This Grilled Cucumber Salad is a fresh and vibrant dish that's perfect for summer cookouts or any time you want to impress without spending hours in the kitchen. It starts with crisp cucumbers and shallots, kissed by the grill to add a subtle smoky flavor and perfect char. What truly sets this salad apart is the irresistible dressing—a bold fusion of Japanese BBQ sauce, spicy chili crunch, savory miso, and other carefully chosen ingredients that create an explosion of umami in every bite. The combination of smoky, spicy, and tangy flavors makes this salad a standout dish. Whether you’re serving it as a side or a light main course, this salad will make you the hero of your next gathering, earning rave reviews for its unexpected twist on a classic favorite. Simple to make, but complex in flavor—give it a try and take your grilling game to the next level!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Two textures from one vegetable. Half the cucumber gets salted raw for crunch, half gets grilled for char — one salad, two completely different bites.
- The dressing is basically five sauces in one. Japanese BBQ sauce, chile crunch, chile oil, miso, and everything bagel seasoning combine into a single umami-loaded dressing that does a lot of flavor work fast.
- A genuine make-ahead side. This chills and holds well, so it's ready before guests arrive instead of needing last-minute assembly.
- Light enough to balance a heavy plate. At under 90 calories a serving, it's a bright, low-effort counterpoint to anything rich coming off the smoker.
Grilled Cucumber Salad
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 2 users
Category
Vegetables
Cuisine
Asian
Servings
5
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Calories
89
This Grilled Cucumber Salad is so fresh and delicious. It's a simple recipe that combines grilled cucumber and shallots with a flavor packed dressing made with Japanese BBQ sauce, chili crunch, miso and more. Without too much effort you can be the hero of your next cookout. Give it a try!
Ingredients
- 2 medium cucumbers, about 1 1/2 lb total
- 1/4 cup shallots, minced
-
2 tsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Salt
-
2 tbsp Bachan’s Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce
-
1 tbsp Colonial Chile Crunch
-
1 tbsp Colonial Chile Oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
-
1 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Everything Bagel Seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, grated on microplane
Directions
- Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 600ºF, set up for direct grilling (diffuser and/or diffuser door removed) with GrillGrates installed over the fire box.
- Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
- Slice one raw cucumber into 1/4” thick slices. Place the raw sliced cucumber in a bowl with the shallots and Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Salt. Let sit until water is standing in the bowl. Rinse and strain with clean water.
- Meanwhile, grill the other cucumber with the grill door open, turning to slightly char on all sides. Remove from the grill while the cucumber is still firm, but has some grill marks. Slice into 1/4” thick slices.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the Bachan’s Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce, Colonial Chile Oil and Crunch, rice vinegar, miso, Cattleman’s Grill Everything Bagel Seasoning and garlic.
- Add all of the cucumbers and shallots to the dressing and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why salt half the cucumbers instead of just slicing them?
Salting draws excess water out of the raw cucumber, which keeps the finished salad from turning watery and helps the dressing cling instead of sliding off.
Why grill only half the cucumber?
Grilling one half and keeping the other raw gives the salad two distinct textures — soft, slightly smoky char alongside crisp, cool crunch — instead of one uniform bite throughout.
Can I make the dressing ahead of time?
Yes — it holds well in the fridge for several days on its own. Toss it with the cucumbers closer to serving time so they don't over-soften.
What can I substitute for chile crunch or chile oil?
Any similar spicy, crunchy chile condiment works in place of the specific brands listed — the goal is heat plus texture, not an exact match.
How long will this salad keep?
It's best within a day or two, since the cucumbers will continue to soften the longer they sit in the dressing.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
4 out of 5 — great in the kitchen, better on the grill. The salted cucumber, shallots, and dressing are all standard kitchen prep; only the char on the grilled half benefits from an actual grill.
Recipe Highlights
Raw and grilled cucumber side by side: Steps 2–4 split the cucumbers into a salted raw half and a charred grilled half — that split is what gives the finished salad two different textures instead of one.
Salted and rinsed for better texture: Step 3 lets the raw cucumber sit with salt until visible water collects, then rinses it clean — that step keeps the salad from pooling liquid once it's dressed.
A five-ingredient umami dressing: Step 5 whisks together Japanese BBQ sauce, chile crunch and oil, miso, and everything bagel seasoning into one dressing that carries most of this dish's flavor.
Chilled before serving: Step 6 refrigerates the tossed salad rather than serving it immediately, letting the dressing fully penetrate the cucumber and shallots.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 4 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 89
- Fat
- 4 grams
- Saturated Fat
- grams
- Cholesterol
- milligrams
- Sodium
- 360 milligrams
- Carbs
- 12 grams
- Fiber
- 1 grams
- Sugar
- 6 grams
- Protein
- 2 grams
