Asian Cucumber Salad
Published June 15, 2022 • Updated February 28, 2026
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Fresh cucumber cut like an accordion and soaked in a spicy sesame soy dressing, this keto cucumber salad is one I make on repeat all summer. Serve it over cauliflower rice or on its own as a low carb side dish.
I first made this Chinese cucumber salad after watching it blow up on TikTok, right alongside the Jennifer Aniston salad, baked feta pasta, and dalgona coffee. I figured it would be one of those things that looks cool on camera but disappoints in person. I was wrong. The crunch, the tang, the heat from the red pepper flakes, it all comes together in a way that makes you keep reaching back into the bowl.
What makes this salad so good is how little effort it takes. The marinade is just pantry staples: soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, and a pinch of brown sugar substitute. I mix everything right in the bowl with the cucumbers. No cooking, no fuss. It’s naturally low carb, so it fits a keto meal plan without any swaps or modifications.
The one thing that makes this recipe stand out is the accordion cut. You place the cucumber between two chopsticks and slice at alternating angles, which gives you this slinky-like shape that soaks up the dressing in every fold. I’ll be honest, my first attempt looked rough. By the third cucumber I had the rhythm down and they were coming out clean. (Fun fact: cucumber is technically a fruit since it has seeds, but I’m not about to start calling this a fruit salad.)
I’ve also made this as a smashed cucumber salad, which is actually the more traditional Chinese method. You take the flat side of your knife, give the cucumber a good whack, and tear it into rough pieces. The jagged edges grab even more dressing than the accordion cut. Both techniques work, so use whichever you prefer.
One thing I learned the hard way: salt your cucumbers for about 20 minutes before adding the dressing. This draws out excess moisture so the marinade doesn’t get watered down. I skip this step when I’m in a rush, but the texture is noticeably crunchier when I don’t.
I pair this with keto sushi or a poke bowl most of the time. It’s also great next to a Thai chicken salad with peanut sauce if you want to go all-in on the Asian flavors. For something heartier, I’ve served it alongside my chef salad or broccoli chicken salad for a two-salad spread that covers all the textures.
How to make this viral cucumber salad
- Cut the ends off two cucumbers.
- Place one cucumber between two chopsticks. The chopsticks prevent you from slicing all the way through.
- Cut down the length at a 45 degree angle, about 0.5 to 0.75 cm spacing.
- Flip the cucumber over and cut straight (perpendicular). Line up each cut with the previous mark to get that slinky shape.
- Add minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar substitute to the bowl. Mix and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Key ingredients and swaps
- Cucumber – I’ve used regular waxy cucumbers, Persian, Turkish, and English cucumbers for this recipe. English cucumbers have smaller seeds and thinner skin, which I prefer. Small pickling cucumbers work in a pinch too. I always keep the skin on since it’s packed with fiber and beta-carotene.
- Garlic – I mince fresh garlic for the best punch, but garlic paste or jarred minced garlic works when I’m short on time.
- Soy sauce – For a gluten-free option, I use tamari. If you have a soy sensitivity, liquid aminos or coconut aminos are solid swaps.
- Sesame oil – Use toasted sesame oil, not the light or plain kind. I use Kadoya brand, but anything that smells nutty and has a dark amber color works. This makes or breaks the dressing.
- Rice vinegar – Every good marinade needs acid to brighten it up. I reach for rice vinegar first, but apple cider vinegar or white vinegar work as substitutes.
- Sesame seeds – Toasted or untoasted, both are fine. I sometimes throw in black sesame seeds for the contrast.
- Red pepper flakes – Crushed red pepper gives a hint of heat. I use about half a teaspoon, but adjust to your spice tolerance.
- Brown sugar substitute – For a touch of sweetness, I use brown sugar substitute. Sugar free maple syrup also works.
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Ingredients
2 medium cucumbers -
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
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
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.
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.
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.
Nutrition 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.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to spiralize the cucumber?
Not into the accordion cut? I get it. When I'm in a rush, I just slice my cucumbers into coins or half-moons and the dressing still coats them well. You can also try the smashed method, which is actually the more traditional Chinese technique. I take the flat side of my knife, give the cucumber a firm whack, then tear it into rough pieces. The jagged edges grab more dressing than clean slices.
Do I need to peel the cucumbers?
I never peel mine. The skin has fiber and vitamin A, and I like the color contrast it adds. If you're using a waxy grocery store cucumber with thicker skin, you can peel strips in an alternating pattern so you get some skin for nutrition but it's not tough to chew. With English or Persian cucumbers, I always leave the skin fully on.
Can I use regular cucumbers instead of English or Persian?
I've made this with every type of cucumber I can find. Regular waxy cucumbers from the grocery store work fine, but they have larger seeds and thicker skin. I scoop out the seeds with a spoon if they're especially watery. English and Persian cucumbers are my go-to because they're crunchier with fewer seeds, but I've used what's on hand plenty of times.
How do I keep the cucumbers from getting soggy?
I salt my sliced cucumbers and let them sit in a colander for about 20 minutes before adding the dressing. This pulls out the excess water so the marinade stays concentrated instead of getting diluted. I learned this after my first few batches turned watery by day two. It makes a real difference in crunch.
Can I make this ahead of time?
This is one of my favorite meal prep recipes. I cut the cucumbers and mix the marinade separately, then combine them the night before. By morning the flavor is incredible. For a party, I keep them separate and toss everything together about 30 minutes before serving so the cucumbers stay extra crispy.
