This Smashed Cucumber Salad is a cooling and crunchy side dish with BIG flavor! Crisp crushed cucumbers are tossed with garlic turmeric oil, fresh herbs, and chili crisp to leave you with a simple dish that pairs perfectly with Asian-inspired meals and BBQ favorites.
Table of Contents
This Smashed Cucumber Salad is one of those side dishes you try once and want to make again and again. It’s crisp and cooling and has complex layers of flavor. It’s a different play on other cucumber salad recipes, like my Greek Tomato Cucumber Salad and Thai Cucumber Salad, but still guaranteed to be a hit with any cucumber fan.
Smashing the cucumbers is one of my favorite parts of making this easy side dish. Sure, it’s fun, but it’s also crucial to the quality of the recipe! Lightly crushing the cucumbers creates rough edges for the dressing (AKA flavor) to cling to, making every bite extra tasty.
The smashed cucumbers are combined with fresh herbs and green onions, then tossed in garlic and turmeric-infused oil to pump up those warm, tangy, and savory flavors. Serve it at your next BBQ or pair it with your favorite Asian-inspired mains and side dishes. It’ll quickly become a family favorite!
Ingredients needed
- Oil – Grapeseed oil is the base of the garlic and turmeric oil. If you don’t have grapeseed oil, use another neutral-flavored oil, like avocado, canola, or sunflower oil.
- Garlic cloves
- Ground turmeric – A small pinch brings a warm, earthy flavor to the oil.
- Flaky salt
- Cucumbers – There are many varieties of cucumbers to choose from but I like using English cucumbers in this cucumber salad. Persian cucumbers or another thin-skinned variety should also work well. No peeling required!
- Green onions
- Vinegar – You can use rice vinegar for a tangy, slightly sweet flavor or white vinegar for a milder flavor.
- Sesame oil
- Black pepper
- Fresh herbs – Trust me when I say that fresh herbs take this side dish to the next level. Use either fresh cilantro, mint, dill, or parsley, or a mix of two or three that you like.
- Sesame seeds
- Chili crisp – One of my favorite condiments that’s easy to make from scratch in 15 minutes! Use it as a garnish on this cucumber salad, then enjoy the rest on noodles, eggs, pizza, and more.
How to make this smashed cucumber salad
- Make the Garlic Turmeric Oil. Heat the oil in a medium pot, then add the garlic and sauté until it becomes golden and fragrant. Stir in the turmeric and a pinch of salt, then remove the pot from the heat.
- Prep the Cucumbers. Rinse the cucumbers and pat them dry before cutting them crosswise into 2-inch-long segments. Slice each segment in half lengthwise.
- Smash the Cucumbers. Place each cucumber cut side down on a cutting board. Smash each piece until it cracks open slightly, then slice diagonally into bite-sized chunks.
- Drain the Cucumbers. Transfer the cucumbers to a colander, toss them with salt, and let them sit and drain for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Assemble the Salad. Toss the cucumbers, green onions, vinegar, and sesame oil together in a large serving bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and extra vinegar to taste.
- Garnish & Serve. Drizzle the garlic turmeric oil over the salad and garnish with fresh herbs, sesame seeds, and chili crisp. Enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- Burnt aromatics = a bitter salad. Garlic goes from golden to burnt in a flash, so stir it regularly as it cooks and take the pot off the heat as soon as it turns a light golden brown and smells delicious. Add the turmeric and flaky salt while the oil is still hot to bloom the spice without scorching it.
- When smashing the cucumbers, the goal is to create rough, craggy edges for the dressing to grab onto. One firm whack with a meat mallet, a rolling pin, or the flat side of a large knife is usually all it takes.
- The smashed cucumbers need to drain for at least 15 to 30 minutes. If you want to get a head start on this recipe, pop them in the fridge for up to 4 hours instead. This step is the key to avoiding a watery cucumber salad!
Variations
Think of this crushed cucumber salad as a blank canvas for your creativity. There are so many ways to make it your own, like:
- Top with crushed nuts for crunch – Sprinkle a handful of crushed roasted peanuts or cashews on top before serving.
- Add more fresh veggies – Like thinly sliced radishes, red bell peppers, or shredded carrots.
- Give it a protein boost – Tossing 1/2 cup of steamed shelled edamame with the salad will turn it into a meal.
- Toss in some fresh fruit – Diced mango or watermelon cubes will lend a sweet-salty-tangy balance that will complement the spicy smashed cucumber salad so well.
