Smashed Cucumber Salad
Cucumber smashed and dressed with garlic, vinegar, and chili oil.
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Join HomecookedIngredients
- 2 Cucumber
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Chili oil
- 1 tsp Sugar
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil (optional)
Method
- Smash the cucumbers with the flat of a knife, tear into pieces, and salt them to drain.
- Mince the garlic and whisk it with the vinegar, soy, chili oil, sesame oil, and sugar.
- Squeeze the cucumber dry and toss with the dressing.
- Pile into a bowl and serve cold.
Nutrition per serving
Estimated from ingredients; varies with exact portions and brands.
About Smashed Cucumber Salad
Smashed cucumber salad, pai huang gua, is a cold Chinese side that turns an ordinary cucumber into something craveable through one deliberately violent step. Smashing the cucumbers with the flat of a knife instead of slicing them cracks the flesh into rough, irregular pieces with torn edges and open crevices, which lets the dressing cling and soak in far better than clean cuts ever would. Salting the smashed pieces first pulls out excess water so they stay crisp and take on the seasoning rather than diluting it.
The dressing is the other half of the story: black Chinkiang vinegar for a malty sourness, soy for salt, chili oil for warmth and color, and toasted sesame oil for that nutty finish, balanced with a little sugar. Eaten cold, the salad is bracingly fresh, garlicky, sour, and just spicy enough to wake up the palate. It is a standard opener or palate-cleanser on a Chinese table and pairs especially well against rich, oily, or heavily spiced mains. Because it is vegan, quick, and mostly water and crunch, it works as much for a light lunch as it does for a shared spread.
Smashed Cucumber Salad: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Smashed Cucumber Salad?
One serving of Smashed Cucumber Salad has about 67 calories, with 1g of protein, 5g of carbs, 5g of fat and 1g of fiber. These are estimates based on the ingredient amounts in this recipe and will vary with your exact portions and brands.
Is Smashed Cucumber Salad gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Light soy sauce. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
How long does Smashed Cucumber Salad take to make?
About 12 minutes start to finish, but only around 6 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Smashed Cucumber Salad?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out toasted sesame oil — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Smashed Cucumber Salad make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.