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    Home » Recipes » Pantry

    Chinese Cucumber Salad--Smashed Version

    Last Modified: January 6, 2023 by Elaine| 47 Comments

    2.6K shares
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    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Chinese smashed cucumber salad with basic ingredients including salt, sugar, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, and chili oil. It can be super delicious even with only 5 minutes of preparation. This is one of the most popular homemade cold dishes in China along the year.

    Chinese cucumber salad|chinasichuanfood.com
    Table of Contents
    • Unpickled version VS pickled version
    • Do I need to remove the skins?
    • Why smash the cucumber?
    • Instructions
    • 🧾Recipe

    Cucumbers are really great for summer. The excellent and crispy taste can help us against the hot weather. There are many cold dishes in China that are equal to salads in the western centuries but this smashed cucumber salad is always the best choice for either quick dishes or large dinners.

    Unpickled version VS pickled version

    Elaine has two ways of making easy Chinese cucumber salad: one is to smash it directly before mixing and the other one is to pickle the cucumber for around 15 minutes with salt to remove extra water content. The unpickled version is much quicker and delicious. While the pickled version gets a more crisper texture and is less fresh in taste. Smashed cucumber can absorb more sauce within the cucumber, resulting in a compound and uniform taste. However pickled cucumber salad has two layers of taste. The first is the combined sauce, which succeeded with a crispy and freshness from the cucumber slices.  I strongly recommend you try both ways if you love cucumber salad the same as me. 

    Chinese cucumber salad|chinasichuanfood.com

    Do I need to remove the skins?

    For the cucumber, pick fresh ones and just peel the thick skin off and remain thin skin, which can help to add some extra green color and also make the smashed cucumber crisper.  If you really do not like the skin, you can peel them all off. Do remember to cut the two ends off.  Or if you use organic small cucumber, keep the skins and just remove the two ends.

    Why smash the cucumber?

    One of the key tips for this Chinese-style cucumber salad is to smash the cucumber with a wide knife. Smashing will create enough space inside the cucumber, helping the flavors and sauce permeate.

    Instructions

    Step 1: Prepare Your Cucumber

    Wash the cucumber well and trim off the tough skins. For long Enough cucumber, peel off half of the skin and let the remaining add some green colors. Or if you are using organic small cucumber, peel only the skin around 5cm from the two ends. Then cut off the two ends.

    Step 2: Smash

    Put them onto a larger cutting board and get a wide knife, cut the cucumber lengthwise. Place skin side up and use your knife to smash the cucumber.

    Step 3: Cut them into smaller pieces
    Add the cucumber into small pieces and transfer to a serving bowl.

    Chinese cucumber salad|chinasichuanfood.com

    Step 4 - Add garlic

    chop garlic, finely chop the garlic and place them on top of the cucumber.

    Chinese cucumber salad|chinasichuanfood.com

    Step 5: Add the sauces.

    1. Basic sauce - salt, sugar (optional), and sesame oil.
    2. With light soy sauce and black vinegar
    3. With light soy sauce, black vinegar and chili oil
    Chinese cucumber salad|chinasichuanfood.com

    The light version with only sesame oil, salt, and sugar can be super fresh if you get high-quality fresh cucumber. Sugar is optional.

    Chinese cucumber salad|chinasichuanfood.com

    If you want to make this more savory and strong in flavor, add light soy sauce and black vinegar.

    Chinese cucumber salad|chinasichuanfood.com

    For a hot version, add chili oil to make this extremely delicious.

    Chinese cucumber salad|chinasichuanfood.com

    Other recommended Chinese-style salad for hot summer

    • wood ear mushroom salad--the spicy and sour version I love the most.
    • Bean thread noodles salad with carrots and spinach--a healthy vegan salad
    • Sichuan-style eggplant salad with fresh chilis

    🧾Recipe

    smashed cucumber salad|chinasichuanfood.com

    Chinese Cucumber Salad

    Elaine
    Chinese style smashed cucumber salad
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 2 mins
    Total Time 7 mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine Sichuan cuisine
    Servings 2
    Calories 113 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 fresh English cucumber , or two smaller ones, around 350g
    • 3 garlic cloves , mashed and then chopped
    • ¼ tsp. sugar , optional
    • salt to taste
    • 1 tbsp. sesame oil
    • 1 tbsp. light soy sauce , optional
    • 1 tsp. black vinegar , optional
    • 1 ~2 tsp. chili oil to taste , optional

    Instructions
     

    • For long English cucumber, wash the cucumber and peel off tough skins. For small cucumber, remove the two ends.
    • Smash with a wide kitchen knife (like Chinese slicing knife) until the cucumber is well crushed. Then cut into one bite pieces.
    • Transfer all cucumber cubes into a bowl. Mix well with mashed garlic, salt and sugar.
    • Or further add light soy sauce and vinegar to make a more strong version.
    • Or add chili oil for a hot version.

