Easy Asian Cucumber Salad

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Real talk. Sometimes, I want to feel like I nailed it in the kitchen, with minimal prep and effort. This Asian cucumber salad does the trick. A few ingredients, one bowl, minimal prep and hey presto, I’ve got a side dish, appetizer and the perfect finish to an easy weeknight dinner, that tastes like all the effort on the world.

I make this easy salad on repeat all summer long. It’s cool, crispy crunchy, tangy and sweet with a little spicy kick. It’s one of those dishes that’s so easy, that it is a non recipe, recipe.

I love serving it alongside this classic Asian Kani Salad or this general easy Cucumber Salad. It also goes well with these Asian Grilled Chicken Tenders and delicious Summer Grilling Recipes.

What Is Asian Cucumber Salad? 

I’ve tried plenty of cucumber salads with creamy, mayo type dressings, but this one hits different. The rice vinegar and sesame oil dressing adds a light flavor to go with my favorite grilled meats, grilled fish, noodles or any Asian dishes.

Ingredient Notes

You probably already have most of these ingredients, yeap it is that kind of recipe.

• Cucumbers – I love using Persian, Turkish, Japanese or English cucumbers as they have a great crunch and few seeds. You would have to scoop out the seeds if using regular cucumbers. Thinly sliced cucumber, using a sharp knife or a mandolin, work best.
• Rice wine vinegar – I love the mild sweetness of rice vinegar but have also used white, apple cider vinegar and fresh lime juice. 
• Maple syrup – Pure maple syrup is my preferred sweetener. Honey works too.
• Toasted sesame oil – I love the nutty flavor addition of this.
• My favorite flavorings – I use freshly grated ginger, red pepper flakes and salt to complete this. Use more or less of these, to your taste. 
• Sesame seeds – I add a bit of crunch to the salad with brown, white or black sesame seeds, so so worth it. Omit if you are allergic.

How To Make Asian Cucumber Salad

If you have about 10 minutes, you can make this easy salad recipe! Do check out the recipe card for the full list of recipe instructions.

1. Wash and thinly slice the cucumbers. Pat dry with paper towels and add to a large bowl.
2.  In a small bowl, combine rice wine vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes and salt to make an Asian cucumber salad sesame oil dressing.
3. Add the dressing to the sliced cucumbers and toss to combine.
4. You can serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.
5. Before serving, garnish with sesame seeds and pepper flakes.

Bintu’s Tips And Delicious Variations

• I choose thin-skinned cucumbers, so I don’t have to peel them. Occasionally, I use a fork to score the flesh of each cucumber to help the dressing stick better.
•  Sweat the cucumbers and a quick wash. Toss the sliced cucumbers with a pinch of salt and pop them in the fridge for 20 minutes to an hour. The salt works its magic, pulling out extra moisture so the cucumbers stay crisp. Then quickly rinse cucumbers, squeeze excess water off and blot dry with a paper towel before adding the dressing. 
• Storage. This salad is at its best when served right away. But no worries if you’re planning ahead. Just chill the cucumbers slices in an airtight container. You can keep the dressing in a separate jar for up to 2 days.
• Add mix-ins. Add more flavor and crunch with roasted peanuts, sliced red onion, white onion or green onions, or sliced bell peppers.
• Add crispy chili oil. My fav is Laoganma crispy chilli oil for added crisp and allllll the flavor. I add this to EVERYTHING. Feel free to try red chili paste or sriracha.
• Extra flavors. Add more flavor via fresh mashed garlic, finely chopped cilantro or Thai basil, and gluten free soy sauce for that delicious umami kick!

More Salads And Cucumber Recipes You May Like

For more summer salad recipes, why not try some of my favs from below.

• Kani Salad.
• Chinese Chicken Salad.
• Asian Grilled Chicken Tenders.
• Teriyaki Salmon.
• Cucumber Tomato Salad.
• Rainbow Chopped Veggie Salad.
• Cucumber Salad.
• Italian Chopped Salad.
• Easy Wedge Salad Recipe.
• A colorful Summer Fruit Salad.
• Crunchy Turkey Salad.
• Instant pot Thai Quinoa Salad.

Serving Suggestions

I love serving this as a side to Asian Grilled Chicken Tenders or Instant Pot Teriyaki Salmon or a nice Grilled Steak or Grilled Chicken wrap or even these Grilled Chicken Skewers.

Oher options include Air Fryer Asian Tofu Wrap as well as this Instant Pot Hibachi Chicken thesw Instant Pot Chicken Tenders and one of my favs, Grilled Mackerel. These Iced Boba Coffee treats as well as this Matcha Cucumber Cocktail goes well too.

Weight Watchers Points

There is 1 Blue Plan SmartPoint in one serving of this.

Thank you for reading my Asian Salad recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog. 

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