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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. Video! See our 20+ Refreshing Cucumber Recipes and 40 Must-Try Vegan Salads!
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 | 30-sec video
Ingredients in Asian Cucumber Salad:
- thin-skinned cucumbers (English, Turkish, Persian)
- salt
- rice vinegar
- sesame oil
- soy sauce or liquid amino acids
- maple syrup (or honey)
- garlic
- ginger
- chili paste
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.
Expert Tips:
- 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!
- 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.
So if you have time, salt the cucumbers, and place in a strainer– for 20 minutes or up to a few hours!
Chop up your herbs. Here I’m simply using scallions, but feel free to play with chives, cilantro, or even Thai basil!
Gather your Asian Dressing Ingredients:
You can directly add these to the salad bowl with the strained cucumbers and toss. Simple!
Grate a little ginger into the salad.
Grate a little garlic into the bowl.
For a little heat- add Red chili paste or sriracha.
Mix it all up and adjust salt and spice level to your liking.
The Asian Cucumber Salad will last 3 days in the fridge- if it makes it that long!
What to serve with Asian Cucumber Salad:
- Fast & Easy Seared Tuna (Ahi or Yellowfin Tuna)
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
- JAPANESE FARM STYLE TERIYAKI BOWL
- Seoul Bowl (Vegan Bibimbap!)
- Thai Turkey Burger Recipe w/ Asian Slaw
- Chinese Eggplant with Spicy Szechuan Sauce
- Miso Mushroom Bowl
- Grilled Lemongrass Chicken
- Instant Pot Peanut Chicken
- Indonesian Grilled Sambal Chicken
- Pan-Seared Thai Chicken with Red Curry Paste
Asian Cucumber Salad Variations:
- Thai Version: add crushed roasted peanuts, fish sauce and lime juice or tamarind (replace some of the vinegar).
- Korean Version: Add Gochujang, cilantro and extra ginger and garlic.
- Japanese Version: Leave out the garlic and chili paste, try chive blossoms.
More recipes you may like:
- 20 Cool & Refreshing Cucumber Recipes
- Persian Cucumber Walnut Salad
- Cucumber Salad with Jalapeno & Lime
- Chilled Cucumber Melon Soup
- Cucumber Gazpacho
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Easy Crunchy Asian Slaw
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
Print
Asian Cucumber Salad
- Prep Time: 25
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 1x
- Category: salad, vegan
- Method: tossed
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
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!
Ingredients
- 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, Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acid or Coconut amino acid.
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey, or sugar)
- 1 teaspoon red chili paste (or sriracha, both optional) more to taste
- 1–2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- 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.)
- Slice the cucumbers thinly. Place in a bowl and toss with the salt to help them release water. Let this stand while you gather the remaining ingredients.
- Strain the cucumbers, (do not rinse) place them in a large bowl and add the scallions, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, optional red chili paste and toasted sesame seeds. Mix to combine.
- Taste and adjust salt to your liking. Add more chili paste if you like.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. This is best served the same day but will keep up to 3 days.
Notes
Optional Additions: (see variations in post body)
- fish sauce, Lime juice, crushed roasted peanuts, Gochujang, cilantro or Thai Basil, red onions, peanut chili crunch, radishes
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
Keywords: Asian Cucumber Salad, Cucumber Salad with Rice vinegar, Asian Cucumber Salad recipe, Asian Cucumber Salad soy, vegan cucumber salad
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.
Sounds amazing Kc!
Really perfect flavour. It goes perfect with tuna steak
★★★★★
Awesome to hear!
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 🤤
Great to hear Lilah!
Excellent and very addicting!
★★★★★
Glad you enjoyed Linda!
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.
★★★★★
Love it!
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.
★★★★★
Thanks so much Sarah!
Delicious, can make a great side dish
Thanks Liz!
very, very tasty! thank you for the recipe.
Great to hear Amy!
mucho gusto