This is the best din tai fung cucumber salad recipe. This copycat asian cucumber salad is so quick and easy to make and has the most delicious flavour. It is the perfect refreshing side dish.
Asian inspire recipes like the best tuna fried rice, gluten free chicken pad Thai, healthy egg roll in a bowl and pad pak are some of my favourites because they always have such a unique flavour, which is why I can't wait for you to try the healthy Asian salad recipe I am sharing with you today!
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- This Asian cucumber salad is quick and easy to make and only requires a few minutes of hands on time.
- It has the most amazing flavour and texture! It's a little sweet, a little spicy, and so nice and crunchy.
- Because this salad is so light and refreshing it's perfect for spring and summer and is also great for picnics, bbq's, tailgates and camping. Just like my healthy Asian coleslaw.
- This din tai fung cucumber salad copycat recipe tastes just as good as going to the restaurant but it's so much cheaper to make it yourself.
- This healthy salad is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, paleo, low in sugar, refined sugar free and vegetarian.
Ingredients and substitutions:
- Cucumbers - you can use any type of fresh cucumbers that you like to make this salad including Long English Cucumbers, regular cucumbers, baby cucumbers, mini cucumbers or Persian cucumbers.
- Salt - this is used to brine the cucumbers to give them the perfect crunchy texture and crisp texture. You can use any type of salt that you like including sea salt or kosher salt.
- Rice vinegar - rice vinegar helps give this crunchy cucumber salad the perfect flavour. If you don't have rice vinegar or can't find it at the grocery store you can use apple cider vinegar instead. For a different flavour you could also use red wine vinegar.
- Oil - you can use either avocado oil or olive oil to make the dressing for this salad.
- Chili oil - Chili oil gives this salad such a unique flavour. You can get chili oil at asian specialty stores or specialty olive oil stores. You can also order chili oil online. You can change the amount of chili oil that you add depending on how spicy or mild you want this salad to be.
- Garlic - fresh, minced garlic adds even more flavour to this salad. You can add more or less, depending on how much you love garlic.
- Sweetener - you can use any type of liquid sweetener that you like to make the dressing for this salad. My favourites are honey or maple syrup but you can use agave syrup or date syrup too.
- Chili flakes or red pepper flakes - these give the dressing a little bit of heat. You can add more or less depending on how spicy you like your cucumber salads. You can usually find these in the asian section at grocery stores.
Recipe variations and add ins:
- If you are serving a crowd feel free to double or triple this recipe.
- If you like a sweet cucumber salad add 1-2 more tablespoons of sweetener.
- If you don't like any spicy flavour omit the chili flakes from the recipe.
- For a different flavour you can use sesame oil to make the dressing instead of olive oil or avocado oil.
- If you want a spicier cucumber salad add more chili flakes to the dressing.
- To give this salad even more crunch top it with sesame seeds.
- Add some chopped green onion to the dressing for even more flavour.
How to Make Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad:
- Step 1: First, in a large bowl mix together the sliced cucumbers and salt. Place the bowl of salted cucumbers in the fridge and let the cucumbers brine for 30 - 45 minutes.
- Step 2: While the cucumbers are brining, make the dressing by placing all the dressing ingredients into a small bowl or jar and mixing well until you have a smooth dressing.
- Step 3: After the cucumbers have finished brining, give them a quick rinse with cold water two times to remove the excess salt. Taste the cucumbers and rinse one more time if they are too salty. I like rinsing them in a colander or large strainer to help remove any excess water.
- Step 4: Lastly, toss the rinsed cucumbers with the dressing and serve and enjoy!
Top Tips:
- Letting the cucumbers rest with the salt brines them and turns them extra crunchy. The longer you let them sit the crunchier they will get. For best results, do not skip this step.
- This crunchy cucumber salad is best served right away after it's made. If you let it sit for too long the cucumbers will get a little mushy.
How to store:
Store this salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days. It is best served within 24 hours. I do not recommend trying to freeze this cucumber salad because the cucumbers get very soft and mushy when they thaw.
Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad FAQs:
Is this salad spicy?
This salad has a little heat but I would not consider it spicy.
Can I freeze cucumber salad?
I do not recommend trying to freeze cucumber salad. The cucumbers get too soft and mushy when they thaw.
Do I have to brine the cucumbers?
You don't have to but I highly recommend it. This makes the cucumbers even more crisp and delicious.
Should I peel cucumbers for salad?
You can if you want to but I prefer unpeeled cucumbers for salad because it helps keep the cucumbers even crispier.
Other delicious salad recipes you will love:
Recipe
Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad
You are going to love this copycat Din Tai Fung cucumber salad recipe. It's so easy to make and has the most delicious flavour.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 180kcal
Equipment
- Large bowl
Ingredients
- 6 cups chopped cucumber
- 1 tablespoon salt
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon chili oil
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil of choice (avocado oil or olive oil)
- 2 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together the cucumbers and salt. Place the bowl in the fridge and let it sit for 30 - 45 minutes.
- While the cucumbers are brining in the fridge, make the dressing by placing all the dressing ingredients into a bowl or jar and mixing well until you have a smooth dressing.
- After the cucumbers have finished brining, rinse them with water two times. Taste the cucumber and rinse one more time if they are too salty.
- Toss the rinsed cucumbers with the dressing and serve and enjoy!
Notes
-
- Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
- Letting the cucumbers rest with the salt brines them and turns them extra crunchy. The longer you let them sit the cruncher they will get.
- This salad is best served right away but if you do want to store it for later I recommend eating it within 48 hours to ensure the cucumbers stay as crisp as possible.
Nutrition
Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 1752mg | Potassium: 303mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 181IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg
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Nona M Kirk
Wonderful, it made me very happy
Erin Carter
I'm so glad! And thanks for commenting!