A Refreshing, Delicious, and Simple Side Dish - Famous Asian Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad
This no-fuss, flavor-packed Asian Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad is both crunchy and refreshing, making it the perfect choice for dining on a hot summer day.
You can easily make it at home with sliced cucumbers, a tangy dressing made of rice vinegar, soy sauce, and a dash of sesame oil.
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Originating in Taiwan, this spicy Cucumber Salad quickly became popular worldwide thanks to its simple yet incredible taste.
The secret lies in the special marinade that combines sweet, salty, sour, and umami flavors.
This copycat Din Tai Fung Cucumber recipe is a healthy treat too, thanks to hydrating cucumbers and nutritious sesame oil.
What is Din Tai Fung's Cucumber Salad?
Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad is a delicious and refreshing dish served at the famous Taiwanese restaurant, Din Tai Fung.
It's a simple Asian salad made with thinly sliced cucumbers and a tasty marinade.
The dressing combines sweet, salty, sour, and umami flavors using rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil.
The result is a crisp, healthy, and delightful salad that's loved by many.
Why This Recipe Works?
- The combination of sweet, salty, sour, and umami flavors in the dressing creates a well-balanced and divine taste.
- With basic and readily available ingredients like cucumbers, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic, it's easy to whip up this delicious Din Tai Fung copycat recipe.
- This Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad recipe requires minimal preparation, making it a great option for busy weekdays or last-minute meals.
- The crispness of the cucumbers and the lightness of the dressing make it a perfect choice for a refreshing and healthy dish.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
What Type of Cucumbers to Use?
Both English and Persian cucumbers work well in this recipe because of their crispness and delicate flavor.
Persian Cucumbers are shorter and smaller than English cucumbers, with a crunchy texture and mild taste.
Their thin skin makes them easy to prepare for the salad.
English Cucumbers, also known as hothouse or seedless cucumbers are long, slender, and usually wrapped in plastic at grocery stores.
They have thin skin, fewer seeds, and a mild, refreshing flavor, which makes them ideal for this salad, as you don't need to peel them before slicing.
Additionally, their lack of excessive seeds makes the salad less watery, allowing the cucumbers to absorb the flavors of the dressing more effectively.
While you can use other regular cucumbers if English or Persian cucumbers are unavailable, they may have different levels of crunchiness and seed content, which could slightly affect the overall texture and taste of the salad.
Dressing Ingredients
- Soy sauce - It adds salty and savory flavor to the cucumber salad. I use Kikkoman all-purpose soy sauce for this recipe. Double the amount if using low-sodium or light soy sauce.
- Garlic - I use finely chopped fresh garlic cloves for an extra kick.
- Rice vinegar - They are widely available in Asian shops or online on Amazon. You can substitute it with white vinegar.
- Mirin - It is a rice wine used as a flavoring in Asian cooking. You can substitute mirin with dry sherry or sweet marsala wine. They are widely available in Asian shops or online on Amazon.
- Sesame oil - It adds a distinctively nutty taste to the salad. You can buy it from Asian shops or large supermarkets as well as from
How to Make Spicy Asian Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad?
Although this copycat Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad is a very simple recipe, you need to follow a few tips and steps to achieve the best results:
Wash the fresh cucumbers thoroughly and slice them into thin rounds. You can use Persian or English cucumbers based on your preference.
Place the cucumber slices in a large bowl or a colander, and sprinkle the salt over them.
Allow the salted cucumbers to sit for about 15 minutes to draw out excess water.
Rinse the cucumber pieces under cold water to remove the excess salt. Pat them dry gently with a paper towel or a clean kitchen towel.
In a mixing bowl, combine the rice vinegar, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, finely chopped garlic, and soy sauce.
Mix everything well to create a flavorful dressing.
Add the dressing to the dried cucumber slices in the mixing bowl.
Toss them gently to coat the cucumbers evenly with the dressing.
