Oil Free Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad! Packed with bold umami flavors, cucumbers are infused with a lip smacking salad dressing that is sure to get rave reviews.

Spicy, crispy, refreshing, this Oil Free Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad is the perfect side salad to accompany your favorite Asian inspired bowls. This flavorful cucumber salad has a delightful kick of heat from the red pepper powder.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

When you are looking for the perfect salad to accompany those tasty Asian bowls, this spicy cucumber salad checks off all the boxes.  It’s easy to make and tastes fantastic. It is not for those who are sensitive to heat!

You gotta give this one a try!

Tips for Success:

• Flavor Profile: This cucumber salad has a very spicy Asian flair to it.  The red chili powder hits you on the backend of the palate.  Definitely not for those who don’t enjoy heat.
• Red Pepper Powder: This recipe calls for Korean red pepper powder.  We tried this recipe with both Indian red pepper powder and Korean red pepper powder.  Both work great.  Regular chili powder does not have the same flavor profile.  We do not recommend using regular chili powder.
• Marinating the Cucumbers: You can skip marinating the cucumbers with sea salt if you wish.  Marinating them removes some of the moisture and makes them softer. If you prefer a crisper cucumber, then Skip Steps 1 and 3.
• Mini Cucumbers:  If you can’t locate mini cucumbers, this will work with English cucumbers as well, or any cucumber that you enjoy eating.
• Chopped Peanuts: We didn’t add chopped peanuts in our initial kitchen trials, but later we added them.  We loved them, but if you are looking to reduce the fat content, then skip the chopped peanuts.  While they taste great, they are not an essential ingredient.
• Bowl: We enjoyed this cucumber salad with steamed brown rice and our Oil Free Teriyaki Tofu.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered container.

This dish should not be frozen.

Pantry Products Used:

• Tamari: We used San J Tamari Soy Sauce, Gluten Free, Reduced Sodium. You can substitute the tamari with reduced sodium soy sauce, Braggs Liquid Aminos, or Braggs Coconut Liquid Aminos.

Kitchen Products Used:

• Whisk (or fork)
• Strainer (optional)

We certainly hope you give this deliciousness a try.

If you try this flavorful salad, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us!  We would love to hear from you.

Oil Free Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad

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• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 10 Minutes
• Total Time: 10 Minutes (+Rest Time)
• Yield: 3-4 Servings 1x
• Category: Salad
• Cuisine: Asian
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Spicy, crispy, refreshing, this Oil Free Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad is the perfect side salad to accompany your favorite Asian inspired bowls.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 6 to 7 mini cucumbers, sliced *
• 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-) * 

Dressing Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari *
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon tahini
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper powder *

Other Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 2 green onions, finely sliced

Optional Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons chopped peanuts

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Instructions

1. Cut the cucumbers into 3/8-inch penny rounds and place into a bowl, sprinkle with sea salt and add 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar. Mix well, then place in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.
2. In the meantime, place all the Dressing Ingredients into a bowl, whisk well to combine, set aside.
3. After 30 minutes, place the cucumbers into a strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water to remove the salt. If unsure if all the salt has been removed, taste one.  Rinse again, if needed.  Shake to remove any excess water.
4. Place the drained cucumbers into a bowl, then add the dressing, sesame seeds, and green onions, stir to coat well. If adding chopped peanuts, add at this time, and mix well.
5. Serve and enjoy!

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Notes

*Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used. 

*Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

*Servings: 3 to 4

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