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This Asian cucumber salad comes together in minutes with crisp cucumbers and a light, tangy, slightly nutty dressing. It’s refreshing, simple to make, and the perfect side dish for Asian-inspired meals.
It’s no secret that I love to make cucumber salads. Whether it’s creamy, with feta, avocado, tomato, like this cucumber avocado feta salad, or with tomato and feta, like this cucumber tomato feta salad.
This Asian Cucumber Salad pairs perfectly with any Asian-inspired meal like my Asian Honey Glazed Salmon, or as a snack, and it also travels well for sharing at potlucks with friends. Another great cucumber salad you will for sure like is my Creamy Cucumber Salad.
Recipe Overview
Why you will love this recipe
- Quick: This Asian Cucumber salad is ready in just 15 minutes!
- Easy: All you have to do is slice the cucumber, mix the Asian salad dressing, pour it over the cucumber, and toss to combine.
- Versatile: This easy, healthy salad recipe is perfect to whip up anytime! Try it as a snack, as part of your lunch, as a dinner side dish, or take it to a cookout or potluck to share!
Key Ingredients
Below is the ingredients overview I used. Full measurements are listed further down in the recipe card.
- Cucumbers: English or Persian cucumbers work.
- Rice vinegar: You may use white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice. But rice vinegar will work best here.
- Soy sauce: A low-sodium option is fine. Tamari or coconut aminos are also good.
- Honey: For a vegan version, add maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Sesame oil: Must use ingredient.
- Garlic and Ginger: Fresh works best here. Ginger and garlic are essential ingredients and should not be skipped.
- Red pepper flakes, Sesame seeds, and salt
- Peanuts: Adds crunch and flavor. It is also an important ingredient you shouldn’t skip.
Helpful Tips
- Use seedless cucumbers if you can. Persian or English cucumbers stay crisp and don’t release as much water. You do not need to peel the cucumbers.
- Salt the cucumbers lightly If you like. Salting the cucumbers lighly and letting them sit for a few minutes draws out excess moisture and keeps the salad crunchy.
- Slice evenly. Thin, even slices help cucumbers absorb the dressing without becoming soggy.
- Add the dressing right before serving. This keeps everything fresh and crisp.
- Adjust to taste. You can easily tweak the sweetness, acidity, or heat to match your preference.
How to make Asian Cucumber Salad
Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Mix with a fork until well incorporated, then set aside.
Prepare the cucumbers: Slice the cucumber into ¼ inch thickness and add it to a large mixing bowl.
Add dressing to Salad: Add the dressing and the chopped peanuts over the sliced cucumbers.
Mix and Serve: Toss everything together until combined and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve.
Common Questions
This is optional and is not necessary to make this salad. If you decided to salt it to draw out water from the cucumbers, don’t forget to rinse it before adding the dressing.
English or Persian cucumbers are ideal, but regular cucumbers work too. Just peel and remove the seeds.
It can be, or it doesn’t have to be. You can add chili oil, red pepper flakes, or leave it mild and reduce the amount of red pepper flakes.
It will keep for up to 24 hours, but the cucumbers will soften over time.
What to serve with this salad
You can enjoy it on its own or pair it with stir-fries, grilled chicken, salmon, rice bowls, or homemade Asian dishes. Here are some options you may like.
Thank you so much for being here and for cooking along with me. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and rating below.
Asian Cucumber Salad
Video
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, regular, low sodium, or gluten-free
- 1 teaspoon honey, *see notes for vegan option
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the salad:
- 3 medium English cucumbers, about 3 to 4 cups
- ½ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients: ¼ cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon grated ginger, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix it with a fork until well incorporated and set aside.
- Slice the 3 medium English cucumbers into ¼-inch slices and add them to a large mixing bowl along with the ½ cup roasted peanuts, then mix.
- Pour the dressing over and toss them until well coated.
- Garnish the cucumber salad with 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds and serve.
Notes
- Honey: For a vegan option, substitute the honey for maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Sesame oil is needed for the best flavor. If not, you can use peanut oil or sunflower oil.
- If using English cucumbers, you do not have to peel the cucumber. The skin is thin enough and won’t be an issue.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