What's the difference between smashed and accordion-cut cucumber salad?
I make both versions regularly. The accordion cut gives you that pretty slinky shape and each fold catches dressing, which is fun to eat and looks great on the plate. Smashed cucumbers have rough, jagged edges that soak up even more marinade. I reach for the smashed version when I want bolder flavor and the accordion cut when I'm trying to impress someone at dinner.
Can I use tamari instead of soy sauce for gluten-free?
I use tamari as a straight swap whenever I'm cooking for friends who avoid gluten. The flavor is nearly identical, maybe a touch richer. Coconut aminos or liquid aminos also work if you're avoiding soy entirely. I've tried all three and they each taste slightly different, but the salad is good with any of them.
I don't own chopsticks. Can I still make this recipe?
I've used the handles of two wooden spoons when my chopsticks were in the dishwasher. Two spatulas or butter knives work too. Anything that sits flat on each side of the cucumber to stop your knife from going all the way through. Or skip the fancy cut entirely and just slice the cucumbers into rounds. The dressing is the star here.
Two years keto and I still mourned that cucumber salad every time I drove past my old Chinese spot. Made this and ended up eating it straight from the bowl before it even made it to a plate.
Brought this to a cookout last weekend and the accordion cuts on the cucumbers got people asking questions before anyone even tasted it. The sesame dressing was gone before the burgers came off the grill.
The accordion cut is half the show before anyone even gets a fork in. And yeah, that dressing disappears fast.
Tried this with coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and added a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger alongside the garlic. The ginger creates this slight brightness that plays off the sesame oil really well, much more interesting than I expected from such a small addition. I also found that letting it sit in the fridge for 45 minutes before serving makes a real difference, the accordion cuts absorb all the way through instead of just picking up surface flavor. One thing worth adjusting: the red pepper flakes mellow out quite a bit during the marinade, so if you want actual heat, hold half of them back and add right before serving.
If you let this marinate for more than an hour, the cucumber releases enough liquid that the dressing gets pretty diluted. I figured that out the first time and now I salt the cut cucumbers first, let them drain in a colander for about 20 minutes, pat them dry, then add the dressing. Total difference. The sesame-soy actually coats the cucumber instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl. The chopstick method for the accordion cuts is also easier than it looks once you get the 90-degree flip down, which I think took me about two cucumbers to figure out. Making a double batch on Sunday and using it as a side throughout the week.
Same thing I do. Salt them, drain, pat dry and the dressing coats instead of pooling at the bottom. The accordion flip clicks after two or three cucumbers.
The accordion cut on these cucumbers is what got my husband. He stood there watching me make it, asked what the 'fancy knife thing' was about, and then ate half the bowl while I was still plating. This is a man who considers a side dish an insult at the dinner table, so seeing him fish through the sesame and garlic pooled at the bottom to get every last drop told me everything I needed to know about this recipe. I used tamari instead of soy sauce and doubled the red pepper flakes because I wanted real heat, and the marinade worked its way into every cut so each bite had that full sesame punch all the way through. Making a double batch next weekend.
A man who considers side dishes an insult fishing through the bowl for every last drop -- that's the review. Tamari runs richer than regular soy here, good call. I hold back on the flakes for my kids but double is where I'd actually go.
I kept skipping this one because cucumber salads always end up watery and kind of flat. Finally made it last week and the accordion cut is actually the whole point. The dressing soaks into every layer instead of just pooling at the bottom, and the sesame oil with red pepper flakes hits harder than I expected from a side dish. Already have cucumbers on the counter for batch two.
Those flakes keep building the longer it sits. Overnight with batch two and it'll hit even harder.
One thing I figured out after making this a few times: salt the cucumbers and let them drain in a colander for about 20 minutes before adding the marinade. The dressing doesn't get watered down and they stay crisp instead of going soft. I use Bragg liquid aminos instead of soy sauce and the accordion cut actually holds the dressing inside the folds, which is SO satisfying to bite into. Making a double batch this week.
Bragg liquid aminos is what I keep reaching for too. Slightly less salt than regular soy so the dressing doesn't overpower. Double batch is the right call, it goes fast.
Tried a few versions of this over the years and the accordion cut is what finally sold me. Most recipes just slice. The way the dressing gets into every fold changes the whole thing.
Flat slices and the dressing just pools at the bottom. The folds are what make it work. Can't go back to slicing after you've done it this way.
This has become my go-to even in the middle of February. Something about the sesame oil and rice vinegar combo hits the same way it does in summer, and the accordion cut means the dressing gets into every fold. I'm on my fifth batch and I've started letting it sit about 20 minutes longer than the recipe says. The cucumbers absorb more of that garlic soy flavor and it's noticeably better.
Twenty extra minutes is right. The accordion cut catches the dressing but absorbing it takes longer than you'd think. I've left mine overnight before and the garlic gets way more intense.
Made this for a dinner party last month and the accordion cut had people convinced I'd ordered it.
Ha, the accordion cut does most of the work. Each fold holds dressing so it looks twice as fancy as the actual effort.
Made this for lunches this week. Quick question - does the sesame oil brand make a difference? Mine tasted a bit off.
Yeah sesame oil brand matters way more than you'd think. Toasted sesame oil is what you want for the dressing, not the light/plain kind. I use Kadoya brand but any toasted sesame oil that smells nutty and dark amber colored works.