• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About Greedygirlgourmet
  • Recipes
  • SEO for Food Blogs
  • Authentic South East Asian Recipes
  • Privacy policy
  • Subscribe
  • Accessibility

Greedy Girl Gourmet

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Under 30 minutes
  • Recipes
  • Blogging
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Under 30 minutes
    • Recipes
    • Blogging
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » 5 or less ingredients

    Published: Aug 3, 2022 · Modified: Mar 21, 2023 by Zen · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Easiest Cold Cucumber Salad Recipe

    Sharing food makes everyone happy! :)

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This easy cold cucumber salad recipe is spicy & delicious but only requires 4-ingredients and 10 minutes to make. A perfect summer recipe, it's not only super refreshing, you don't have to slave in a hot kitchen to make it!

    A bowl of spicy cold cucumber salad.
    Jump to:
    • Why make this
    • Ingredients
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • How to serve
    • How to store
    • Expert Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Other Asian summer recipes
    • Cold cucumber salad recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why make this

    1. This spicy Chinese smashed cucumber salad recipe is a perfect side dish for a summer party
    2. In fact, it tastes even better when eaten the next day as the sauce has really had time to soak into the cucumbers. The texture also improves overnight!
    3. It only takes 10 minutes to make.
    4. And, you only need 4 easy-to-get ingredients.
    5. It's a great low-carb Chinese recipe!

    Ingredients

    The ingredients needed for Chinese cold cucumber salad laid flat on a tablecloth.

    You will only need 4 ingredients for this Chinese cucumber salad recipe. The key ones are:

    • Cucumbers: The type of cucumbers you use in this recipe is important. You want thin skin varieties which don't have a ton of seeds so go with Persian cucumbers, Japanese cucumbers or English cucumbers. Other Asian cucumbers tend to have large and tough seeds, so I don't recommend using them here.
    • Chinese Chilli Oil: I like to use Lao Gan Ma as it comes with all the crispy goodness of fried peanuts etc but you can also use Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Chilli Oil or homemade chili oil. To make it spicier, add chili flakes.
    • Chinese Black Vinegar: this isn't as commonplace as rice vinegar so, if you don't have it, you can also use these black vinegar substitutes.

    For a full list of ingredients, please scroll down to the recipe card.

    Note: any leftover chilli oil can be used for spicy popcorn! In addition, more under-5-ingredients Asian recipes can be found at this link.

    Substitutes & Variations

    Marinated jellyfish with cucumber salad on the side.
    We've made this cucumber salad so many times, I decided to switch things up by adding some sunflower seeds for crunch and some tomatoes for sweetness, as well as the jellyfish (it's in the pink bowl.)

    I usually make my cold cucumber salad with just these 4 ingredients but if you want something different, you can:

    • add minced raw garlic
      • I do not recommend substituting with garlic powder though!
    • toss in some marinated jellyfish
      • my personal favourite addition, although it can be hard to find (Some Chinese supermarkets sell it ready to eat or in the frozen section.)
    • use rice vinegar instead of Chinese black vinegar
      • this will give you something more similar to the Din Tai Fung cucumber salad

    Step by Step Instructions

    Cut cucumbers with chilli oil, soy sauce and vinegar heaped on top of them.
    1. Place the smashed and cut cucumbers into a container with an air-tight lid. Add the light soy sauce, chilli oil and chinkiang vinegar on top. (If using sesame oil, this is the time to add it too.)
    Cold Cucumber salad after shaking with spicy Laoganma chilli oil, black vinegar and soy sauce.

    2. Close the container tightly- you don't want the dressing flying out when you shake! Next, shake the tupperware vigorously till the ingredients are well-mixed. (It will take a few minutes.)

    Tossed cubed cucumbers in a spicy Chinese dressing.

    3. This is what the spicy Chinese cucumber salad will look like when done!

    How to serve

    This cold dish is best eaten on a day with hot weather, so keep it chilled in the fridge till you want to eat. You can serve it with a variety of foods such as chicken noodle soup, potstickers, teriyaki meatballs etc

    How to store

    Leftover cucumber salad can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 1-2 days. If the cucumbers look slimy, it's time for them to go into the bin, sadly!

