This Asian Cucumber Salad is cool and refreshing and pairs well with many things. It’s vegan and gluten-free and is a nice addition to meals and bowls you are already making.  Vegan. Watch the video!

This Asian Cucumber Salad is cool and refreshing and pairs well with many things. It's vegan and gluten-free and is a nice addition to meals and bowls you are already making! #cucumbersalad

I am not these bones, this flesh, this greying hair, I am the fire inside the shell, passing the light forward. 

Here’s a simple recipe for Asian Cucumber Salad, that I think you will fall in love with. It’s fast and easy and light and delicious! Cool, refreshing cucumbers are just what I crave during the hot summer months and this salad is no exception. It hits all the flavor notes as well- such a great combo!

And although I went the generic route and called this “Asian”, you can take this Cucumber Salad in many different directions based on what you are serving. For example, to go with a more Thai theme, you could add fish sauce, lime juice, Thai Basil, and crushed peanuts. To give it more of a Korean twist and add Gochujang. Leave out the chili paste and garlic to give it more of a Japanese spin. You get the idea. 🙂

Asian Cucumber Salad made with rice vinegar, sesame, ginger, garlic and soy is cool and refreshing and pairs well with many things. It's vegan and gluten-free and is a nice addition to meals and bowls you are already making! #cucumbersalad

Ingredients in Asian Cucumber Salad:

  • Cucumbers: Thin-skinned cucumbers (English, Turkish, Persian) work best here!
  • Rice vinegar: we use seasoned rice vinegar for the best flavor!
  • Toasted sesame oil
  • Soy sauce or use gluten-free liquid amino acids
  • Sweetener: maple syrup (or honey) or sweetener of choice
  • Fresh garlic clove
  • Fresh ginger root
  • Scallions
  • Toasted Sesame seeds
  • Optional: chili paste or chili flakes or sriracha 
types of cucumber to use in cucumber salad

What kind of cucumbers to use?

Use thin-skinned burpless cucumbers like Persian, Turkish or English Cucumbers, for the least bitterness and best flavor. Waxy cucumbers will work in a pinch but you will need to peel them first.

Instructions

scoring the skin with a fork, elevates the salad

Expert Tips:

  1. Scoring the cucumber with the tines of a fork before slicing allows the dressing to cling to the cucumbers, making each and every bite more flavorful! A reader recently reminded me of this and it is SO true. Thanks, Joseph!
  2. Salting the cucumber beforehand helps release liquid, also creating a more flavorful salad as the dressing doesn’t get as watered down. Of course, you can skip this if in a hurry.
salt the cucumber to release their juices, making the salad even more flavorful.

So if you have time, salt the cucumbers, and place in a strainer– for 20 minutes or up to a few hours!

strain the cucumber liquid

Chop up your herbs. Here I’m simply using scallions, but feel free to play with chives, cilantro, or even Thai basil!

chop the scallions and gather the dressing ingredients

Asian Dressing Ingredients:

You can directly add these to the salad bowl with the strained cucumbers and toss. Simple!

Asian Cucumber Dressing Ingredients!

Grate a little ginger into the salad.

Grate the ginger

Grate a little garlic into the bowl.

grate the garlic clove

For a little heat- add Red chili paste or sriracha.

add red chili paste for more spice

Mix it all up and adjust salt and spice level to your liking.

Asian Cucumber Salad made with rice vinegar, sesame, ginger, garlic and soy is cool and refreshing and pairs well with many things. It's vegan and gluten-free and is a nice addition to meals and bowls you are already making! #cucumbersalad

Storage

The Asian Cucumber Salad will last 3 days in the fridge- if it makes it that long! You can salt the cucumbers ahead, place them in a strainer over a bowl and place in the fridge overnight.

What to serve with Asian Cucumber Salad:

Asian Cucumber Salad made with rice vinegar, sesame, ginger, garlic and soy is cool and refreshing and pairs well with many things. It's vegan and gluten-free and is a nice addition to meals and bowls you are already making! #cucumbersalad

 Variations:

 

Asian Cucumber Salad made with rice vinegar, sesame, ginger, garlic and soy is cool and refreshing and pairs well with many things. It's vegan and gluten-free and is a nice addition to meals and bowls you are already making! #cucumbersalad

More Favorite cucumber recipes!

