I have been gardening for many years and look forward to getting my hands back in the dirt every spring! One of the easy vegetables commonly found in our backyards is cucumbers. It makes a perfect, refreshing side dish on a warm day, especially when paired with an Asian cucumber salad.
Covering your vegetables with a flavorful (and healthy!) sauce doesn’t have to be boring. Some of my kids’ favorite dips for vegetables include homemade ranch dressing or French onion dip. This recipe offers another option to make vegetables more enjoyable for kids (and adults).
Spicy Cucumber Salad Recipe
The ingredients are very simple and the recipe requires a total of about 10 minutes of dexterity. You may have seen the popular three-ingredient spicy cucumber salad, but this version has a more complex flavor. Nonetheless, mixing the sauce only takes a few minutes.
Coconut aminos or soy sauce add a nice umami flavor, raw honey adds sweetness and minerality, and chopped peanuts add an addictive crunch. Rice vinegar helps cut through the earthiness and sweetness of the honey and balances the mix. Plus, it has the added flavor of parsley, garlic, and pepper.
The spice in this spicy cucumber salad comes from red chili flakes, which add a nice heat. If your family doesn’t like spicy food or doesn’t like it at all, reduce or omit it. Is it really spicy? Add more! Taste and adjust to taste before adding more.
Preparing Cucumbers
I usually just spend a day chopping vegetables in the food processor, but this Asian Cucumber Salad has an extra step. Sprinkle some salt on it first and then pat it dry to reduce any excess moisture. Cucumbers are made up mostly of water, so adding them to salads can make them really watery. This is a simple step that will allow the cucumbers to soak up all the delicious sauce.
Here’s how to make it!
Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe
This delicious Asian cucumber salad recipe is a spicy, salty, and refreshing side dish. A summer essential full of flavor and nutrition!
Lay the sliced cucumbers in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of salt evenly and let sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
Rinse the salted cucumber slices in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. This step prevents the sauce from thinning and ensures the best flavor absorption.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, rice vinegar, natural peanut butter, raw honey, garlic, dried red pepper flakes, ground black pepper, and fresh parsley until smooth and thoroughly combined.
Add dried cucumber slices to peanut sauce and toss until all slices are well coated. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with chopped peanuts.
Serve immediately or chill for up to 1 hour.
Nutrition Facts
Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe
Amount per serving (per serving)
calorie 204
Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
province 13g20%
2g saturated fat13%
4g polyunsaturated fat
6g monounsaturated fat
sodium 479 mg21%
potassium 434 mg12%
carbohydrate 17g6%
3g fiber13%
8g sugar9%
protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 476IU10%
Vitamin C 7 mg8%
calcium 56mg6%
steel 2mg11%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Adjust the spiciness to your liking by adding more or less chili flakes.
Expiration date and storage
This is one of those recipes that gets tastier if you wait a bit. You can eat this recipe right away, or you can let the cucumbers soak in the sauce for an hour to allow the flavors to blend together. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Unless you like soft peanuts, leave them as a garnish just before serving.
More Addictive Salad Recipes
Here are a few more vegetable-packed salad recipes that you’ll enjoy as the weather starts to warm up.
What is your favorite easy and healthy side dish? Let us know by leaving a comment!
