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Chinese · Sichuan

Smashed cucumber salad

Vegetarian

拍黄瓜 · pāi huánggua

Cucumbers cracked with the side of a knife so they soak up a garlicky dressing of black vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. A cold side that takes ten minutes.

Smashed cucumber salad is a Chinese salad from China, ready in about 20 minutes and made with cucumber and garlic. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Rest
10 min
Total
20 min
Serves
4
Level
Beginner
Calories
60

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Lay each cucumber (opens in a new tab) on a board and press down hard with the flat of a cleaver or large knife until it cracks open. Cut into bite-size chunks.

    • 3 min

  2. Step 2

    Toss the cucumber (opens in a new tab) with the salt and leave in a sieve for 10 minutes to draw out water. Shake off the liquid.

    Liquid being strained through a sieve
    How it looks · Photo: Katerina Holmes on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Mix the garlic (opens in a new tab), vinegar, soy sauce (opens in a new tab), sugar (opens in a new tab) and sesame oil (opens in a new tab) until the sugar dissolves.

    • 2 min

  4. Step 4

    Toss the cucumbers (opens in a new tab) with the dressing, drizzle with chilli oil (opens in a new tab) and scatter with coriander. Serve cold.

    • 1 min
    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
China · Well documentedAlso popular in TaiwanMore food from China
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Salads · Side dishes · Appetizers & starters
Cooking method
Raw, No-cook, Marinated / cured
Taste
garlicky, tangy, refreshing, salty
Diet
Vegan · Dairy-free · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Dairy-free · Egg-free · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat
Without the optional extras: No nut ingredientsWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Budget-friendly · Everyday · Make-ahead
Cook more with
Cucumber · Garlic · Chinese black vinegar · Soy sauce · Sugar · Toasted sesame oil
Techniques
Marinating · Curing

Allergens

  • May contain: Peanutsfrom chilli oil
  • Contains, can be adapted: Wheatfrom chinese black vinegar, soy sauce
  • Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom chinese black vinegar, soy sauce
  • Contains: Soyfrom soy sauce, chilli oil
  • Contains: Sesamefrom toasted sesame oil, chilli oil

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

60 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 169 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 9%
  • Carbohydrate 56%
  • Fat 35%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy60 kcal35 kcal
Protein1.5 g0.9 g
Carbohydrate9 g5.3 g
Net carbohydrate8.2 g4.8 g
Sugars4.8 g2.8 g
Added sugars1 g0.6 g
Fibre0.8 g0.5 g
Fat2.5 g1.5 g
Saturated fat0.4 g0.2 g
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium676 mg399 mg
Salt equivalent1.7 g1 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
260 mg
Calcium
33 mg
Iron
0.6 mg
Magnesium
24 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
8 µg
Vitamin C
5 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
11 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: chilli oil, coriander leaves.
  • Chinese black vinegar: Balsamic vinegar (FDC 172241) used as a stand-in for Chinkiang/Zhenjiang black rice vinegar; both are dark, aged and slightly sweet.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Smashing creates rough surfaces that hold more dressing than neat slices.

Common mistakes

  • Dressing the cucumber too early: after about 30 minutes it turns watery and limp. Dress it just before serving.

Serve with

  • A cooling side for dan dan noodles, dumplings or any spicy dish.

Storage

  • Best within a few hours; refrigerate up to 1 day.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Cucumber, washed, ends trimmed2 piece · 600 g
  • Garlic, finely chopped3 clove · 12 g
Used in steps 1, 3

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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