    Notes

    For very tender and young cucumber, you can keep most of the skins.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 113kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 417mgPotassium: 287mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 185IUVitamin C: 7.3mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 0.8mg
    Keyword Cucumber
    Tried this recipe?Mention @ChinaSichuanFood

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jos van wouw

      May 13, 2018 at 3:53 pm

      Hello Elaine,
      However I am a common Dutchman I like Chinese food and especially the authentic Sichuan kitchen.
      I do not eat meat very often but sometimes the pictures and recipes are mouthwatering and I cannot resist to cook it.
      In the comments for smashed cucumber salad I read about coocked sesame oil. What is the difference between cold pressed oil and coocked oil and how can i make it? Or is is not really nessesary? In Holland Lee Kum Kee sesame oil is easy to buy but I think it is a cold pressed oil and has a rich flavor. I am curious to your reply.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        May 14, 2018 at 8:30 am

        Hi Jos,
        Cold pressed sesame oil actually contains more nutrient substances with rich flavor of course. However toasted sesame seeds has a unique aroma brought by the heating process. You can smell it from toasted sesame seeds. So most Chinese kitchen use toasted sesame oil.

        Reply
    2. Andreas

      October 13, 2018 at 4:12 am

      5 stars
      Hi Elaine,

      this is really a quick, easy and tasty side dish. I really love the combination of the black vinegar and sesame oil in the dressing.

      I make this quite often, which might be related to the fact that when I come home from work sometimes smashing things seems like a great idea 🙂 I sincerely apologize to the cucumbers. It's nothing personal 😉

      anyhow great recipe!

      Reply
    3. Lee

      April 28, 2019 at 11:11 pm

      5 stars
      Quick and easy and so tasty. Absolutely one of my go to quick sides.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        May 08, 2019 at 7:04 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    4. Catherine

      June 20, 2019 at 1:45 am

      5 stars
      This is sooooo good and soooo easy! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        June 21, 2019 at 7:27 am

        Thanks Catherine!

        Reply
        • Lydia

          July 04, 2020 at 12:33 am

          Elaine,
          This sounds wonderful. I was curious as to the last sauce you add on top of the cucumbers. I do not see this sauce listed in the ingredients. Would you be so kind as to share the sauce you put on top. Thank you so much!
          Lydia

          Reply
          • Elaine

            July 05, 2020 at 9:27 pm

            It is chili oil, Lydia.

            Reply
    5. vivien

      May 29, 2020 at 8:26 pm

      Hi, if I can`t finish it, can i keep it in the fridge? and how long can i keep?

      Reply
      • Elaine

        May 31, 2020 at 5:21 pm

        No, serve just after assembled!

        Reply
    6. Jane

      March 02, 2021 at 12:59 am

      5 stars
      Quick, simply, and so tasty! I also grew up eating this and it’s perfect for hot summer days

      Reply
      • Elaine

        March 03, 2021 at 8:34 am

        Thank you so much, Jane!

        Reply
    7. Gary

      September 17, 2021 at 3:14 am

      Excellent recipe. Tasty....great summer dish.
      One cutting board and then into serving dish - so easy on the dishes LOL
      I used Shanxi Vinegar and worked perfectly
      Tasted Just like the side dish in our favorite restaurants

      Reply
      • Elaine

        September 26, 2021 at 9:13 pm

        Thank you Gary for your lovely feedback.

        Reply
    8. Jennifer Teo

      October 04, 2021 at 7:41 pm

      Can I make more and keep in the fridge?

      Reply
      • Elaine

        October 05, 2021 at 8:00 pm

        Yes, but not for a long time.

        Reply
    9. Rebecca

      November 24, 2021 at 6:09 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and easy to make! Great recipe, thank you.

      Reply
    10. Emma-Jane

      December 19, 2021 at 7:15 pm

      Hi,

      Thank you I've bin looking for this receip for awhile now ,so thank you.
      I like eating this one,had it first time in Antwerpen Chinese restaurant Shanghai style cooking.
      It was very good. But can you use garlic roosted sesame as well

      Reply
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