Gordon Ramsay Cucumber Salad

Gordon Ramsay’s cucumber salad is light, crisp and dressed in a sweet hoisin and ginger dressing with soy, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Thin ribbons get tossed with baby gem lettuce and spring onions. It takes 10 minutes and serves 4.

In Ultimate Home Cooking, he places it right next to his crispy roast duck with Chinese pancakes because the two are designed as a pair. That hoisin dressing mirrors the duck’s dipping sauce, which is context every copycat misses.

The key is cutting ribbons with a vegetable peeler instead of matchsticks. Ramsay says they “look much more impressive,” and they hold the dressing better. Scoop out the seeds first though, because that watery core makes most cucumber salads soggy.

Gordon Ramsay’s Cucumber Salad

Recipe by Sophie LaneCourse: SaladCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

A quick hoisin-dressed cucumber side from Gordon’s Ultimate Home Cooking, designed to sit alongside crispy duck pancakes. Roughly 60p per serving with ingredients from any UK supermarket.

Ingredients

• For the Salad:

• 1 large cucumber

• 4 spring onions, trimmed

• 2 baby gem lettuce

• For the Dressing:

• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce

• 2cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated

• ½ tbsp soy sauce

• ½ to 1 tbsp rice vinegar, to taste

• Dash of sesame oil

• 2 tbsp cold water

Directions

• Prepare the cucumber: Trim the ends off the cucumber and cut it in half lengthways. Scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon, then use a vegetable peeler to cut each half into long, thin ribbons. Place them in a salad bowl.
• Add the greens: Thinly julienne the spring onions and add them to the cucumber. Shred the baby gem lettuce lengthways into long thin strips and toss everything together.
• Make the dressing: Put the hoisin sauce, grated ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and 2 tablespoons of cold water into a bowl. Mix well, then taste and adjust the seasoning. The water loosens the hoisin so it coats the ribbons evenly rather than clumping.
• Dress and serve: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Serve straight away alongside duck pancakes, grilled chicken or any Asian-style main.

FAQs

What should I serve this cucumber salad with?

Ramsay designed it to sit alongside his crispy roast duck with Chinese pancakes from the same chapter, so the hoisin flavours mirror the duck’s dipping sauce. His pan-fried duck breast works just as well if you want something quicker than a whole roasted bird.

Beyond duck, it pairs brilliantly with any rich, meaty main. Try it next to teriyaki salmon or sticky pork ribs for a proper Asian spread. The cool crunch cuts through all that richness.

Why does my cucumber salad go watery?

The seeds are almost always the problem because they hold most of the cucumber’s moisture. Ramsay scoops them out with a teaspoon before cutting the ribbons, which keeps everything crisp for much longer.

His dressing helps too. He thins the hoisin with 2 tablespoons of cold water so it coats evenly without pooling at the bottom of the bowl. That small step stops the heavy sauce from dragging liquid out of the cucumber.

Can I make this ahead of time?

You can peel the ribbons and mix the dressing separately a few hours in advance, but don’t combine them until you’re ready to serve. Once dressed, the cucumber releases moisture within an hour or two and the ribbons lose their crunch.

If you need a make-ahead side for a barbecue or party, his crunchy coleslaw holds up overnight because cabbage doesn’t release water the way cucumber does. The beef brisket from the same chapter in UHC is another good match if you’re planning a spread.

What is the best way to cut cucumber for this salad?

Ramsay specifically chose ribbons over matchsticks because they “look much more impressive.” Use a standard Y-shaped vegetable peeler and run it down the length of each cucumber half, pressing firmly to get long, thin strips. Stop when you hit the seedy core.

A mandoline on the thinnest setting also works, though the ribbons won’t curl as nicely. Either way, the extra surface area means more dressing in every bite.

How is this different from smashed cucumber salad?

Chinese smashed cucumber salad takes the opposite approach by bashing the cucumber with the flat of a knife, which cracks it open and creates rough edges that soak up a garlic and chilli dressing. It’s bold, rustic and built to absorb big flavours.

Ramsay’s version is more refined, with delicate peeled ribbons that hold their shape and a sweeter hoisin-based dressing. The two are almost opposite in philosophy, so it depends whether you want elegance or punch. If you prefer make-ahead options, try his salads that keep better.