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Asian Cucumber Salad – The Recipe Critic


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This pleasant Asian Cucumber Salad is a mix of flavors, making a refreshing dish that’s completed with a sprinkle of pink pepper flakes and sesame seeds. It makes the right snack or facet dish to enhance any meal.

Do you like cucumbers as a lot as I do? I can’t resist the scrumptious crunch they provide to each recipe! Take a look at this yummy Cucumber Sandwich, this simple Italian Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad or this recent Cucumber Avocado Salad for extra scrumptious methods to make use of up these cucumbers!

A bowl of Asian Cucumber Salad.

What’s Asian Cucumber Salad?

Alright, the place are my cucumber lovers at? For those who love this veggie, then you’re going to go loopy over this scrumptious (and simple!) recipe. This Asian Cucumber Salad is a lightweight and attractive dish. It begins with English cucumbers, that are thinly sliced after which mixed with a mixture of flavors that create a refreshing and crunchy texture. As a result of the dressing is just like a marinade, the flavour will get stronger the longer it sits and absorbs all the flavors.

Earlier than serving, this salad is commonly garnished with pink pepper flakes and sesame seeds. I like so as to add these as a result of it brings a touch of spiciness (don’t fear, it’s not too sizzling!) and a yummy crunch. The consequence is an easy but flavorful facet dish or appetizer that’s particularly good throughout hotter months.

Elements in Asian Cucumber Salad

These components are recent, and scrumptious and pair so properly collectively. The cucumbers present the pleasant crunch that all of us love, and the seasonings are out-of-this-world scrumptious! Take a look at the recipe card on the backside of the publish for all the precise measurements.

  • English Cucumbers: These thinly sliced cucumbers present a refreshing and crisp base for the salad, making it juicy and crunchy.
  • Salt: The salt helps to attract out extra moisture from the cucumbers and makes positive they aren’t too watery.
  • Inexperienced Onions: These add a light onion taste and a pop of coloration to the salad.
  • Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar provides a tangy and barely candy taste.
  • Sesame Oil: Sesame oil has a wealthy, nutty taste that goes properly with the opposite components.
  • Soy Sauce: Soy sauce supplies a savory umami taste and provides slightly extra saltiness.
  • Minced Garlic: Are you able to ever go improper including garlic to a dish?!
  • Sugar: A small quantity of sugar balances the flavors.
  • Purple Pepper Flakes: These flakes add a contact of warmth and spiciness to the salad which provides it a delicate kick.
  • Sesame Seeds: Sesame seeds supply a fragile crunch and are good for a garnish.

The best way to Make Asian Cucumber Salad

Upon getting your cucumbers thinly sliced, this salad takes lower than 5 minutes to throw collectively! The longer you let it sit with the dressing, the extra it marinates and soaks in all the yummy flavors.

  1. Slice and Chill: Thinly slice the cucumbers, then add salt and gently toss to mix. Then, chill within the fridge for 20 minutes.
  2. Make Dressing: Mix the onions, vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, and sugar in a small bowl. Stir properly, ensuring that the sugar is totally dissolved.
  3. Drain: Drain the salt water from the cucumber. Don’t rinse the cucumbers. Simply take away the surplus water.
  4. Mix and Toss: Pour the dressing over the cucumber slices, then toss to coat the cucumbers.
  5. Garnish: Garnish with crushed pink pepper flakes and sesame seeds, after which serve instantly.
3 process shots showing how to mix the sliced cucumbers with the dressing.

Ideas and Variations

Right here are some things you are able to do to change issues up on this Asian Cucumber Salad. Make it spicier, gluten-free, and even add in some extra crunch!

  • Soak in Salt: Including salt to the sliced cucumbers is vital. It attracts out the additional moisture within the cucumbers creating drier and crunchier cucumbers.
  • Gluten-Free: For those who can’t have gluten, then use tamari rather than soy sauce for a gluten-free choice.
  • Cucumber Choices: Japanese cucumbers are the normal sort to make use of for this salad, however they will typically be tough to seek out. I used English cucumbers, that are comparable. When you have some, then you may also use mini cucumbers in a pinch.
  • Add Peanuts: Chopped peanuts add extra crunch and taste!
  • Make it Spicer: Add a teaspoon of garlic chili paste to the dressing for additional warmth.
  • Serve Chilled: Chilled is at all times one of the simplest ways to serve this Asian cucumber salad. It provides the dressing time to mix with all the flavors. Plus, it additionally creates a crunchy, crisp texture to the chilled cucumbers.

A platter of Asian Cucumber Salad with a pair of chopsticks on the side.

Can You Retailer Leftovers?

Asian Cucumber Salad is finest loved shortly after making it, because the textures and flavors are at their peak when freshly ready. Understand that the salad won’t keep as crisp and recent after a day or two, because the cucumbers can launch moisture and soften over time.

A pair of chopsticks lifting a slice of cucumber out of the bowl.


  • Thinly slice the cucumbers, then add salt and gently toss to mix. Chill within the fridge for 20 minutes.

  • Mix the onions, vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, and sugar. Stir properly ensuring that the sugar is totally dissolved.

  • Drain the salt water from the cucumber. Don’t rinse the cucumbers. Simply take away the surplus water.

  • Pour the dressing over the cucumber slices, then toss to coat the cucumbers.

  • Garnish with crushed pink pepper flakes and sesame seeds. Serve instantly.



Serves: 8

Serving1gEnergy40kcal (2%)Carbohydrates7g (2%)Protein1g (2%)Fats1g (2%)Saturated Fats0.2g (1%)Polyunsaturated Fats0.4gMonounsaturated Fats0.3gSodium172mg (7%)Potassium234mg (7%)Fiber1g (4%)Sugar4g (4%)Vitamin A187IU (4%)Vitamin C5mg (6%)Calcium29mg (3%)Iron0.5mg (3%)

All dietary info is predicated on third get together calculations and is just an estimate. Every recipe and dietary worth will fluctuate relying on the manufacturers you employ, measuring strategies and portion sizes per family.

Course Salad, Facet Dish

Delicacies Asian

Key phrase Asian cucumber salad



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  • magnificent submit, very informative. I wonder why the other specialists of this sector do not understand this. You must continue your writing. I’m sure, you’ve a great readers’ base already!