Cucumber Shaker Chili Crisp (Printable View)

Crunchy cucumber and scallions tossed in tangy dressing, finished with spicy chili crisp and sesame.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 medium Persian or English cucumbers, thinly sliced
02 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
03 - 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

→ Dressing

04 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
05 - 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
06 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
07 - 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
08 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

10 - 1 to 2 tablespoons chili crisp, to taste
11 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

# How To Make It:

01 - Place thinly sliced cucumbers and scallions into a large bowl or shaker container with a secure lid.
02 - Whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved.
03 - Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and scallions in the container.
04 - Secure the lid tightly and shake vigorously for 20 to 30 seconds to evenly coat the vegetables with dressing.
05 - Transfer the salad to a serving dish. Top generously with chili crisp, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, and add chopped cilantro if desired.
06 - Serve immediately for optimal crunch or refrigerate for up to 30 minutes to develop a pickled flavor.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • It's ready in 10 minutes, which means you can make it while something else is cooking, no stress required.
  • The shake method actually works—every piece gets coated instead of the dressing pooling at the bottom like it usually does.
  • Chili crisp makes everything taste better, and this salad proves it.
02 -
  • Don't prep the cucumbers more than an hour ahead, or they'll start releasing water and the salad will become limp no matter how good your technique is.
  • The chili crisp sits on top rather than mixing in—this keeps it crispy and lets people adjust the heat to their taste, which is a small kindness that people remember.
03 -
  • Make the dressing ahead and store it in a jar—shake it before using, and you've got an instant side dish whenever you need one, which means you'll actually make this more often.
  • If you find your chili crisp has settled into oil at the bottom of the jar, don't discard that oil—use it as part of your dressing for a subtler heat that distributes more evenly.
Go Back