Description
This Refreshing Asian Cucumber Salad is a light and crisp dish perfect for summer. Featuring thinly sliced cucumbers tossed in a tangy dressing of rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and low-sodium soy sauce, it offers a delightful balance of flavors enhanced by green onions and optional chili flakes. Finished with crunchy toasted sesame seeds, this salad is quick to prepare and serves as an excellent side or appetizer in Asian-inspired meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 2 cups sliced fresh cucumbers (approx. 2 medium cucumbers)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Optional: pinch of chili flakes
Dressing
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (toasted preferred)
- 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Cucumbers: Wash the cucumbers thoroughly and slice them thinly into rounds to ensure a crisp, refreshing texture.
- Mix Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and toasted sesame oil until the ingredients are well combined and the sugar is dissolved.
- Add Aromatics: Stir in the thinly sliced green onions and optional chili flakes into the dressing mixture gently to blend the flavors without bruising the onions.
- Toss Salad: Pour the dressing over the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl and toss until all slices are evenly coated with the flavorful dressing.
- Chill: Cover the salad and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the cucumbers to soak up the dressing.
- Serve: Just before serving, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the salad for a delightful crunch and extra nutty flavor.
Notes
- For extra heat, increase the amount of chili flakes or add a dash of sriracha sauce to the dressing.
- Use unseasoned rice vinegar to control the salt level in the salad.
- Toasting your own sesame seeds intensifies their flavor; toast them lightly in a dry pan over medium heat until golden and fragrant.
- This salad is best served chilled and can be prepared a few hours ahead of time.
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Method: No-cook, Tossing
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (approximately 1 cup)
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 4.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Asian cucumber salad, refreshing salad, summer salad, cucumber side dish, sesame cucumber salad, no-cook salad
