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spicy cucumber salad
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4.95 from 18 votes

Spicy Cucumber Avocado Salad with Garlic Chili Vinaigrette Recipe

serves 4 as a side dish, can be doubled. or tripled.
Prep Time15 minutes
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, asian, Chinese
Keyword: anti-inflammatory, avocado, california grown, cucumber, din tai fung
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 237kcal

Ingredients

for Salad

  • 1 pound Persian or other thin-skinned California-grown cucumbers see Note below
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 2 California-grown avocados peeled and sliced lengthwise into wedges
  • optional: ¼ cup pickled onions or sliced scallions

for Garlic Chili Vinaigrette

  • 1 garlic clove peeled, green germ removed and sliced razor thin
  • 1 tablespoon la yu chili oil
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon cane sugar plus more to taste (or other sweetener)
  • 2-4 tablespoons warm water

Instructions

Prepare Cucumbers

  • Slice cucumbers lengthwise in half, then crosswise on a slight bias, making pieces about ¾-inch wide. You can make blunt cuts so the cucumbers are half moons, but that basic b aesthetic up to you. Place the sliced cucumbers in a bowl, toss with salt, and let sit 2 hours to draw some of the water out of the cucumbers.

Make Vinaigrette

  • While the cucumbers are draining, make the vinaigrette. Combine sliced garlic, chili oil, and sesame oil in a small bowl. With a spoon, very gently press the garlic into the oil against the sides of the bowl to release some of its essence into the oil. Add the tamari (or soy sauce), rice vinegar, sugar, and 2 tablespoons warm water and stir until sugar dissolves. Taste. By itself, the vinaigrette should be saltier and sweeter than is comfortable for you. It will not taste as strong on the salad. If it tastes too salty or sweet, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Assemble Salad

  • Drain the cucumbers, discard the salted water, and rinse the cucumbers with fresh water. Toss cucumbers with about ⅔ of the vinaigrette. Transfer dressed cucumbers to shallow serving bowl or platter with high sides.
  • Add avocado wedges over cucumbers and pour the remaining vinaigrette over the avocados. Scatter pickled onions or scallions over avocados.
  • This salad prepared with the vinaigrette does not store well. The salted and dressed cucumbers by themselves will keep in air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one day. The cucumbers will be pickled after a day.
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Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 237kcal | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Fiber: 9g