, sesame and a sharper vinegar bite.
- Spicy Cucumber Relish: Sweet heat for hot dogs, steak and anything off the grill.
- Thai Mango Salad: Another cool, bright side with a little heat, ready in about 20 minutes.
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Spicy Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cucumbers
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced fine
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon chili paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Slice the cucumbers thin, place them in a bowl, then sprinkle the cucumbers with salt and let them sit for 30 minutes. Water will draw out of the cucumbers. Remove the water from the bowl.
- Combine the garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, chili paste, crushed red pepper (or cayenne powder), sugar, and sesame oil. Pour over the cucumbers and toss the cucumbers to coat.
- Sprinkle a small amount of either crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper powder on top and serve.
Notes
- Cayenne is hotter than crushed red pepper, so start with about half as much if you use it instead.
- Taste a salted cucumber slice before you add the dressing. If it’s too salty, rinse the slices and pat them dry, since the soy sauce adds salt too.
- Any chili paste works, such as sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce.
