This Spicy Cucumber Edamame Salad is the perfect protein-packed side dish or appetizer. It's made with 8 simple ingredients for a crunchy cucumber salad that is flavorful & delicious while only taking 20 minutes to make!
Fun Fact: I used to be a cucumber hater. Honestly, they're still not my favorite food served solo, but add them to my Vegan Gazpacho, Vegan Tzatiki, or this new spicy cucumber salad and suddenly I'm a cucumber lover!
When it comes to refreshing salads, the spicy cucumber edamame salad is a true winner. Packed with vibrant flavors, crunchy textures, and a kick of spice, this dish is the perfect easy & refreshing salad to serve any time of year!
Ingredients:
Ingredient & substitution notes:
- English Cucumber: This cucumber works best for this recipe since you can eat the skins!
- Another great cucumber variety to substitute would be a few Persian cucumbers.
- Spicy Chili Crisp: This is the key ingredient that really gives this dish that extra *WOW* factor, so don't skip it. I use Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp and it's genuinely the best once I've tried.
- Other great brands include Fly By Jing Chili Crisp, Momofoku Chili Crisp, or make your own using this recipe.
- Edamame: To save time I use cooked and frozen shelled edamame. Cover it with water and reheat it in the microwave until warm throughout.
- You can also boil it in water for a minute or two or use freshly cooked edamame to avoid any reheating time.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best, ideally pressed with a garlic press so it's super fine and minced.
- Cilantro and Scallions: These add a really nice fresh flavor to this dish, so I don't recommend skipping them!
- Cilantro can be omitted if you don't like it!
- Scallions can be substituted with 1 finely chopped shallot or ¼ of a small red onion, finely chopped.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: Adds a nice tangy flavor to this dish!
- Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar can work as a substitute, but it will affect the end flavor of the dish.
- Soy sauce: Adds the salty umami flavor to this dish.
- Substitute with tamari to make this gluten-free dish or coconut aminos to make it soy-free.
- Sesame seeds: While this is not pictured (or required) to make this salad, it does add a nice finishing touch if you have some on hand!
How to make spicy cucumber salad
Slice & salt cucumber
Use a mandolin or a knife to cut the cucumber into evenly-sized slices. Then, add the cucumbers to a stranger and lightly coat them with salt.
Place the strainer of cucumbers over a bowl and let them sit for 10 minutes to release extra liquid. Then, rinse off and pat dry.
P.S.- Don't skip this step or else the cucumber salad will be pretty watery and not as flavorful as intended!
Prep remaining ingredients
While the cucumbers are straining, prep the remaining ingredients. Finely dice the scallions, chop the cilantro, mince or press the garlic, and reheat the edamame if using frozen edamame.
Mix cucumber salad together
Add the sliced cucumbers, edamame, cilantro, scallions, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and spicy chili crisp to the bowl and mix together.
Then, serve this Asian edamame salad as is or top with sesame seeds when you are ready to serve!
FAQ & Tips:
What can you serve with this spicy edamame salad?
Honestly, I love enjoying this chili cucumber salad as a mid-day snack on its own!
It's also great served over rice with a side of Crispy Pan-Fried Tofu or as an appetizer alongside my Tofu Fresh Rolls.
It also makes a great side dish alongside my Black Pepper Tofu & Green Beans or Gochujang Tofu for a delicious dinner!
How do I store this cucumber edamame salad?
This spicy cucumber salad can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. After that, the cucumbers tend to get a bit soggy and lose their crispy texture.
Believe it or not, I find this vegan edamame salad is actually best the day after it is made so the cucumbers and edamame have time to really soak up the flavors of the sauce.
I can't wait for you to try this Spicy Edamame Cucumber Salad. With only 8 ingredients, it couldn't be easier to whip up this salad as an excellent addition to any summer gathering. Enjoy!
-TSG
More easy & refreshing salad recipes you will love:
If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star review on the recipe card. I always appreciate your feedback and support! You can also follow along on my Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest, or sign up for our newsletter!
Spicy Cucumber Edamame Salad
Ingredients
- 1 large English cucumber thinly sliced
- ⅔ cup cooked & shelled edamame
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 3 scallions ends removed & diced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 ½ Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon spicy chili crisp
- 1 Tablespoons sesame seeds optional, as garnish
Instructions
- Cut the ends of your cucumber and discard. Then, use a knife or mandolin to thinly slice the cucumber.
- Add the cucumber slices to a mesh strainer and lightly coat with salt. Then, place the strainer on top of a bowl and let the cucumbers strain for about 10 minutes to release excess liquid. At the 10-minute mark, lightly rinse the cucumbers and pat dry, then add to a large mixing bowl.
- While the cucumbers are straining prep the remaining ingredients. Dice the scallions, chop the cilantro, and press or mince the garlic. If using frozen edamame, reheat it according to the package instructions.
- Add the edamame, scallions, cilantro, and garlic to the bowl of sliced cucumbers and mix together. Then, top with the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and chili crisp.
- Mix together until evenly coated, then serve as is or add sesame seeds on top as an optional garnish. Enjoy!
Notes
- Please see the blog post for substitution ideas & recipe tips.
- This spicy cucumber salad can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. After that, the cucumbers tend to get a bit soggy and lose their crispy texture.
- This recipe was inspired by the viral TikTok spicy Korean cucumber salad, most notably this version by Christieathome
Leave a Reply