Diner-Style Chili Crunch Cucumber Slaw
A cold, crunchy cucumber slaw with a chili-crisp drizzle, ready in minutes.
Prep: 10 · Cook: · Total: 10 · Serves: 6 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.7/5 (122 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
I wanted a cold, crunchy side that feels diner-bold, but is basically a toss-and-serve situation.
Story
This is the side dish you order without thinking, then end up eating half of it before the main shows up. Crunchy cabbage, cold cucumbers, and that sweet-vinegar snap, it is built for the plate. Then I go in with a chili-crisp drizzle so it feels loaded and a little reckless. Put it next to anything hot and greasy and watch it disappear.
By Theo
Ingredients
- 4 cups bagged coleslaw mix
- 1 large cucumber, thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar or honey
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 1 to 2 tbsp chili crisp
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add coleslaw mix, cucumber, and green onions to a large bowl.
- Whisk rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
- In a second small bowl, stir mayo with chili crisp and sesame oil.
- Pour the vinegar mix over the veggies and toss well.
- Drizzle in the chili-crisp mayo and toss again until lightly coated.
- Top with sesame seeds and serve right away, or chill 10 minutes for extra crunch.
Chef Tips
- For a lighter slaw, start with half the mayo mixture and add more as needed.
- If you are serving kids, keep the chili crisp on the side and let people add their own.
- This is best the first day, but it holds for about 24 hours in the fridge.
- Great next to burgers, tacos, or rotisserie chicken.
Cook's Notes
- **Texture:** Salt the cucumbers lightly if you want extra snap, then pat dry before mixing.
- **Heat:** Chili crisp varies a lot, start small and build.
- **Serving:** Best served cold, it is the perfect contrast to hot mains.