Spicy Pickled Cucumber Salad

If you like pickles, you’ll love this pickled cucumber salad—their lighter, less sour cousin. You can leave the salad to marinate for only an hour if you’re in a rush, but if you have the time, you can allow the salad to sit in the fridge and really soak in the flavors. Just be sure to thoroughly pat your cucumber dry before marinating it, or you’ll end up with a puddle of liquid at the bottom of your bowl. If you don’t like heat, you can leave out the red chili flakes for a more mild and sweet version.

Serves 2–3

1 large cucumber

1⁄4 small onion, thinly sliced

1⁄4 cup white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

1. Cut off both ends of cucumber and spiralize using a straight blade. Place cucumbers between two paper towels and press down, soaking up any extra moisture. Remove from towels and place cucumber in a large bowl. Add onions and toss.
2. In a small saucepan, add vinegar, sugar, garlic, and red chili flakes. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Pour mixture over cucumbers and onions and toss until everything is coated. Let marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour. The longer you let the cucumbers sit, the stronger their pickled flavor will be. Serve chilled.