These Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Slices are tangy and sweet with a little bit of a kick. It makes a great side-dish for summer BBQ’s. There’s something incredibly refreshing about cold cucumbers, right? If you have an abundance of cucumbers coming out of your garden, then this recipe is especially for you. Aside from eating them plain, we love these on salads or added to lettuce wraps or just plain from the fridge. They’re unique and you have to make them to see why I love them so much!
Ingredients And Equipment Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Cucumber Slices
- Cucumbers – I am using standard garden cucumbers here (the variety most often sold in grocery stores) but feel free to use any variety you like.
- Kosher salt
- Rice vinegar – Also called rice wine vinegar. You can use plain or seasoned.
- Water
- Granulated sugar
- Red pepper flakes – Optional. Feel free to leave them out if you don’t like heat.
Equipment
- Mandolin – A mandoline will be your best friend here, but you can certainly slice by hand if you’d like. You can do peeled or unpeeled cucumber and you can leave them whole, or cut them in half. Your choice.
How to make Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Slices
- Slice cucumbers, place them in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Salting cucumbers draws out the moisture. If you don’t do this step, then all of this moisture will come out in the final dish and water it down. Place the colander in a pan to catch the drips and put the chole set-up in the fridge for a bit.
- While your cucumbers are draining you can prepare the simple marinade. Heat up rice vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes in a pan and after it’s reduced add some minced red onion. Honestly, you can leave out the pepper flakes if you don’t want any heat. These taste great sans pepper flakes as well.
- Pull your cucumber slices out of the fridge and pat dry. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the marinade.
- You’ll want to let these sit and marinate in the fridge for a while before you eat them. They get better with time, so give yourself at least a few hours chill time. They’re also great the next day, and even several days later. They become more like pickle-texture they longer they sit (which I like!).
Storing and Other Tips
- Store finished cucumbers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-5 days for best results.
- These cucumber slices are great as a snack right out of the fridge, as a side dish, or on top of a salad or lettuce wrap.
- From the comments section: Many people have used apple cider vinegar with success!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a sugar subtitute?
Yes, feel free to make these using your favorite sugar substitute.
Do I need to rinse the salt off the cucumbers?
It’s usually not necessary to rinse the cucumbers, as the moisture being pulled out will take the salt with it as it drains. However, rinsing is always an option if you’re worried about it, or if you are using a strong salt, such as sea salt.
Sweet and Spicy Marinated Cucumbers
Marinated cucumbers burst with flavor, making a perfect side dish, or topping to a salad or other meat dishes. We love these on Asian lettuce wraps as well!
Servings
Equipment
- 1 Mandolin
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds cucumber about 3 medium, thinly sliced (peeled or unpeeled)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt if using table salt, use only 1 teaspoon
- ½ cup rice vinegar seasoned or regular
- ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes optional if you don’t want any heat.
- 2 tablespoons minced red onion
Instructions
- Place cucumber slices in a colander sitting over a bowl, sprinkle with salt and toss well. Let sit for 1 hour refrigerated. Toss the cukes a few times while they drain if you remember. While cucumber slices are draining, prepare marinade.
- Combine vinegar, water, sugar. red pepper, and onion in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cook until reduced to a 1/3 cup (about 10 minutes). If for some reason you boil for too long, just add a little water until you have 1/3 cup. Remove reduction from heat and add onion. Let mixture cool to room temp.
- When cucumbers are done resting, pat them dry with a few paper towels and then combine with the vinegar reduction. Chill for at least a few hours before serving. They improve with time!
Notes
- Note: I have successfully made these with sugar substitute (like Truvia) as well.
- Tip: Sometimes I like to double the marinade to make them extra flavorful!
- Store finished cucumbers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-5 days for best results.
Nutrition
Calories: 32kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 0.2g, Saturated Fat: 0.01g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.004g, Sodium: 585mg, Potassium: 121mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 80IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 14mg, Iron: 0.2mg
Calories: 32kcal
Cost: $5
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Questions & Reviews
I make this almost note for note, the only difference being a few dollops of Greek yogurt. I love the creaminess as a foil to the tang of the vinegar & pepper flakes. (a shot of Sriracha never hurts either)
This is one of my favorite salads, we love love this in the summer. And I usually use rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or my favorite is tarragon vinegar. It usually depends on what I have enough of.
These are very similar to an Indonesian dish called Acar(pronounced a-char)
In Acar the cucumbers are seeded,cut and salted/drained (to remove excess water), then rinsed before adding the vinegar/sugar mix and tiny whole red chili’s and small peeled whole shallots. Refrigerate/marinate for several hours before serving.
Amazing! Even my vinegar hating husband loved them!
This sounds absolutely fantastic. The one problem is, I am studying abroad in France right now and probably do not have access to Rice vinegar. Is there any alternate you could propose? I am wanting to make a full meal for my host family before I return home next week and this looks perfect for an appetizer/salad.
hmm, that’s a tricky one Christina. In a lot of things you can easily exchange vinegars, but the flavor is definitely distinct here. I think an apple cider vinegar might work well since it’s got a sweet and savory thing going on. I’d probably try that!
Apple Cider Vinegar rocks in this salad- we eat this all summer long. I haven’t had it with red pepper flakes before but I’m sure it would work well.
Made these for dinner with some girlfriends….they were so delicious. Love the little kick they have. Perfect summer salad.
Just made these to have with turkey brats tonight for dinner. I sampled a bite and they are delicious!!! I made these with Sweet N Low, as my husband is doing a low carb diet, and it seemed like it worked great. Thanks for another great recipe!!!
We had this tonight for dinner and it was a huge hit! Even the kids loved it. Thanks!
I just ran across your site by way of face book- I totally love it. Your food and photos are just my style. Love your easy to read directions too! I’ve been making these for years- now I know why after awhile they go flat- I have never used salt to take the moisture out! My daughter and son will love the addition of the red pepper flakes! Will be back weekly for new ideas!
These are so great! I grew up eating cucumbers soaked in white vinegar and water… this recipe is such a great improvement. Thanks Sara! This recipe and your Asian Cabbage Salad our two of my favorite healthy foods now.