This keto Asian cucumber salad comes together in just 20 minutes and delivers bold, tangy flavor with a spicy kick from chili crisp. Thinly sliced cucumbers get tossed in a savory sesame dressing made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a touch of sweetener, making it the perfect low-carb side dish for any meal.
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Last summer, cucumber salads were all the rage online. There was a guy on TikTok (hi, Logan!) who was making some pretty crazy cucumber concoctions and honestly, he had me hooked.
This is my take on the viral Asian cucumber salad – with a keto twist, of course!
When I tell you that I have eaten this at least twice a week for the past year, I’m not exaggerating even a little. I’m OBSESSED with this little salad. The bold flavors, the cool crunch of the cucumbers, the spicy little kick…it’s just so good.
This salad has that addictive quality where the flavors just keep building. The sesame oil adds a nutty depth, the rice vinegar keeps things bright and tangy, and the chili crisp brings just enough heat to make it interesting. It’s savory, a little sweet, a little spicy, and totally refreshing.
Even though this low carb Asian cucumber salad goes with just about everything, it was actually the inspo for my keto Asian turkey meatballs that I just shared. I wanted more Asian-inspired recipes to serve alongside the cucumber salad.😅
♥ What We Love About This Recipe:
- It’s ready in 20 minutes. A little slicing, a quick whisk, and then you just let the fridge do the rest of the work for you. (You can even skip the chill – it’s good straight away too!)
- The flavor is seriously bold. Sesame, garlic, chili crisp, and soy sauce come together in a dressing that tastes like it came from your favorite restaurant.
- It fits perfectly into a low-carb lifestyle. Light, fresh, and packed with flavor without any of the heavy ingredients that would weigh it down.
Ingredient Notes:
Cucumbers – I like mini persian cucumbers for this recipe, but English cucumbers also work well. You’ll need around 1 to 1 1/2 – somewhere in the range of 16 ounces worth of cucumber.
Soy Sauce – If you avoid soy, you can swap this for coconut aminos. Similar flavor profile!
Rice Vinegar – You’ll want unseasoned/unsweetened rice vinegar for this one. If you don’t have it, feel free to swap in white vinegar, but start with a dash less since it has a stronger flavor.
Chili Crisp – I am obsessed with this stuff (try it on eggs!) and I’ve tried quite a few brands. I like this one best. Start with 1 teaspoon if you’re sensitive to heat or making this for kids, then taste and add more. I haven’t found a single person who doesn’t like the sauce once they try it though.
Honey Alternative – I use this specific brand and love it. I first gave it a try because it’s made by a fellow food blogger (love that!) and I was happy to find that it tastes a lot like real honey and is made with natural sweeteners. That said, any zero-carb honey substitute that looks, tastes, and measures like honey should work fine here. You’ll use it in our keto honey mustard too, so don’t worry, it won’t go to waste!
One more thing: I personally add a small shake of MSG to my Asian cucumber salad and it genuinely takes the flavor up a notch. MSG has a long history, and I know it gets a bad reputation, but I’d encourage you to do a little research before writing it off. It’s completely optional and the salad is delicious without it, but if you have it and you’re curious, give it a try.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step by Step Instructions:
Slice the cucumbers into thin rounds. You can also experiment with different cuts if you like your cucumber salad a bit more chunky.
Add the soy sauce, vinegar, chili crunch, sesame seeds, honey alternative, sesame oil, and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
Toss in the cucumbers and garlic and stir well to coat everything in the dressing.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to let the cucumbers soak up a bit of the dressing.
Helpful Tip!
Storage & Freezing:
Fridge: This salad keeps for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The cucumbers will release a little water as they sit, so give everything a good stir before serving leftovers.
Make-ahead tip: You can mix the dressing up to a week in advance and store it separately. Just toss it with the cucumbers about 15 minutes before you’re ready to serve for the freshest, crispest cucumber situation.
Freezer: Skip it. Cucumbers don’t freeze well and the texture will be off after thawing.
More Low Carb Salads:
- Keto Salad Dressing recipes
- Keto Grinder Salad
- Loaded Cauliflower Salad
- Dill Pickle Egg Salad
- Keto Tuna Salad
Keto Asian Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 8 mini cucumbers see notes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chili crisp more or less to taste
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon honey alternative or granulated sweetener
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Slice the cucumbers into thin rounds. Mince the garlic.
- Add the soy sauce, vinegar, chili crunch, sesame seeds, honey alternative, sesame oil, and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the cucumbers and garlic to the bowl. Stir to coat.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving. Taste and season with additional salt, as needed.
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