i have He had a garden For many years now and every spring I look forward to getting my hands back into the soil! One of the easiest vegetables to grow in my garden is pumpkin. They’re a perfect, refreshing side dish on hot days, especially in this Asian Cucumber Salad.
Vegetables don’t have to be boring when covered in a flavorful (and healthy!) sauce. Some of my kids’ favorite dips for vegetables include homemade sauces Cattle ranch dressing Or French onion coloring. This recipe gives kids (and adults) another option to get more excited about eating their vegetables.
Spicy cucumber salad recipe
The ingredients are very simple and the recipe only requires about 10 minutes of hands on time. You may have seen Viral 3’s Spicy Cucumber Salad, but this version has more complex flavors. Even so, it only takes a couple of minutes to mix the soup.
Coconut Amino Or soy sauce adds a nice umami flavor, raw honey adds sweetness and minerals, and chopped peanuts add an addictive crunch. The rice vinegar cuts through the earthiness and sweetness of the honey, helping to balance the mixture perfectly. There’s also the added flavor of parsley, garlic and black pepper.
The spice in this spicy cucumber salad comes from red chili flakes that add a nice heat. If your family doesn’t like it as spicy (or at all), reduce or leave them out. Do you really like spice? Feel free to add more! Be sure to taste first before adding more and adjust to your taste.
Preparing dumplings
I usually chop up my veggies in the food processor and call it a day, but this Asian cucumber salad has an extra step. The pieces are first sprinkled with salt and then dried to reduce some of the excess moisture. Cucumbers are mostly water and adding them to a salad like this makes them very watery. It’s an easy step to let the pumpkins soak up all that delicious sauce.
Here’s how to do it!

Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe
This delicious Asian Cucumber Salad recipe is a spicy, salty and refreshing side dish. Full of flavor and nutrition is a summer staple!
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Place the sliced cucumbers in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Sprinkle evenly with half a teaspoon of salt and let sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
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Rinse the pickled cucumbers under cold water, then dry them thoroughly with a paper towel. This step prevents the soup from becoming watery and ensures that the best flavor is absorbed.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, rice vinegar, natural peanut butter, raw honey, garlic, dried red chili flakes, ground black pepper, and fresh parsley until smooth and completely combined.
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Add the dried pumpkin slices to the peanut sauce and toss until each slice is well coated. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with chopped peanuts.
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Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
Nutrition facts
Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe
Amount per service provider (1 time)
Calories 204
117 calories from fat
% Daily Value*
Fat 13 g20%
Saturated fat 2 g13%
Polyunsaturated fat 4 g
Monounsaturated fat 6 g
Sodium 479 mg21%
Potassium 434 mg12%
Carbohydrates 17 g6%
Fiber 3 g13%
Sugar 8 g9%
Protein 8 g16%
Vitamin A 476IU10%
Vitamin C 7 mg8%
Calcium 56 mg6%
Metal 2 mg11%
* Percent daily values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Adjust the spice level to your preference by adding more or less chili powder
Shelf life and storage
This is one of those recipes that tastes better if you wait a little longer. You can eat this recipe right away or you can let the soup soak in the pumpkin for an hour first to infuse the flavor. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Save these as a garnish before serving, unless you like soft peanuts.
More addictive salad recipes
Here are some more of my veggie tossed salad recipes that I love to eat when the weather starts to warm up.
What are some of your go-to easy and healthy side dishes? Leave a comment and let us know!