This recipe for Asian Cucumber Salad is made with rice vinegar, sesame, ginger, garlic and soy is cool and refreshing and pairs well with many things. It's vegan and gluten-free and is a nice addition to meals and bowls you are already making! #cucumbersalad

Enjoy the Asian Cucumber Salad- please leave your feedback and/or adaptions below, everyone loves reading these!

Hope you are having a lovely week. All is well here, hope it is with you too.

xoxo

Sylvia

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Asian Cucumber Salad made with rice vinegar, sesame, ginger, garlic and soy is cool and refreshing and pairs well with many things. It's vegan and gluten-free and is a nice addition to meals and bowls you are already making! #cucumbersalad

Asian Cucumber Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 144 reviews
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Description

Asian Cucumber Salad is made with rice vinegar, sesame, ginger, garlic and soy, cool and refreshing and pairs well with many things. It’s vegan and gluten-free and is a nice addition to meals and bowls you are already making. Watch the video!

Ingredients

Units
  • 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
  • 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

  1. Using the tines of a fork, score the cucumbers lengthwise- this will help the dressing cling to the cucumber. (Feel free to skip if in a hurry.)
  2. Slice the cucumbers thinly. Place in a mixing bowl and toss with the salt to help them release water. Let this stand while you gather the remaining ingredients.
  3. Strain the cucumbers using a fine mesh strainer (do not rinse) and place them in a large mixing bowl. add the scallions, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, optional red chili paste and toasted sesame seeds. Mix to combine.
  4. Taste and adjust salt and sweetness to your liking. Add more chili paste if you like.
  5. Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Cucumber salad is best served on the same day but will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Equipment

Notes

Optional Additions: (see variations in post body)

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 89
  • Sugar: 6.4 g
  • Sodium: 404.5 mg
  • Fat: 4.8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 11.5 g
  • Fiber: 1.4 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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Comments

  1. Way too salty! Won’t sweat the cukes again 😝 I’m a salt girl and this was over the top.

    Reply

    1. Sorry to hear this Lisa. Is it possible you used more salt, or less cucumbers in the recipe?

      Reply

  2. I made this with the seared Ahi Tuna and Furikake rice. Everything was excellent, but this cucumber salad was my very favorite part of the bowl!

    Reply

  3. Added cilantro and thinly sliced radish to original Asian Cucumber Salad recipe. Fantastic! Thank you.

    Reply

  4. This recipe was delicious! So refreshing and the perfect side for Asian inspired dishes.

    No modifications necessary. Will be making again!

    Reply

  7. I didn’t have chili paste and so used harissa (which is essentially the same thing). It was a bit too sweet for me, I would reduce the honey next time. I served w/sliced avocado on top, yum! Cherry tomatoes would also be a good add. Finally, surprised no greens were added; next time I’ll add cilantro or parsley in.

    Reply

  17. The recipe turned out great, here were some of my edits. I used some sichuan chili crisp instead of red pepper flakes. In a saucepan, I lightly sauteed the garlic, then added ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, shoyu soy sauce, sesame oil, and maple syrup until the sauce was slightly thickened. Allow to sit, then mix with cucumbers, sesame seeds, and scallions. I recommend using 2-3 cucumbers.

    Reply

  19. So good!!! I didn’t have any red chili paste and instead put in quite a bit of red pepper flakes and chilli powder. Still delicious 🤤

    Reply

  21. Loved this as a simple but “cool” salad…can add some dry seaweed flakes for added flavor…

    Also I used this as a baked sea bass marinade…added half a chopped spicy red pepper for some spice…and blew everyone’s mind…consider this as well…very versatile sauce.

    Reply

  22. I love this cucumber salad! all my friends beg me to make it again. five stars aren’t enough. gluten free soy sauce works really well as a substitute as my sister is gluten free.

    Reply

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