This easy cucumber salad is slightly sweet, tangy, and super crunchy. Fresh and healthy, it’s the perfect side dish for picnics and with your favorite Asian-inspired meals.
Why This Salad is So Good
- This cucumber salad is light, fresh, and oh-so-crunchy with crisp cucumbers, tart rice vinegar, and rich toasted sesame seeds with just a taste of sweetness.
- This incredibly simple recipe only takes a few ingredients to make and is an inexpensive side dish or meal.
How To Make This Recipe
- Wash the cucumbers and slice very thin using a mandolin or a sharp knife.
- Sprinkle with salt and mix well with a spoon. Place in a colander and set in the sink to drain for about 30 minutes.
- Whisk together the rice vinegar, sesame oil, and syrup in a medium bowl to make the dressing.
- Gently squeeze the sliced cucumbers dry in a paper towel or a clean kitchen towel and add to the bowl with the dressing. Toss to combine.
- Season with additional salt to taste. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
Top Tips for Making Asian Cucumber Salad
- Draining the cucumbers is important to get rid of the excess water. A good amount comes out while they are sitting in the colander, but make sure they are extra dry by squeezing them prior to adding them to the dressing.
- If you don’t have pre-toasted sesame seeds, it’s easy to toast your own. This part is optional, but toasted sesame seeds really enhance the flavor, so we definitely recommend using them!
- This Asian cucumber salad is best fresh, but you can store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days after making.
How To Toast Sesame Seeds
To toast your sesame seeds, simply add them to a small saucepan over medium heat. Toss frequently using spatula until brown, about 5 minutes.
What Do We Mean By “Healthy?”
Our recipes focus on real ingredients and homemade elements. We try to avoid processed flour and sugar, like white flour or white sugar. Our recipes often swap less healthy options (like a commercial, deep-fried tostada) for an easy homemade version.
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Simple Asian Cucumber Salad
Equipment
- Mandolin or sharp knife
- Colander or strainer
Ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers medium
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt plus extra
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds toasted
Instructions
- Wash cucumbers. Slice very thin using a mandolin or knife. Sprinkle with salt and mix well.
- Place in colander or strainer. Set in the sink to drain for 30 minutes.
- Whisk together rice vinegar, sesame oil, and syrup in a medium bowl to create dressing.
- Gently squeeze sliced cucumbers dry with paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Add to bowl with dressing and toss to combine.
- Season with additional salt to taste and garnish with sesame seeds.