Let the marinated cucumber slices rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Before serving, garnish the salad with sliced red chili or chili oil for an extra kick of spiciness.
Top Tips From the Chef
- Opt for fresh and firm Persian or English cucumbers. Their thin skin and fewer seeds make them ideal for this salad.
- Try to slice the cucumbers uniformly to ensure even marination and consistent texture in each bite.
- Cucumbers have a high water content, and marinating them with salt helps to draw out this excess moisture, resulting in extra crispness.
- Allow the cucumbers to marinate in the dressing for at least 30 minutes to absorb all the wonderful flavors fully.
- Adjust the amount of chopped garlic according to your taste preference. You can add more or less garlic depending on how garlicky you want the salad to be.
- If you prefer a milder spiciness, remove the seeds from the red chili before slicing. This will reduce the heat while maintaining the chili's flavor.
- For maximum refreshment and crisp cucumbers, refrigerate the salad for a bit longer before serving. It'll be extra crisp and delightful!
- You can prepare the dressing in advance and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, toss it with the cucumbers for a quick and easy salad.
What to Serve with Crunchy Asian Cucumber Salad?
Serve this crunchy cucumber salad as a refreshing side dish alongside your favorite Asian-inspired meals, such as Chicken Stir Fry with Noodles, Salt and Pepper Chicken, and Spicy Egg Fried Rice.
Present the salad in small individual bowls or on a platter as a light and appetizing starter for a larger Asian food-themed feast.
Use the salad as a vibrant and tangy filling for wraps or sandwiches, creating a delightful contrast with the other ingredients.
Storage Instructions
This Chinese Cucumber Salad can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
Beyond this timeframe, the cucumbers may start to lose their freshness.
If you have extra dressing left, it's best to store it separately from the cucumber slices.
This way, you can add the dressing to the cucumbers just before serving to maintain their crunchiness.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this chilled Cucumber Salad is suitable for vegetarians and vegans, as it does not contain any meat or animal-based ingredients.
Absolutely! You can prepare the salad in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Just remember to keep the dressing separate until ready to serve to maintain the salad's freshness and crispness.
Yes, the versatile dressing can be used for various salads or as a marinade for other Asian-inspired dishes.
Related Recipes
For more delicious and refreshing recipes you can make with cucumber why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this no-fuss, flavor-packed Asian Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
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Asian Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 500 g Persian or English cucumbers (sliced)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 red chili (for garnish, sliced)
Instructions
- Wash the cucumbers thoroughly and slice them into thin rounds. You can use Persian or English cucumbers based on your preference.
- Place the cucumber slices in a bowl or a colander, and sprinkle the salt over them. Allow the cucumbers to sit for about 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
- Rinse the cucumber slices under cold water to remove the salt. Pat them dry gently with a clean kitchen towel.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the rice vinegar, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, finely chopped garlic, and soy sauce. Mix everything well to create a flavorful dressing.
- Add the dressing to the dried cucumber slices in the mixing bowl. Toss them gently to coat the cucumbers evenly with the dressing.
- Let the marinated cucumber slices rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Before serving, garnish the salad with sliced red chili or chili oil for an extra kick of spiciness.
Notes
- Opt for fresh and firm Persian or English cucumbers. Their thin skin and fewer seeds make them ideal for this salad.
- Try to slice the cucumbers uniformly to ensure even marination and consistent texture in each bite.
- Allow the cucumbers to marinate in the dressing for at least 30 minutes to absorb all the wonderful flavors fully.
- Adjust the amount of chopped garlic according to your taste preference. You can add more or less garlic depending on how garlicky you want the salad to be.
- If you prefer a milder spiciness, remove the seeds from the red chili before slicing. This will reduce the heat while maintaining the chili's flavor.
- For maximum refreshment, refrigerate the salad for a bit longer before serving. It'll be extra crisp and delightful!
- You can prepare the dressing in advance and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, toss it with the cucumbers for a quick and easy salad.
Nutrition
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