Chinese · Salads

Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad

Name: Chinese Smashed Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 700 g Persian or small seedless cucumbers; 1 tsp fine salt; 3 cloves garlic, finely minced; 30 ml Chinese black vinegar; 15 ml light soy sauce; 10 ml toasted sesame oil; 1 tsp sugar; 1–2 tsp chile oil — optional; 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds — optional

Smashing cucumbers creates rough edges that hold a sharp garlic-and-vinegar dressing. Salting and draining first keeps the finished salad crisp instead of watery.

By Cookimoki Editorial Team · Updated Sep 2, 2026

View recipe ↓Editorial recipe, not kitchen tested

Photo: AI-generated for Cookimoki · Cookimoki-owned AI-generated image

10 minActive Time

20 minRest / Wait

30 minTotal Time

4 servingsServings

EasyDifficulty

Ingredients

Servings

4 servings

Units

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Instructions

1
Smash and cut the cucumbers. Place the cucumbers under the flat side of a cleaver or sturdy chef's knife and press carefully until they split. Cut the broken lengths into 4 cm pieces.
Look for: Each piece has craggy split surfaces rather than clean round slices.
2
Salt and drain. Toss with salt and leave in a colander for 15 minutes. Drain the released liquid and pat the cucumbers lightly dry.
Look for: The cucumbers remain firm while visible water has drained away.
3
Mix the dressing. Stir garlic, black vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and optional chile oil until the sugar dissolves.
Look for: The dressing smells sharply garlicky with a toasted sesame finish.
4
Dress just before serving. Toss the drained cucumbers with the dressing and optional sesame seeds. Rest for 5 minutes, toss again, and serve.
Look for: The rough cucumber edges are glossy, but no large pool of diluted dressing forms.

Tips & Variations

→Use small thin-skinned cucumbers with few seeds for the crispest result.
→Add chile oil gradually so it supports rather than hides the vinegar and garlic.

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Dietary & allergen notes

Vegan as writtenDairy-free as written

Contains: Soy, Sesame

Most soy sauce contains wheat; use certified gluten-free tamari if required.

Allergy information is ingredient guidance, not a guarantee against cross-contact. FDA allergen guidance

Storage & reheating

Refrigerator: Best eaten within 2 hours; refrigerate leftovers and use within 1 day.
Reheating: Serve cold; do not reheat.

USDA leftovers and food-safety guidance

Cultural context

Smashed cucumber salad, often called pai huang gua, is a common Chinese cold dish. Seasonings vary by household and region; the smashed texture is the defining technique in this version.

This short note provides context, not a complete history; regional and family traditions vary.

Sources & further reading

Food Network Kitchen: Smashed Cucumber Salad ContextSupports the common Chinese combination of smashed cucumber, black vinegar, soy, garlic, and sesame.

Recipe credits

Author: Cookimoki Editorial Team; Recipe editor
Testing: Editorial recipe, not kitchen tested
Published: Sep 2, 2026
Last updated: —

Independent editorial recipe; not yet kitchen tested by Cookimoki.