Don’t Make Another Cucumber Salad Before Trying These Tricks

Cucumber salad is a favorite light and refreshing summer side, and TikTokers seem to always be leveling it up in one way or another. Some ideas are an easy pass—like making it while swimming(sorry, Logan)—but others we can totally get on board with—like fancy (but oh so easy) cutting hacks that take no time at all. These cuts make noodle-like shapes out of the cucumbers, allowing them to soak up and hold onto the dressing. These sleek and beautiful styles will make your homemade cucumber salad look like a gourmet dish.

The two techniques, spiral or ribbon, work best with different styles of cucumbers. Persian cucumbers are great for the spiral technique because they have a smaller size and fewer seeds, while the ribbon technique can be used with any size cuke.

How To Make the Best Cucumber Salad

Whichever way you slice it (pun intended), these elevated shapes work with any of your favorite dishes starring cucumbers, adding that little something extra.

Use the Spiral-Cut Method

This fun accordion method is commonly seen in Asian-inspired cucumber salads and in Korean cucumber kimchi, but can be done for any cucumber salad recipe you like.

On a cutting board, place two chopsticks on either side of a small cucumber. Using a sharp knife, make cuts on a 45-degree angle in one direction, cutting almost all the way through, but not completely (just until you hit the chopsticks). Make these cuts about 1/8 inch apart.

Flip the cucumber over to the opposite side and make cuts at a 90-degree angle, perpendicular to the chopsticks, at a similar distance apart.

Create Thinly-Shaved Cucumber Ribbons or Circles

Don’t want to drag out your mandolin or risk a hand-slicing injury? Reach for your peeler instead. That’s right! It’s not just for peeling; it’s great for making ultra-thin cuts too.

Chop off both ends of the cucumber. Holding the cucumber down on the cutting board, use long strokes from end to end with the peeler to create long, thin strips. Alternatively, for rounds: Hold the cucumber steady in one hand and run the peeler along one of the cut ends of the cucumber to create thin round slices.

Once the cucumbers are cut, salt them well and let them sit for 20 minutes to an hour before rinsing with cold water and drying. The salt will draw out any excess moisture and prevent your salad from being too watery.

One of our go-to recipes to pair with these cucumbers is a spicy-sweet sesame dressing made with rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. It makes a large amount, so be sure to store leftover sauce for a week of delicious salads.