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Cucumber Asian salad is made with English cucumbers tossed in a sweet soy vinegar dressing for a cool-crisp side dish that’s full of flavor.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: A TikTok fave, this exotic salad is a little sweet, a little umami, and a whole lot of crunchy.
- Skill Level: Basic pantry ingredients are all you need for this fast and easy salad. Just slice, mix, and chill!
- Prep Note: Prep the cukes and dressing up to a day ahead and chill until ready to dress and serve.
- Recommended Tools: A mandoline is a great tool for getting perfectly sliced cucumbers.
- Serving Suggestions: Make it a main and add tofu, chicken, or bay shrimp, or keep it vegetarian and stir in some chilled coconut rice.
Ingredient Tips for Asian Cucumber Salad
- Cucumbers: English cucumbers are best in this recipe because they contain less water than field cucumbers. Persian or Japanese cucumbers can be used as well.
- Vinegar and Oil: For the most authentic Asian flavor, use rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. White vinegar, white wine vinegar, or lime juice will work, but the flavors will vary.
- Soy Sauce: I use regular soy sauce for this recipe, but you can use a low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos with similar flavors.
- Sweetener: The sugar balances the acidity and enhances the soy flavor, so don’t skip it! Try white or brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, or any sugar substitute in this recipe.
- Seasonings: This salad is all about the dressing! Zest it up even more by adding freshly grated ginger or some spicy sriracha or sambal (chili paste).
Favorite Variations
- Bulk up Asian cucumber salad with shredded carrots, sliced radishes, red onions, halved grape tomatoes, peas, or diced bell peppers.
- Add toasted peanuts or sliced almonds for extra crunch. Lightly saute the nuts (and sesame seeds) and let them cool completely before adding to the salad. This burns off excess oil and enhances their flavor.
How to Make Asian Cucumber Salad
- Prep cucumbers.
- Whisk sauce ingredients together in a bowl (full recipe below).
- Add cucumbers and green onions and toss well.
- Refrigerate and garnish with toasted sesame seeds before serving.
Best Way to Store Asian Cucumber Salad
Keep leftover Asian cucumber salad covered in the refrigerator for up to two days. Stir and drain (if necessary) before serving again.
More Cucumber Favorites
Did you enjoy this Asian Cucumber Salad? Leave a comment and rating below.
Asian Cucumber Salad
Asian cucumber salad is a crisp, refreshing side dish with salted cucumbers tossed in a tangy-sweet sesame soy dressing, chilled to perfection.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a colander, toss the cucumber slices with salt and let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Rinse in cold water and pat dry.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Add the cucumbers and green onions to the dressing and toss well to coat.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.
Notes
Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet for a minute or two until golden to enhance their flavor.
For added crunch, you can mix in thinly sliced radishes or carrots.
This salad keeps well in the fridge for up to two days. Drain any excess liquid before serving.
For added crunch, you can mix in thinly sliced radishes or carrots.
This salad keeps well in the fridge for up to two days. Drain any excess liquid before serving.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 43 | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 838mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 176IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Salad, Side Dish, Snack
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Refreshingly delicious!
So glad you loved it Dawn, it’s a favorite for us too!