Asian Cucumber Slaw
A fresh & vibrant Asian style cucumber slaw that’s dressed with a zingy sesame mayo that has a slight hit of chilli thanks to the spoonful of gochujang that has been added in.
Recently, I was making a Korean inspired fried chicken sandwich, so I made this Asian style cucumber slaw to add some creaminess & crunch! There’s was some Korean bbq fried chicken thighs & American cheese in the sandwich as well!
Anyway, about this cucumber slaw. There’s crunchy cucumber matchsticks, grated carrots, finely sliced shallots & chopped coriander, all dressed in a spicy gochujang, sesame & lime mayo dressing. Don’t worry if you don’t like spice as you can add as much chilli paste in as you like. On the other hand, if you’re a big chilli fan, feel free to add in more gochujang than the recipe states.
This crunchy slaw goes great in sandwiches like how I served mine but is also good with pretty much anything! From Korean bbq glazed pork ribs, smoked brisket, beef burgers, chicken skewers or a pan fried piece of salmon.
For more sides & sauce recipes, check out our collection of side dishes! Here you’ll find fries, triple cooked chips, homemade sauces, salads, pickles & lots more.
Slaw Components
- Gochujang Mayo Dressing – A spicy mayo based dressing, flavoured with gochujang chilli paste, sesame oil & lime juice.
- Cucumber – You’ll need a whole cucumber for this slaw & we’re going to be scooping out the seeds then cutting the cucumber into matchsticks.
- Carrot – A classic slaw component! We’re going to be grating ours.
- Shallot – You’ll need a banana shallot, which we’re going to be thinly slicing. This is sometimes called an echalion shallot.
- Coriander – If you’re not a fan of fresh coriander, feel free to swap it out for parsley.
How To Make Asian Cucumber Slaw
It’s best to treat this cucumber slaw like a salad & dress it just before serving, so that the veg retains it texture & the dressing, it’s consistency. This slaw only takes a few minutes to prep, so I like to make it just before serving but the dressing & veg can be prepared up to a day in advance & kept separately in the fridge.
- Gochujang Dressing – This dressing is super easy to make! Simply add mayo into a large mixing bowl with gochujang chilli paste, sesame oil & lime juice then mix to combine. If you’d like your slaw to have more of a kick, add in a bit more gochujang!
- Veg Prep – This slaw contains cucumber, carrots & shallot. To prep the cucumber, we cut it in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon then cut the flesh into thin matchsticks. The carrots are peeled & grated and the shallot is peeled & finely sliced. You’ll also need to finely chop some coriander (or some parsley if you’re not a coriander fan!).
- Mixing – Just before serving, we add the prepped veg into the dressing, season with salt & pepper then gently mix to coat.
- Serving – Once mixed, serve the slaw straight away, whilst the veg is still nice & crunchy!
Serving Suggestions
I used my cucumber slaw in a Korean fried chicken sandwich! However, it goes great in pulled pork sandwiches (especially with Korean bbq sauce) & can be served on the side with smoked ribs, grilled chicken, a slow roasted pork belly or with skewers (meat, fish or veg!). It’s an easy side dish & can be served with pretty much anything!
Frequently Asked Questions
Cucumber slaw is best served straight away, as the veg will start to release water as it sits. It’s best to treat it like a salad & dress the veg just before you want to serve the slaw.
Gochujang is a thick, spicy paste made from fermented chilli flakes, soybeans, rice & salt. It has a hot, unami flavour & is commonly used in sauces, marinades & dressings.
More Side Dishes To Try!
- Smashed Cucumber & Cashew Salad
- Sour Cream & Chive New Potato Salad
- Marmite Caramelised Onions
- Beer Battered Black Pudding Fritters
- Béarnaise Mayo
- Courgette Tzatziki
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Asian Cucumber Slaw
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Box Grater
Ingredients
Mayo Dressing
- 100 g Mayonnaise
- 10 g Gochujang
- 2 tsp Lime Juice
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
Slaw
- 2 Carrots
- 1 Cucumber
- 1 Banana Shallot (Echalion Shallot)
- 2 tsp Finely Chopped Coriander
Instructions
Mayo Dressing
- Add all of the dressing ingredients into a large mixing bowl then stir, to combine.
Slaw
- Trim the ends off the cucumber, cut it in half down the length then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Cut each cucumber piece in half widthways then cut into thin matchsticks.
- Trim the tops off the carrots, peel then grate using a box grater.
- Peel the shallot, cut in half down the length then slice thinly.
- Add all of the prepped veg into the bowl of dressing, along with the chopped coriander then season with salt & pepper and gently mix to combine. Serve straight away!
