This Asian Cucumber Salad is a spicy, sweet, and refreshing salad tossed with a vinaigrette from rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and chili paste. I like to serve it for a light lunch with spring rolls and white tea.
This cucumber salad is the perfect light summer dinner. For a more filling meal, enjoy this tasty dish with grilled chicken, blackened mahi mahi, or Japanese dumplings.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Cucumbers: preferably English cucumbers, but you can use Persian cucumbers
- Salt: for salting the cucumbers and getting out the extra moisture
- Soy sauce: preferably low-sodium
- Sesame oil: adds a toasty, nutty flavor to the dressing
- Garlic: fresh for the best flavor
- Grated ginger: Ginger paste works just as well as fresh ginger, and once opened, it lasts about one month in the fridge. One tablespoon of paste equals one tablespoon of fresh ginger.
- Chili paste: also known as sambal oelek
- Green onions: also known as scallions
How to Make Asian Cucumber Salad
This is the summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
First, add the sliced cucumber to a bowl in several layers, sprinkling the layers with salt. Set the bowl aside and let the salt draw out the moisture.
Now, whisk the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and chili paste in a small bowl. Drain any excess moisture from the cucumbers, pat them dry with paper towels, and drizzle with the Asian cucumber dressing. Toss to coat and top with thinly sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- Slice the cucumbers a little less than 1/4 inch thick. Use English cucumbers for tender skins that don’t need peeling.
- If you prefer to place the cucumbers in a colander in the sink and sprinkle with salt, that method works well, too.
- Mix the dressing up to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The cucumbers will not be as crisp, but the salad will still be delicious.
What to serve with Asian Cucumber Salad
- Protein – grilled chicken, baked or grilled fish, grilled shrimp
- Appetizers – potstickers. gyoza, crab rangoon, bacon-wrapped water chestnuts
- Soup – wonton soup, miso soup, hot and sour soup, egg drop soup
Frequently Asked Questions
Sambal Oelek is a ground fresh chili paste found in the Asian food section of the grocery store. If stored in the fridge, it has a very long shelf life (6-9 months). I use it in other recipes, like Bang Bang Shrimp.
In a large dry skillet over medium-high heat, add the sesame seeds and cook until golden brown and fragrant, shaking the skillet several times. Don’t leave the skillet unattended, as it only takes a couple of minutes, and you don’t want them to burn. Remove the sesame seeds to a small bowl as soon as they are toasted to keep the residual heat from burning them. Add them to the dish right before serving.
More Cucumber Recipes
Asian Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb cucumbers preferably English cucumbers
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon chili paste sambal oelek
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add the sliced cucumbers to a bowl in several layers sprinkling layers with salt. Set the bowl aside for about 15 minutes and let the salt do its magic by drawing out the moisture.
- In a small bowl, whisk the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and chili paste together.
- Drain any excess moisture from the cucumbers, pat them dry with paper towels, and drizzle with the Asian cucumber dressing. Toss to coat and top with thinly sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
- Slice the cucumbers a little less than 1/4 inch thick. Use English cucumbers for tender skins that don’t need peeling.
- If you prefer to place the cucumbers in a colander in the sink and sprinkle with salt, that method works well, too.
- Mix the dressing up to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The cucumbers will not be as crisp, but the salad will still be delicious.
Nutrition
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Cara
My all-time favorite way to eat cucumbers! So refreshing and flavorful
Beth Pierce
I love it too!