Spiral Chili Garlic Cucumber Salad (VIDEO)
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This Chili Garlic Cucumber Salad has been all over social media and the verdict is in – it’s just as fun to make as it is to eat!
Watch The Chili Garlic Cucumber Salad Recipe Video!
A Note from CJ
Chili Garlic Cucumber is so fun!
With some simple knife work and a pair of chopsticks, you can create these eye-catching “slinky” cucumbers that are almost too beautiful to eat!
Cucumbers are some of my favorite vegetables – recipes like Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono), Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad, Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad, and Korean Cucumber Sald (Oi Muchim) are so good! For more vegetables, try Garlic Bok Choy or Chili Garlic Bok Choy and Taiwanese Cabbage with Garlic!
This is the perfect side dish or snack. It’s so flavorful and easy to prepare! The knife skills are so fun and is a show-stopper at parties!
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- cucumber – I used Persian cucumbers in this recipe because they are thin skinned (so no need to peel) and have very few seeds. Be sure to salt and drain any excess moisture from the cucumbers to keep them crisp.
- rice vinegar – in a pinch you can also use apple cider vinegar.
- chili oil – I used homemade Chili Oil but you can also use store bought.
- chopped red chili, optional – I added chopped red chilis for an extra kick – adjust to your own spice tolerance.
How to Make Chili Garlic Cucumber
Wash and Cut Cucumber – Wash the cucumber and cut the ends off of each end. Using a pair of chopsticks or two even sticks to hold the cucumber into place, use a sharp knife and make small cuts at a 45 degree angle over chopsticks, making sure to not cut all the way through. Flip and make slices perpendicular to the first set of cuts. Try to make as many as possible along the cucumber!
Salt and Dry Cucumber – Mix with salt and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Remove excess water and rinse off the salt and drain. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Mix Dressing and Pour Over Cucumber – To make the dressing, mix rice vinegar, sugar, minced garlic, chili oil, soy sauce, scallions, and sesame oil, and red chilis, if using. Place sliced cucumbers in a bowl in circular fashion and pour the dressing, ensuring the dressing soaks into all parts of the cucumber. Serve immediately and enjoy!
My Pro Tip
CJ’s Storage Tips
Store this cucumber salad in an airtight container for 3-4 day in the refrigerator. The cucumbers will continue to release moisture as they sit – this is normal but you may find that the dressing becomes slightly diluted.
If you tried this Chili Garlic Cucumber Salad or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Spiral Chili Garlic Cucumber Salad (VIDEO)
Equipment
- Chopsticks
Ingredients
- 1 lb cucumber, Persian or English
- 1 tbsp salt
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chili oil, try my homemade version!
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 scallions
- 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp chopped red chili, optional
Instructions
- Wash the cucumber and cut the ends off of each end.
- Using a pair of chopsticks or two even sticks to hold the cucumber into place, use a sharp knife and make small cuts at a 45 degree angle over chopsticks, making sure to not cut all the way through. Flip and make slices perpendicular to the first set of cuts. Try to make as many as possible along the cucumber!
- Mix with salt and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Remove excess water and rinse off the salt and drain. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- To make the dressing, mix rice vinegar, sugar, minced garlic, chili oil, soy sauce, scallions, and sesame oil, and red chilis, if using.
- Place sliced cucumbers in a bowl in circular fashion and pour the dressing, ensuring the dressing soaks into all parts of the cucumber. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- cucumber – I used Persian cucumbers in this recipe because they are thin skinned (so no need to peel) and have very few seeds. Be sure to salt and drain any excess moisture from the cucumbers to keep them crisp.
- rice vinegar – in a pinch you can also use apple cider vinegar.
- chili oil – I used homemade Chili Oil but you can also use store bought.
- chopped red chili, optional – I added chopped red chilis for an extra kick – adjust to your own spice tolerance.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Spiral Chili Garlic Cucumber Salad recipe was originally published in April 2022, and updated in March 2026.
Makes cucumbers way more flavorful!
Love how easy to prepare this cucumber side dish is. It’s perfectly crisp and fresh as a starring side to any meat and rice or noodle dish. Always a hit every time I make it!
@helloimjean
Omgggg! this side dish is unbelievably delicious.Its quick to make and a great snack to fulfill my savoury cravings! @__jcramirez
This is the perfect side dish or snack. It’s so flavorful and easy to prepare! The knife skills are so fun and is a show-stopper at parties!
@emilyz40
Tastes like a restaurant-quality meal.