    Expert Tips

    Expert Tip #1: Some recipes ask you to add a pinch of salt to the cucumbers for 15 minutes (to remove excess liquid). However, the point of this recipe is "quick & easy". Hence, instead of salting, we use the classic Chinese technique of smashed cucumbers ("pai Huang gua" in Chinese) to break down the cucumber cells before roughly chopping them into cubes. This only takes a minute & allows the cucumbers to better absorb the sauce. I recommend using a rolling pin or flat side of your knife and not a meat mallet to smash the cucumbers to avoid cross contamination. You can smash then cut the cucumbers into neat cubes, as shown in my photo OR just roughly chop to save time.

    Expert Tip #2: If using homemade chilli oil, add some peanuts or sesame seeds so that this flavorful salad will have more crunch. (Lao Gan Ma chilli oil already comes with peanuts inside.)

    Expert Tip #3: You can make a big batch of the spicy Chinese salad dressing in advance. It will last for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. (However, if using cut garlic, be sure not to infuse them in oil for too long as there is a risk of botulism.)

    Recipe FAQs

    How long do fresh cucumbers last in the fridge?

    If stored correctly, uncut cucumbers will be good for 1-2 weeks.

    How to tell if a cucumber has gone bad?

    Wrinkled skin or softness is never a good sign- don't use those in your spicy cucumber salad. A cucumber's skin should be nice and smooth. If you see mold- toss at once!

    Is cucumber salad healthy?

    Cucumbers are full of fibre but this recipe uses Lao Gan Ma chilli oil. Shop bought chillies contain preservatives, and can't be considered as healthy food. Using a homemade chilli oil would make this spicy cold cucumber salad much healthier.

    Other Asian summer recipes

    • Overhead shot of lychee tea with lemon and mint.
      Lychee Tea Recipe (Litchi Tea)
    • Close-up of cut cucumbers drizzled with a spicy Korean sauce.
      22 Best Korean Side Dishes for Bossam
    • Close-up of cherry tomatoes and Chinese preserved plum side dish.
      13 Taiwanese Side Dishes Recipes (authentic)
    • A golden yuzu marmalade jelly in the shape of a flower decorated with lemon zest
      Yuzu konnyaku jelly recipe (15 minutes)

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & if you REALLY like it, please leave a comment. Thank you!

    Close-up of red spicy asian cucumber salad.

    Cold cucumber salad recipe

    Zen
    The easy Chinese cold cucumber salad recipe is delicious and full of spicy flavor. Best of all, it only requires 4-ingredients and takes 5-10 minutes to make. 
    5 from 39 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Chilling time (optional) 1 hr
    Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine Cantonese, Chinese
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 114 kcal

    Equipment

    • Tuppleware container with airtight lock
    • Knife and cutting board

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cucumbers Smacked then cut into approximately ½ inch (1cm) cubes Choose cucumbers with small seeds such as Persian cucumbers or Japanese cucumbers.
    • 3 Tablespoons Lao Gan Ma chilli oil You can use more chilli oil if you like. Try to scoop up some of the peanuts etc too so that the salad will have contrasting textures. Substitute: Lee Kum Kee chilli oil or homemade
    • 1 Tablespoon light soy sauce Different soy sauce brands have different salt levels, so taste your dressing first. If it's not salty enough, add a pinch of salt.
    • 1 Tablespoon ChinKiang vinegar Also known as Zhejiang vinegar. Substitute: balsamic vinegar (but only if you really can't get the black Chinese vinegar.)
    • Drizzle sesame oil optional
    • Pinch white granulated sugar optional (I find the salad tasty without the sugar but those with sweeter teeth may appreciate it)
    • sesame oil, lightly toasted sesame seeds or spring onions optional garnishes

    Instructions
     

    • Smack and cut the cucumbers into small cubes. Place in a tuppleware container with an airtight lock.
    • Pour the chilli oil, soy sauce and vinegar pour over the cucumbers. Taste to see if a pinch of salt is needed. If using sugar, now is the time to add.
    • Close the container tightly then shake well. Ideally, leave in the fridge for at least 20-minutes so that the cucumbers can absorb the sauce and they're nice and cool. If you don't have the time, you can eat them straightaway as well.
    • Drizzle with sesame oil and garnish with coriander etc (if using) just before serving so that the aroma of the oil will be stronger.

