Cucumber Carrot Salad with Spicy Garlic Dressing Recipe
This refreshing Asian-inspired Cucumber Carrot Salad is crisp, crunchy, and packed with bold, spicy flavors. Tossed with a garlicky, gochugaru-spiced dressing and topped with toasted sesame seeds, it makes a perfect, easy 15-minute side dish ideal for summer meals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 large cucumber, julienned or thinly sliced
- 2 large carrots, julienned or finely shredded
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (or cilantro)
- Optional: carrot ribbons, chopped green onion
Dressing
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp sugar or maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Toppings
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- Optional: roasted peanuts or cashews
Instructions
- Prepare Vegetables: Wash and dry the cucumber and carrots thoroughly. Julienne or finely shred them evenly to ensure uniform texture and flavor absorption.
- Make Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, gochugaru, soy sauce, and sugar or maple syrup until the mixture becomes glossy and well combined.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the julienned cucumber, shredded carrots, chopped parsley, and minced garlic.
- Add Dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the vegetables in the large bowl.
- Toss Salad: Toss all ingredients together thoroughly until the veggies are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Add Sesame Seeds: Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the salad and toss once more to evenly distribute them.
- Serve or Marinate: You can serve the salad immediately, or let it sit for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together for a more pronounced taste.
Notes
- For meal prep, store the vegetables and dressing separately for up to 24 hours and toss just before serving to maintain crunchiness.
- To reduce heat, decrease the amount of gochugaru or substitute with a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- To make this salad a full meal, consider adding protein like chickpeas, grilled tofu, or shrimp.
Keywords: Cucumber carrot salad, Asian salad, crunchy salad, gochugaru salad, quick summer salad, healthy side dish
