Smashed Chili Crisp Cucumber Salad

Name: Smashed Chili Crisp Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 3 cups
Cuisine: Asia
Ingredients: 2 large seedless cucumbers; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon sugar; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons chili crisp sauce; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 1 green onion, thinly sliced; 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

Total Time Prep: 15 min. + standing

Yield 3 cups

Test Kitchen Approved

This smashed chili crisp cucumber salad has layers of flavors and textures from craggy cucumber chunks, fiery chili crisp and a simple soy and vinegar dressing.

Ingredients

2 large seedless cucumbers
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chili crisp sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

Directions

Place cucumbers on a cutting board. With the flat edge of your knife, smash each cucumber lightly, moving back and forth along the full length, until it cracks open. Cut smashed cucumbers into bite-sized pieces.
Place cucumbers in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes. Drain and blot dry.
In a small bowl, combine rice vinegar, chili crisp, soy sauce, sesame oil and green onion. Pour over cucumbers and toss to coat. Let sit for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

Nutrition Facts

1/2 cup: 80 calories, 2g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 1178mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.

This is one of my favorite ways to eat cucumbers! They stay crisp, cool and refreshing while picking up a fiery kick from the chili crisp. Smashing the cucumbers with the back of your knife creates craggy surfaces that absorb dressing far better than simple slices. —Lindsay Mattison, Beaverton, Oregon

Recipe Creator