Chef Dean
Antipasto Tortellini Salad
Plump cheese tortellini tumbled with the greatest hits of the Italian deli counter, all glossed in a garlicky herb vinaigrette that improves as it sits. This is the potluck dish that comes home empty.
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Smashed Cucumber Salad with Chili Crisp
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Cucumbers smashed to jagged shards, doused in a garlicky soy-vinegar dressing slicked with fiery chili crisp oil. The irregular surfaces catch every drop of that spicy, savory liquid gold.
Salads
Chinese
Quick Meal
15 min
Active Time
0 min cook•15 min total
Yield4 servings
The Chinese have been smashing cucumbers for centuries while we Americans were still drowning ours in mayonnaise. It's a technique so brilliant in its simplicity that once you try it, you'll wonder why you ever bothered with a knife. A quick whack with a cleaver or rolling pin shatters the cucumber into irregular pieces with rough, fractured surfaces that grab dressing like nothing a blade could produce.
This is honest food. Five minutes of work, maybe ten if you're dawdling. The cucumbers provide the crunch. The dressing brings the fire and the funk. Together they create something far greater than the sum of their parts.
I first encountered this salad in a tiny Sichuan restaurant where it arrived before I'd finished ordering. Cold, spicy, impossibly refreshing. I ate it too fast and ordered another. The cook laughed at me through the kitchen window. She knew what she had.
The dressing matters. You'll build a proper emulsion by whisking soy sauce and rice vinegar with minced garlic, then streaming in sesame oil until everything comes together glossy and unified. The chili crisp goes on at the end, stirred through just enough to distribute its crunchy bits and fiery oil without muddying the sauce. Let the cucumbers rest ten minutes in this dressing. They'll soften slightly at the edges while staying crisp at their hearts, drinking in all that flavor.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
English cucumbers
Quantity
2 pounds (about 2 large)
kosher salt
Quantity
1 1/2 teaspoons, divided
soy sauce
Quantity
3 tablespoons
rice vinegar
Quantity
2 tablespoons
unseasoned
toasted sesame oil
Quantity
1 tablespoon
garlic
Quantity
4 cloves
minced
granulated sugar
Quantity
1 teaspoon
chili crisp oil
Quantity
3 tablespoons
with sediment
sesame seeds
Quantity
2 tablespoons
toasted
scallions
Quantity
3
thinly sliced on the bias
fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
Quantity
for serving
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| English cucumbers | 2 pounds (about 2 large) |
| kosher salt | 1 1/2 teaspoons, divided |
| soy sauce | 3 tablespoons |
| rice vinegarunseasoned | 2 tablespoons |
| toasted sesame oil | 1 tablespoon |
| garlicminced | 4 cloves |
| granulated sugar | 1 teaspoon |
| chili crisp oilwith sediment | 3 tablespoons |
| sesame seedstoasted | 2 tablespoons |
| scallionsthinly sliced on the bias | 3 |
| fresh cilantro leaves (optional) | for serving |
Equipment Needed
- •Heavy cleaver or chef's knife
- •Colander
- •Small whisk or fork
- •Large mixing bowl
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the cucumbers
Trim the ends from your cucumbers. Lay one cucumber on a cutting board and place the flat side of a cleaver or chef's knife on top. Give it a firm whack with your palm or fist. You're not trying to pulverize it. You want it to crack and split, shattering into irregular pieces. The cucumber should yield with a satisfying crunch, fracturing along its natural weak points. Cut or tear any large pieces into rough one to two inch chunks.
English cucumbers work best here. They have thin skins, small seeds, and less water than standard slicers. Persian cucumbers also work beautifully. - 2
Salt and drain
Transfer the smashed cucumber pieces to a colander set over a bowl. Toss with one teaspoon of the kosher salt and let them sit for ten minutes. The salt draws out excess moisture that would otherwise dilute your dressing. You'll see liquid pooling in the bowl below. Give the cucumbers a gentle squeeze, pressing out additional water without crushing them. Pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
Don't skip this salting step. Waterlogged cucumbers make watery salads. That ten minutes of draining is the difference between good and exceptional. - 3
Build the dressing
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, remaining half teaspoon of salt, sugar, and minced garlic. Whisk until the sugar and salt dissolve completely. Now stream in the sesame oil while whisking constantly. The mixture will turn glossy and slightly thickened as it emulsifies. This takes about thirty seconds of vigorous whisking. The dressing should coat a spoon with a thin, even film.
Emulsification matters. Whisking the oil in slowly creates a unified sauce rather than an oily mess that slides off the vegetables. Take your time here. - 4
Add the chili crisp
Stir the chili crisp oil into your dressing, making sure to scoop up the sediment at the bottom of the jar. Those crunchy bits of fried garlic, shallot, and chili flakes are where half the flavor lives. Don't just skim the oil off the top. Dig deep. Fold gently until the red oil swirls through the sauce and the crunchy pieces are distributed.
- 5
Dress and rest
Place the drained cucumbers in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over and toss thoroughly, making sure every piece gets coated. The rough, fractured surfaces will grab the sauce in a way smooth knife cuts never could. Let the salad rest at room temperature for ten minutes. This brief marriage allows the cucumbers to absorb flavor while retaining their essential crunch.
Ten minutes is the sweet spot. Less time and the flavors haven't melded. More than thirty minutes and the cucumbers turn soft and weep their liquid back into the bowl. - 6
Finish and serve
Transfer to a serving platter or shallow bowl. Scatter the toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions over the top. Add cilantro leaves if you're using them. Serve immediately with small plates and chopsticks or forks. This salad waits for no one. The texture starts to fade after an hour, so put it out and watch it disappear.
Chef Tips
- •Seek out Lao Gan Ma brand chili crisp if you can find it. The black bean version adds another layer of savory depth. Fly By Jing makes an excellent American alternative with complex, fermented heat.
- •Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking constantly for two to three minutes until golden and fragrant. Pre-toasted seeds from the jar can't compare.
- •This salad pairs beautifully with grilled meats, roast chicken, or steamed rice. I've served it alongside Texas brisket at summer cookouts and watched it disappear before the meat was sliced.
- •For a heartier version, add torn pieces of rotisserie chicken or cold sesame noodles. The dressing accommodates additions generously.
- •Adjust the chili crisp to your heat tolerance. Start with two tablespoons if you're cautious, then add more at the table. You can always add fire, never subtract it.
Advance Preparation
- •The dressing can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated. Whisk vigorously before using, as it will separate.
- •Cucumbers can be smashed, salted, and drained up to four hours ahead. Keep them refrigerated in a sealed container lined with paper towels.
- •The finished salad should not be made more than one hour ahead. Cucumbers soften quickly once dressed, and you'll lose that essential crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 225g)
Calories
220 calories
Total Fat
16 g
Saturated Fat
3 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
13 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
1640 mg
Total Carbohydrates
13 g
Dietary Fiber
1 g
Sugars
1 g
Protein
4 g
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