Spiral Cucumber Salad Recipe

If you’re looking for a simple yet incredibly satisfying side dish or snack, this one’s a winner! Fresh cucumber is sliced into a fun spiral shape and topped with a bold, spicy soy garlic dressing that hits all the right notes — salty, tangy, garlicky, and just a little bit spicy. It’s the kind of dish that takes minutes to make but disappears in seconds. Perfect for hot days, dinner parties, or when you just want something crisp and refreshing with a burst of flavor. Let’s get started!

Spiral Cucumber Salad Recipe

Serve: 2
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 large English cucumber
1/10 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 finger hot pepper, sliced
3 tablespoons avocado oil, or other high-smoking point oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar, or replace with others
1 teaspoon sugar

Spiral Cucumber Salad Instructions

1. Cut off the ends. Place it between a pair of chopsticks, and thinly slice it from one end to the other. Flip. At an angle, slice it again from one end to another
2. Place the cucumber on a plate, and season it with salt. Rest for 5 minutes.
3. To make the sauce, in a bowl, add the garlic and finger hot pepper. Set aside.
4. In a small pan over high heat, add the avocado oil, and heat it up until smoking hot. Pour the hot oil over the garlic and finger hot pepper. Whisk.
5. Also add the soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, and sugar. Mix well.
6. Transfer the cucumber to a serving plate, and drizzle the dressing over it. Enjoy!

Fun facts:

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, if we consume seasonal foods, we remain in harmony with nature. The peak season for cucumbers is summer. They have a “cooling” nature, and they help to reduce the internal heat from the summer. But remember, we should always eat everything in moderation.