Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad Made In 15 Minutes

This copycat recipe for Din Tai Fung cucumbers features fresh, crunchy cucumbers with an addictive garlicky tangy dressing. It's incredibly easy to make and comes together in just 15 minutes with no cooking. For those reasons, we think these Din Tai Fung cucumbers make the perfect quick and easy healthy side dish!

THE BEST CUCUMBER SALAD

If you've ever had the chilled cucumber salad at Din Tai Fung - the famous Taiwanese restaurant - then you already know why it's one of their most popular side dishes.

The flavorful, crunchy sliced cucumbers elevated any dish and, they pair well with so many things, bringing a wonderful cooling crunch between bites.

So, of course, I had to learn how to make the Din Tai Fung cucumbers at home. And if you're craving Din Tai Fung cucumber salad yourself, then I think this recipe is exactly what you need!

This copycat Din Tai Fung cucumber salad is deliciously crunchy and packed with so much flavor from the garlic chili sauce dressing.

Best of all, it's made in 15 minutes with just 6 simple ingredients.

It makes an amazing side for practically anything, but this cucumber salad recipe pairs especially well with Asian mains like this homemade Panda Express honey walnut shrimp or this Tiktok famous salmon rice bowl!

Ingredients

Again, you only need 6 ingredients to make this Din Tai Fung cucumber salad at home.

And they should all be readily available at your nearest supermarket or Asian grocery store. You might even have most of them in your pantry already!

So, here's what you'll need for this Din Tai Fung cucumber salad recipe:

• 8 Asian Cucumbers
• 1 tbsp. Salt
• 2 tbsp. Rice Vinegar
• 1 tbsp. Sugar
• 1 tbsp. Chili Oil (or to taste)
• 1 Garlic Clove, thinly sliced

Now, when picking up cucumbers at the store, look for the ones labeled as Asian cucumbers or Japanese cucumbers. These are a lot smaller and narrower than regular cucumbers and have the perfect crunchy texture and slightly sweet flavor you need for this chilled cucumber salad.

However, if you can't find those, Persian cucumbers will work really well here too. But you'll need to increase the amount since they're a lot smaller than Asian cucumbers.

Also, you can adjust the amount of chili oil used in this recipe if you don't want it too spicy. Swap it with some neutral oil or sesame oil and add a couple of drops of chili oil for a bit of heat, or none at all if you don't want heat. 

Oh, and if you like spicy foods, you have to make this spicy ramen recipe to pair with these cucumbers.

How to Make Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad

Once again, this Din Tai Fung cucumber salad is crazy simple to make.

It's done in 15 minutes or less and literally has just 2 steps!

And this recipe makes enough cucumber salad for 2 servings, but of course, you can easily double or triple it for a bigger group or for leftovers to enjoy throughout the week.

Now, let's get into the steps for this easy cucumber salad recipe.

Step 1: Chopping and Marinating

First, slice the cucumbers into rounds about 2-3 cm thick - so very small.

Next, sprinkle them with salt, making sure to get all the cucumber pieces.

Let the salted cucumbers rest for 30 minutes until they soften and release excess water.

This cucumber salad will be served cold, so you can do this in the fridge.

Then, rinse them gently with water to wash off the salt and extra moisture.

Make sure not to skip this step, salting helps the dressing cling to the cucumbers and also improves the texture so the salad isn't too watery.

Step 2: Dressing and Serving

Now, in a medium bowl, combine your rice vinegar, sugar, chili oil, and sliced garlic.

Once you've combined the dressing ingredients, you can taste and adjust the amounts to your preference.

Then, stack your sliced cucumbers on a plate and pour the prepared cucumber salad dressing on top.

Serve cold with some sushi rice or noodles and your favorite main dish and enjoy!

How To Store Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad

So this recipe will make about 2 servings, so you'll probably be able to finish it off in one sitting.

But, if you have extras, you can store the rest of this Din Tai Fung cucumber salad to enjoy for lunch the next day or as a quick side dish for dinner.

With that said, it'll keep fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

You can store the cucumbers and sauce separately for a fresh, crunchy texture or store them with the sauce. They'll be softer but will absorb more of the flavors.

Wrapping it All Up

Well, that's how to make Din Tai Fung's cucumber salad!

Once you've tried this cucumber salad for yourself, I'm confident it'll quickly become a part of your weekly dinner rotation.

This easy side is a hit with vegetarians, vegans, and meat-eaters alike.

I mean, it's ridiculously easy to make and tastes amazing. The mouthwatering sauce and the juicy crunch from fresh cucumbers are absolutely addictive. And not only does it taste good, but it's good for you too!

So, I hope you enjoy this Din Tai Fung cucumber salad recipe as much as I do. If you make it, be sure to let me know what you think in the comments.

And for dessert, don't forget to check out our Youtube channel or Instagram page for super tasty recipes you can make in minutes!

More Easy Recipes

If you liked this recipe, we have a ton of fresh and delicious recipes on the blog that you can try next!

Here are some popular ones:

• Potato mochi
• Sushi bake
• Queer Eye cauliflower steak
• Spicy southwest salad
• Thai coconut lime chicken
• Red Lobster brussel sprouts

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