Asian Cucumber Salad Sesame (Printable Version)

Thinly sliced cucumbers with sesame and rice vinegar provide a crisp, tangy complement.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 large English cucumbers, thinly sliced
02 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

03 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
04 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
05 - 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
06 - 1 teaspoon sugar or maple syrup
07 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
10 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

→ Garnish

11 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
12 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, optional
13 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Place sliced cucumbers in a large bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt and toss to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes to draw out excess moisture, then gently squeeze and drain off any liquid.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, and black pepper until the sugar dissolves completely.
03 - Add the dressing and green onions to the cucumbers. Toss gently to combine until all vegetables are evenly coated.
04 - Transfer to a serving bowl. Top with toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, and red pepper flakes if using.
05 - Serve immediately, or chill for 10 to 15 minutes for enhanced flavor development.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in 10 minutes flat, which means you can actually make this on a weeknight instead of just thinking about it.
  • The tangy-nutty dressing brings so much personality to cucumbers that you'll find yourself craving it instead of reaching for store-bought salad dressing.
  • It pairs with almost everything, from takeout to grilled fish, without demanding attention or competing for the spotlight.
02 -
  • Salting the cucumbers isn't optional—I skipped this step once thinking it was unnecessary and ended up with watery dressing pooling at the bottom of the bowl, a lesson I've never forgotten.
  • Don't make this more than a few hours ahead of time, because the cucumbers continue to release moisture and the salad will eventually become limp, which defeats the whole point of why you made it in the first place.
03 -
  • Keep your knife sharp when slicing cucumbers—dull blades crush them instead of cutting cleanly, which releases too much juice before you even get them in the bowl.
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry skillet for 2 minutes right before serving so they're warm and fragrant, which makes the final dish taste noticeably better than using them straight from the jar.
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