Vegetarian Recipes
Asian Cucumber Salad with Tofu
This Asain Cucumber Salad with Tofu is spicy, crunchy, and cool in all the right ways. Creamy tofu and a fiery-sweet dressing make it perfect for when you need something light but with a slight kick!
- Serves 4 persons
- Prep 10 minutes
- Cook 15 minutes
- Total 25 minutes
I’m back with another one of my cooling summer recipes but this one’s got HEAT! That’s right, I’ve given cool cucumbers a spicy makeover with this oriental cucumber salad. It’s quick, crunchy, spicy, and surprisingly satisfying thanks to the tofu that soaks up every bit of that addictive dressing.
Adding it to my list of cucumber recipes on rotation this summer like my Asian Cucumber Salad, Spicy Cucumber Chicken Salad, and Cucumber Sushi. You just neeeed to try this one!!
Asian Cucumber Salad Ingredients
Base:
- Cucumbers: The star of the show! I have used English cucumbers as they’re crunchier, but regular white cucumbers will work too.
- Tofu: Firm tofu, cut into cubes
Dressing:
- Soy sauce
- Peanut Butter – can sub for any nut butter of your choice
- Crushed Sichuan Peppercorns (for that addictive heat!)
- Vinegar
- Honey (for balance)
- Groundnut oil
- Garlic
Additional:
- Crushed peanuts
- Chopped fresh herbs – mint leaves, coriander leaves, spring onion
- Toasted sesame seeds
Frequently Asked Questions
Richa’s Top Tips
- Don’t skip salting the cucumbers! It draws out water and keeps the salad crunchy, not soggy.
- Sichuan peppercorn heat levels vary. Add a smaller quantity, and adjust if needed. You can skip this if you want the salad to just be cooling and fresh.
- Make it a meal! Serve over rice noodles or with a side of steamed jasmine rice.
Serving Ideas
- Serve as a side to hakka noodles, gyozas, rice paper pancakes or fried rice
- Enjoy it as a light meal, toss with rice vermicelli or eat straight from the bowl.
- Try it in a rice paper roll with herbs and more veggies!
Storage Tips
This Spicy Cucumber Salad with Tofu is best eaten fresh, but you can store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. The flavors will even deepen overnight!
Customisation Ideas
● Add protein: Swap tofu for paneer, chickpeas, or even poached chicken. For a non-veg version, check out my Spicy Chicken Cucumber Salad that’s just as good!
● Change up the nut butter: You can use tahini, cashew butter or almond butter as per your choice instead of peanut butter.
This Asian cucumber salad recipe is what summer dreams are made of! Whether you call it a cucumber salad, pipino salad, or just your new favorite dish, it’s got all the cool yet fiery vibes you need in your life right now. Try it once, and you’ll keep coming back to this game-changer of a salad!
If you try this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on IG@my_foodstory with your version! :’)
This article was researched and written by Navya Khetarpal.
The recipe
Asian Cucumber Salad with Tofu
Creamy, spicy, herby, refreshing, and crunchy is the best way to describe this Asian cucumber salad with tofu that's cooling and sooo perfect for the summer!
- Serves 4 persons
- Prep 10 minutes
- Cook 15 minutes
- Total 25 minutes
Ingredients
For salad
- 250 gms tofu (cut into 1 cm cubes)
- 2 cucumbers (diagonally cut and sliced)
- ¼ cup skinless (roasted and coarsely crushed peanuts, preferably unsalted)
- ½ cup roughly chopped mint leaves
- ½ cup roughly chopped coriander leaves
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onion greens
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
For asian salad dressing
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon crushed sichuan peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon korean chilli powder (gochugaru, sub with regular chilli powder)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons groundnut oil
- 2 teaspoons vinegar
Method
Making of asian salad dressing:
- 1
Add garlic, sichuan peppers, korean chilli powder, ½ tablespoon sesame seeds, vinegar, salt to a bowl and mix well.
- 2
Heat oil in a pan till smoking hot and pour it immediately over the garlic spice mix.
- 3
Add peanut butter, soy sauce, honey and spring onions and give a good mix.
Assembling the salad:
- 4
Place cucumber slices on a large platter or plate, add mint and coriander leaves and add tofu cubes.
- 5
Pour the asian salad dressing to cover all ingredients on the platter.
- 6
Add crushed peanuts, remaining ½ tablespoon of sesame seeds and garnish with spring onions.
Notes
Light soy sauce may be replaced with ½ tablespoon of dark soy sauce. I like using groundnut oil but canola, rice bran, sunflower oil, all work. Salad dressing can be made in advance and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. You may use store bought chilli oil instead of making your own and use it in the salad dressing. Peanuts may be replaced with roasted sunflower seeds which works equally well.
Nutrition
- Calories 196 kcal
- Carbohydrates 11 g
- Protein 10 g
- Fat 14 g
- Saturated Fat 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 5 g
- Cholesterol 5 mg
- Sodium 445 mg
- Potassium 351 mg
- Fiber 3 g
- Sugar 4 g
- Vitamin A 816 IU
- Vitamin C 8 mg
- Calcium 151 mg
- Iron 2 mg
Common questions
Can I make this with paneer instead of tofu?
Totally! Paneer is a great substitute. The texture works beautifully with the crunch of cucumber and bold dressing flavors.
What other veggies can I add to this salad?
So many options! Try: – Thinly sliced radish – Bell Peppers – Carrots – Boiled sweet corn – Grated raw papaya – Any roasted nuts or seeds of your choice
Can I make this salad ahead?
You can make the dressing ahead (and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week!) and prep the cucumbers and tofu when you’re ready to assemble!
