Description
This Asian Cucumber Salad is a refreshing and tangy side dish featuring crunchy cucumbers tossed in a flavorful dressing made with rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and a hint of sweetness and spice. Perfect as a light appetizer or accompaniment to your favorite Asian-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Turkish, Persian or English cucumbers (about 5 cups sliced)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4–5 scallions, finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
Dressing and Garnish
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (for gluten-free use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or Coconut aminos)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey, or sugar), more to taste
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (sambal olek) or sriracha, more to taste
- 1–2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Score Cucumbers: Using the tines of a fork, score the cucumbers lengthwise to help the dressing cling better. This step can be skipped if you’re in a hurry.
- Slice and Salt: Slice the cucumbers thinly and place them in a mixing bowl. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon of salt to help draw out excess water. Let them stand while you prepare the dressing.
- Strain Cucumbers: After standing, strain the cucumbers using a fine mesh strainer without rinsing, and transfer them into a large mixing bowl.
- Add Dressing Ingredients: Add the finely sliced scallions, grated ginger, minced garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, chili garlic sauce, and toasted sesame seeds to the cucumbers. Mix well to combine evenly.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the salad and adjust salt, sweetness, or spice by adding more salt, maple syrup, or chili paste according to your preference.
- Chill: Refrigerate the salad until ready to serve. For best flavor, serve on the same day. It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Optional additions include fish sauce, lime juice, crushed roasted peanuts, Gochujang, cilantro or Thai basil, red onions, peanut chili crunch, and radishes for variation and extra flavor.
- Use gluten-free soy sauce alternatives like Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or coconut aminos if you need a gluten-free version.
- Maple syrup can be substituted with honey or sugar to suit your taste.
- Scoring cucumbers before slicing helps the dressing adhere better but can be skipped to save time.
- Best served chilled and within 3 days for freshness and optimal taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 70 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
