Japanese Cucumber Salad Recipe
This refreshing Japanese Cucumber Salad features thinly sliced cucumbers tossed in a tangy dressing made with rice wine vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce. Enhanced with optional toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil, and seaweed garnish, this salad offers a crisp, light, and flavorful side dish perfect for warm weather or as a complement to Japanese meals.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Cucumbers
- 2 medium-sized Japanese or English cucumbers
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
Garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- Thinly sliced seaweed such as wakame or nori (optional)
Instructions
- Wash cucumbers: Start by washing the cucumbers thoroughly. Peeling is optional; leaving the skin on adds texture and color to the salad.
- Slice cucumbers: Slice the cucumbers thinly using a knife, mandoline slicer, or vegetable peeler for even slices. Alternatively, cut into julienne strips or use a spiralizer for different presentation styles.
- Salt cucumbers: Place the cucumber slices in a medium bowl, sprinkle them evenly with salt, and toss to coat well. Let them sit for 10-15 minutes so the salt can draw out excess moisture.
- Drain cucumbers: After resting, drain any excess water by gently squeezing the cucumbers or patting them dry with paper towels to avoid watery dressing.
- Mix dressing and toss: Add rice wine vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce to the cucumbers, stirring until the sugar dissolves. If desired, add sesame oil for extra flavor and toss the cucumbers so they are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Add garnish: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the salad for added nutty flavor and texture. Garnish with thinly sliced seaweed like wakame or nori for a traditional Japanese touch.
- Chill and marinate: Refrigerate the salad for at least 15-20 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld beautifully for a refreshing taste.
Notes
- Peeling cucumbers is optional; skin adds color and texture.
- Salt draws out moisture to keep the salad crisp and prevent sogginess.
- Use toasted sesame seeds for enhanced nutty flavor.
- Seaweed garnish is optional but adds authentic Japanese flavor.
- The salad can be prepared ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
- Adjust sugar and soy sauce quantities to suit taste preference.
Keywords: Japanese cucumber salad, cucumber salad recipe, no-cook salad, easy Japanese salad, sesame cucumber salad, wakame cucumber salad
Find it online: https://miarosetti.com/japanese-cucumber-salad-recipe/
