Quick and Easy Din Tai Fung Inspired Cucumber Salad
Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to dine at Din Tai Fung for the very first time. Din Tai Fung is a popular Taiwanese restaurant chain. I joined a group of friends, and together, we had the pleasure of ordering a variety of delectable dishes and popular side dishes from the menu.
From Cucumber Salad to Wood Ear Mushrooms in Vinegar Dressing, to Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings), to Shrimp & Pork Shao Mai, to Spicy Pork Wontons, to Pot Stickers, to of course, one of the excellent noodle dishes, we tasted so many delicious dishes, it’s hard to pick a favorite.
Why I Made This Copycat Recipe
One dish that especially stood out to me was the crunchy Asian Cucumber Salad. Creating my own Din Tai Fung copycat recipe at home flashed through my mind instantly after eating the Taiwanese cucumber salad. It is crunchy cucumbers season in Oregon, so this crunchy cucumber salad salad is perfect for a hot summer day. Bonus, this is a super easy recipe, with simple ingredients that maintains its nice crunch the next day!
Sure, the classic Din Tai Fung’s Cucumber Salad recipe uses Persian cucumbers, but you can use any variety of cucumbers. I use pickling and salt and pepper cucumbers in my Din Tai Fung Inspired Cucumber Salad recipe.
Ingredients in Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad
For the Cucumbers
- Cucumber Slices – If you don’t have farm fresh cucumbers some excellent options are Persian Cucumbers or English Cucumbers. Both types of cucumbers are available at most grocery stores. Both have a thinner skin and fewer seeds.
- Kosher Salt
Dressing Ingredients
- Vinegar (I use rice vinegar and apple cider vinegar but distilled white vinegar is an excellent option as well)
- Soy Sauce (use light soy sauce if you do not want excess salt)
- Sesame oil
- Honey (or white sugar)
- Optional: minced fresh garlic, chopped green onions or red pepper flakes
Topping
- Chili oil or chili crisp – the amount of chili oil is up to you!
How to Make this Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Wash the cucumbers thoroughly and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Cut thick slices of cucumbers. Cut off the ends of the cucumbers and then cut them into 1/2-inch slices.
- In a large mixing bowl, add sliced cucumbers and sea salt. Let the cucumber mixture sit for at least 10-15 minutes but preferably 30 minutes.
- While the cucumbers are sitting, prepare the marinade. Add vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey to a small bowl and whisk until combined. TIP: Measuring the honey after the sesame oil allows for the honey to slide out of the measuring spoon more easily.
- Once the cucumbers are finished, and the excess water has been drawn out, rinse the salt from the cucumbers. Pat the cucumbers dry with clean dishcloths.
- Add the cucumbers and marinade to a large bowl, mix, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes in the refrigerator.
To serve, add cucumbers to a plate or serving dish and drizzle some of the marinade and chili oil over top. Option to add any other garnishes you prefer, such as sesame seeds or finely sliced green onion.
How Do You Serve Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad?
I serve this chilled cucumber salad recipe in many ways, below are some of my favorites:
- Appetizer before your meal
- Side dish with your meal. Serve it with some rice, a noodle dish, or a grilled or baked protein of choice.
- An easy snack
If you enjoy this recipe you will love these!
Healthy and Easy Vegan Kimchi Instant Ramen
Panera Mexican Street Corn Chowder: An Easy Copycat Recipe – one of my most popular recipes!
Din Tai Fung Inspired Cucumber Salad
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Whisk
- dish cloth
Ingredients
- 4 cups sliced Persian cucumbers
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp honey
Topping
- 1 tbsp chili oil
Instructions
- Wash the cucumbers thoroughly and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Slice the cucumbers: Cut off the ends of the cucumbers and then cut into 1/2 inch slices.
- In a large mixing bowl add slice cucumbers and salt. Let the cucumber mixture sit for 30 min.
- While the cucumbers are sitting, prepare the marinade. Add vinegars, soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey to a small bowl and whisk until combined. Adding the honey after the sesame oil allows for the honey to slide out of the measuring spoon more easily.
- Once the cucumbers are finished, and the excess water has been drawn out, rinse the salt from the cucumbers. Pat the cucumbers dry with clean dish cloths.
- Add the cucumbers and marinade to a large bowl, mix, and let sit for at least 10minuites in the refrigerator.
- To serve, add cucumbers to a plate or serving dish and drizzle some of the marinade and chili oil over top. Option to add any other garnishes you prefer such as sesame seeds or finely sliced green onion. Enjoy!
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