Marinated Cucumbers (Taiwanese-Style)

By ChihYu Smith

Published on Jul 15, 2026

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Prep Time 20

Total Time 6

Servings 7 cucumbers

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These marinated cucumbers are savory, lightly sweet, and bright with a sharp vinegar tang. A spiral cut helps the Taiwanese-style soy-sesame marinade soak into whole Persian cucumbers while keeping them crisp.

There’s no need to salt them first. Six hours gives them good flavor, but an overnight soak delivers the fullest, punchiest result. Serve them cold and spoon the extra marinade over noodles, rice, or greens.

A plate of marinated cucumbers sliced and arranged in a spiral, garnished with red chili, garlic, and herbs, is served in a spicy sauce on a white dish with blue fish designs. Chopsticks and a sauce dish are placed beside the plate.

Why this marinated cucumber recipe works

ChihYu Smith with shoulder-length dark hair, wearing a striped shirt, smiles at the camera while holding a container of Creamy Roasted Sesame Dressing. Framed drawings and a family photo are visible on the wall and table behind her.

The spiral cut balances flavor and crunch. I found that thin mandoline slices soften too much, while whole or thick-cut cucumbers do not marinate evenly. The spiral cut exposes more surface area but keeps each cucumber connected and crisp.
No salt rest is needed. The closely spaced cuts expose the cucumber to the marinade, while the long soak gives it time to absorb the seasoning. This removes an extra prep step and keeps the recipe simple.

Key ingredients for the cucumber marinade

Ingredients for a marinated cucumber salad are arranged on a blue table, each labeled: Persian cucumbers, red chili pepper, honey, distilled white vinegar, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, chili oil, coarse sea salt, and shiitake mushroom seasoning.

Persian cucumbers: Their small size, thin skin, and crisp texture make them ideal for marinating whole. Kirby, Taiwanese, or Korean cucumbers also work well. English cucumber is a little less crisp.
Distilled white vinegar: Its sharper acidity gives the cucumbers a bright, distinctly marinated flavor. I tested rice vinegar, but it was too mild unless I used much more.
Shiitake mushroom seasoning: I tested this recipe with shiitake mushroom seasoning because it adds savory depth without requiring more soy sauce, which would make the cucumbers too dark. Dashi or bouillon powder can work, but start with ½ teaspoon because saltiness varies by brand.
Light soy sauce and toasted sesame oil: These create the savory, nutty base of the Taiwanese-style marinade.
Honey: Use 1 tablespoon for a lightly sweet flavor or 1½ tablespoons for a slightly sweeter finish.
Filtered water: It keeps the marinade tasting clean and neutral. If your tap water has no noticeable chlorine or mineral flavor, you can use that instead.
Chili oil and Fresno chile: Both are optional. Leave them out for a non-spicy version, use either one for some heat, or add both for a spicier finish.

How to marinate cucumbers

A step-by-step guide showing hands using a knife to spiral-cut a cucumber between two chopsticks, with labeled instructions for angle and straight cuts, resulting in a spiral cucumber perfect for making marinated cucumbers.

Make the spiral cuts. Rinse and dry the cucumbers, then trim the ends. Place one cucumber between two chopsticks to keep your knife from cutting all the way through. On the first side, make thin diagonal cuts at a 45-degree angle, about 2 mm apart. Flip the cucumber over and make straight cuts on the second side. Avoid cutting both sides diagonally—a mistake I made at first—because the spiral won’t open as wide.

Left: Chopped red chili, and garlic in a blue bowl on a wooden surface. Right: Six small bowls and spoons with sauces, seeds, and garlic, arranged on a wooden surface for marinating cucumbers.

Pack the container. Arrange the cucumbers in a flat rectangular food container or a wide-mouth airtight jar. Add the marinade ingredients, then stir or gently shake. The liquid will initially reach only about two-thirds of the way up the cucumbers. Don’t add more; the cucumbers will release water as they sit.

Two containers of marinated cucumbers in savory lightly sweet and tangy soy sauce marinade, garnished with red chili, are placed on a light wooden surface with cucumbers marinated in a glass jar and cucumbers marinated in a container.

Marinate the cucumbers. Without salting them first, refrigerate for at least 6 hours for flavorful, lighter-colored cucumbers with plenty of crunch. Marinate overnight for the fullest, punchiest flavor. They will become slightly darker from the soy sauce. Flip or rotate them halfway through so every side marinates evenly.
Cut and serve. Use kitchen shears to cut the whole spiral cucumbers into smaller sections. Spoon some marinade over the top before serving.

Are marinated cucumbers the same as pickled cucumbers?

Not quite. These marinated cucumbers are not salted first. They soak in a savory soy-sesame marinade with a sharp vinegar tang.

My Asian pickled cucumbers are salted first and then packed in a vinegar-forward brine. They taste more like pickles.

More Asian cucumber recipes

For a freshly dressed option, try my Asian cucumber salad, inspired by Din Tai Fung. The cucumbers are cut into thick rounds—almost like short cylinders—and tossed with a sweet and tangy honey-garlic chili vinaigrette.

My spicy cucumber salad also uses spiral-cut cucumbers. They are salted first, rinsed, and patted dry before being tossed with a bold Chinese-style dressing made with garlic chili sauce and black vinegar.

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