    Notes

    The longer you marinade the cucumbers for, the tastier they'll be.
    Substitutes
    • Do not substitute with dark soy sauce, sweet soy sauce or thick soy sauce- they are not the same thing!
    Variations
    • Garlicky cucumber salad: If you like garlic, you can add minced garlic. However, be sure not to keep the cucumber salad in the fridge for for too long as there is a risk of botulism when infusing garlic in oil
    • Spicy jellyfish cucumber salad: you can mix this recipe with marinated jellyfish which are sold ready-to-eat (or sometimes sold frozen) at many Chinese supermarkets.
    Note: the nutritional information is an estimate automatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker and I am not responsible for its veracity.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 114kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 255mgPotassium: 214mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 108IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 0.5mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @GreedyGirlGourmet or tag #greedygirlgourmet!

    If you've enjoyed this easy Asian cucumber salad recipe, it would make my day if you shared it on your Facebook or social media! 🙂

    I have other recipes you may like here! :)

    • Cup of pink lychee juice with a lemon.
      Easy Lychee Juice Recipe
    • A jar of homemade pickled cucumbers with chilies and an onion next to it.
      Asian Quick Pickled Cucumbers (5-min)
    • A glass of cold brew coffee with milk and ice.
      Cold Brew Latte (3-ingredients)
    • A Dutch oven full of Chinese ginseng chicken soup, goji berries and dried jujubes.
      Chinese Ginseng Chicken Soup (4-ingredients)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Julie says

      February 14, 2023 at 11:45 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect side to any dish! Once made how long does it keep in the fridge?

      Reply
      • Zen says

        February 18, 2023 at 6:35 am

        Glad you enjoyed it Julie! Cut cucumbers are supposed to be able to last in the fridge for up to 5 days but I prefer to be on the safe side and use up the salad within 3 days 🙂

        Reply
    2. Dorene chew says

      July 30, 2022 at 1:29 am

      5 stars
      Love your cold cucumber salad recipe and it’s variations. Great for our hot weather

      Reply
    3. Ezra says

      June 17, 2022 at 1:45 am

      5 stars
      Love how easy this is made it and it was delish!

      Reply
      • Zen says

        June 26, 2022 at 4:41 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it Ezra! We've been having it for the last few weeks as it's been so hot!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Greedygirlgourmet eating 2 sandwiches in Scotland

    Hi I'm Zhen also known as GGG! I couldn't boil water till I was 18 but after living abroad (in St. Andrews then London) for 11 years and having to cook for myself, I now love cooking for friends and family. Learning to cook late, I make sure my recipes go into enough detail for those new to Asian cuisine or who love a test kitchen approach to cooking!

    More about GGG ->

    Under 30 Minutes

    • Close-up of a spoonful of Asian quick pickled green chilies.
      Green Pickled Chilies (Quick Pickle)
    • A half bitten piece of toast with kimchi and scrambled eggs on it.
      Kimchi Eggs (10 minutes)
    • A bowl of kimchi mayo spread, with some slathered on a piece of toast to the side.
      Kimchi Mayo
    • Close-up of a plate of Korean kimchi and gochujang fried rice
      Kimchi Bokkeumbap (Fried Rice)

    Popular Dishes

    • A plate of seared mushrooms tossed in a butter soy sauce.
      Quick Eryngii Mushrooms (3-ingredients)
    • A plate of Cantonese soy sauce with white rice and green onions.
      Best Poached One Pot Soy Sauce Chicken
    • A golden yuzu marmalade jelly in the shape of a flower decorated with lemon zest
      Yuzu konnyaku jelly recipe (15 minutes)
    • 2 glasses of milk tea with brown streaks on the walls of the glasses.
      Tiger Milk Tea Boba (3-ingredients)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Greedygirlgourmet
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
    • All Recipes

    Newsletter

    • Sign up here!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Buy Me a Coffee :)

    As an Amazon Associate, at no cost to you, I earn from qualifying purchases :)

    Copyright © 2023 GreedyGirlGourmet