Serving suggestions
Turn to this cucumber salad recipe whenever you need a crunchy, refreshing, and flavor-packed side dish. Its cooling and layered flavors pair well with all of the classic proteins you’d find at a barbecue, like cooked shrimp, smoked pork belly, and grilled chicken, but I like it best next to bold, Asian-inspired dishes, like:
- Fried rice – A side of takeout-inspired fried rice only gets better when paired with cucumber salad.
- Noodles – Pair it with Kung pao noodles, yaki udon, or a cold peanut noodle salad for a flavor boost.
- Stir fried vegetables – Take your quick and easy broccoli stir fry over the top with a side of spicy cucumber salad.
Make ahead and storing
- I recommend serving this smashed cucumber salad within a few hours of being assembled for maximum crunch. The infused turmeric oil can be made and refrigerated in a sealed jar up to 2 days in advance if you’d like to save some time. Just take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before it’s time to eat.
- The cucumbers can also be smashed and salted up to 4 hours ahead of time. Keep them in a strainer placed over a bowl and refrigerate until you’re ready to make the salad.
- The leftover dressed salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. It will become a bit watery as it sits, but will still taste good.
Erin’s wine pairings for smashed cucumber salad
Here are a few wines that make the perfect match for this refreshing cucumber salad:
- A citrusy Sauvignon Blanc or a light Pinot Gris will enhance the fresh flavors while balancing the richness of the dressing.
- An off-dry Riesling will provide a delicious contrast to the tangy vinegar and bring out the subtle sweetness in the cucumbers.
More simple Asian-inspired salads
Did you make this smashed cucumber salad?
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Full Recipe
Smashed Cucumber Salad
Equipment
- Strainer
Ingredients
- ½ cup grapeseed oil
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon flaky salt (plus more for seasoning)
- 2 english cucumbers
- 2 green onions (thinly sliced)
- 3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar (or white vinegar, plus more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Black pepper
- ½ cup fresh mixed herbs (cilantro, mint, dill, parsley)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1-2 teaspoons chile crisp (or chili oil, optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook,stirring occasionally, until the garlic is toasted and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the turmeric and flaky salt and stir to combine. Remove from the heat; set aside.
- Rinse cucumbers and pat dry. Cut crosswise into pieces about 2 inches long. Cut each piece in half lengthwise.
- On a work surface, place a piece of cucumber cut side down. Using a meat mallet (or the flat side of a large knife) smash each piece until starting to break apart. Then, slice each smashed piece diagonally into bite-size pieces, leaving the seeds behind.
- Place the cucumber pieces in a strainer and toss a pinch of flaky salt. Let drain for 15 to 30 minutes on the counter, or in the refrigerator until ready to serve, up to 4 hours. Discard any liquid.
- Combine cucumbers, green onions, vinegar and sesame oil in a large serving bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and more vinegar. Drizzle with the toasted garlic oil. Sprinkle on the fresh herbs, sesame seeds and chili oil (if using).
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Burnt aromatics = a bitter salad. Garlic goes from golden to burnt in a flash, so stir it regularly as it cooks and take the pot off the heat as soon as it turns a light golden brown and smells delicious. Add the turmeric and flaky salt while the oil is still hot to bloom the spice without scorching it.
- When smashing the cucumbers, the goal is to create rough, craggy edges for the dressing to grab onto. One firm whack with a meat mallet, a rolling pin, or the flat side of a large knife is usually all it takes.
- The smashed cucumbers need to drain for at least 15 to 30 minutes. If you want to get a head start on this recipe, pop them in the fridge for up to 4 hours instead. This step is the key to avoiding a watery cucumber salad!
- Top with crushed nuts for crunch – Sprinkle a handful of crushed roasted peanuts or cashews on top before serving.
- Add more fresh veggies – Like thinly sliced radishes, red bell peppers, or shredded carrots.
- Give it a protein boost – Tossing 1/2 cup of steamed shelled edamame with the salad will turn it into a meal.
- Toss in some fresh fruit – Diced mango or watermelon cubes will lend a sweet-salty-tangy balance that will complement the spicy smashed cucumber salad so well.
- I recommend serving this smashed cucumber salad within a few hours of being assembled for maximum crunch. The infused turmeric oil can be made and refrigerated in a sealed jar up to 2 days in advance if you’d like to save some time. Just take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before it’s time to eat.
- The cucumbers can also be smashed and salted up to 4 hours ahead of time. Keep them in a strainer placed over a bowl and refrigerate until you’re ready to make the salad.
- The leftover dressed salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. It will become a bit watery as it sits, but will still taste good.
Nutrition
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