Viral Cucumber Salad

Ingredients (~4-6 servings)

• 2 Mediterranean cucumbers or 1 English cucumber (~12 oz)
• 3/4 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp MSG (optional, but worth it)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp chilli crunch (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp furikake
• 1 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 small garlic clove, grated (optional)

Slice the Cucumbers and Combine Everything

If you have a mandoline, use it – the thin, even slices are what make this salad work.

If you don’t have one, use a sharp knife and try to get the slices as thin as possible without them falling apart.

Add the sliced cucumbers to a container with a tight-fitting lid.

Add the sugar, MSG, sesame oil, chilli crunch, soy sauce, fish sauce, furikake, sesame seeds, and grated garlic if using.

Shake and Taste

Seal the container and shake it well – you want everything evenly distributed.

The cucumbers will start releasing water immediately, which helps create the dressing.

Taste and adjust – if you want more heat, add more chilli crunch; if it needs more umami, add a bit more soy sauce or fish sauce.

You can serve this immediately while the cucumbers are still crisp, or let it chill for ~15-20 minutes if you want the flavors to meld more.

The salad is best eaten within a few hours before the cucumbers get too soft.

Viral Cucumber Salad

This cucumber salad is crunchy, salty, and has that perfect balance of sesame and heat that makes it impossible to stop eating. Takes 5 minutes to make and honestly tastes better than most restaurant appetizers.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Ingredients (~4-6 servings)

• 2 Mediterranean cucumbers or 1 English cucumber ~12 oz
• 3/4 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp MSG optional, but worth it
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp chilli crunch adjust to taste
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp furikake
• 1 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 small garlic clove optional, grated

Instructions

• Thinly slice cucumbers using a mandoline or sharp knife.
• Add cucumbers to a container with a tight-fitting lid.
• Add sugar, MSG, sesame oil, chilli crunch, soy sauce, fish sauce, furikake, sesame seeds, and grated garlic if using.
• Seal container and shake well to distribute everything evenly.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
• Serve immediately or chill for 15-20 minutes to let flavors meld.
• Best eaten within a few hours before cucumbers soften.