Asian Cucumber Salad
Published June 15, 2022 • Updated October 3, 2023
A viral TikTok recipe using fresh cucumber and a tasty Asian inspired marinade
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Fresh cucumber cut like an accordion and marinated in a spicy, sesame soy dressing, this Asian cucumber salad recipe will have you hooked! Enjoy over cauliflower rice or on it's own!
1/2 cucumber
4
Servings
71
Calories
4.9g
Fat
2.2g
Protein
4.2g
Net Carb
5.2g
Total Carbs
Disclaimer: The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
Another recipe that went viral on social media is the Chinese Cucumber Salad. Just like the Jennifer Aniston salad, baked feta pasta and dalgona coffee, the marinated cucumber salad recipe blew up on TikTok.
Besides being unique, these viral TikTok recipes are so popular because they are simple to make. This Asian cucumber salad is no exception. It’s just cucumber mixed with an easy marinade made up of ingredients most of us already have in our pantries. The only thing special about this salad recipe is the way you cut the cucumbers.
The cucumbers (can use any type – Japanese cucumbers, Persian cucumbers, waxed) are cut at different angles to produce a slinky like vegetable! (Although cucumber is technically a fruit since it has seeds!)
Pair this unique cucumber side dish with sushi or a poke bowl for a complete meal!
How to make the Asian cucumber salad from Tiktok
- Cut the ends off of two cucumbers.
- Place one cucumber in between two chopsticks. The chopsticks will prevent you from slicing all the way through the cucumber.
- First cut down the length of the cucumber at a 45 degree angle.
- Flip cucumber over and cut straight or perpendicular to the cucumber. Place in a bowl.
- To the bowl, add in minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, red pepper flakes and sweetener.
Key ingredients & swaps
- Cucumber – You can use a regular waxy cucumber or a thin skinned cucumber like Persian, Turkish or English cucumber for this recipe. Small pickling cucumbers work too. English cucumbers have smaller seeds. Keep the skin on the cucumber since they are filled with nutrition like fiber and beta-carotene.
- Garlic – Mince up fresh garlic, use garlic paste or jarred minced garlic.
- Soy sauce – For a gluten-free option, use tamari sauce. If you have an aversion to soy, use liquid aminos or coconut aminos instead.
- Sesame oil – Use sesame oil or toasted sesame seed oil. This adds flavor to the Asian marinade.
- Rice vinegar – To bright up the marinade, every good marinade needs an acid. Can substitute the rice wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
- Sesame seeds – Use toasted sesame seeds or untoasted sesames. Black sesame seeds would work too!
- Red pepper flakes – Crushed red pepper flakes gives a hint of spice and heat to our salad.
- Brown sugar substitute – For a hint of sweet, brown sugar substitute is used. Can also substitute with sugar free maple syrup.
Chinese Cucumber Salad Recipe Video
With 100s of videos and millions of views, Ketofocus is one of the most popular Keto channels on YouTube.
Asian Cucumber Salad Ingredients
2 medium cucumbers
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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2 tablespoons soy sauce, tamari or liquid aminos
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1 tablespoon sesame oil
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1 tablespoon rice vinegar
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1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
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1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
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1 teaspoon brown sugar substitute
Asian Cucumber Salad Directions
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Cut cucumbers
Cut the ends off each cucumber. Place a cucumber in between a pair of chopsticks. This will keep you from slicing all the way through the cucumber. Cut at a 45 degree angle about 0.5 - 0.75 cm spacing along the cucumber.
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Flip & cut
Flip the cucumber over. This time make 90 degree cuts (or perpendicular to the cucumber). Line up each cut with the previous cut mark to make the perfect slinky shape. Repeat with other cucumber. Place cucumbers in a small bowl.
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Make marinade
To the bowl, add minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes and brown sugar substitute. Mix until coated. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight to allow the marinade to soak into the cucumber.
Just started keto recently and was looking for easy sides—this was super refreshing and had just enough kick from the red pepper flakes. Loved it with grilled chicken!
I had so much fun using the chopstick trick to get that slinky shape for the cucumbers—it made the texture extra satisfying and let the marinade soak in beautifully. The sesame oil gave a deep nutty flavor that paired especially well with the rice vinegar’s tang. I let it marinate overnight and the cucumber absorbed a great balance of the soy and garlic. The brown sugar substitute added a subtle sweetness without being overpowering. Next time I might tone down the red pepper flakes just a bit for the kids, but overall really enjoyed how the flavors came together.