Asian Cucumber Salad

Asian cucumber salad is a zippy version of the classic. Cool cucumbers meet a tangy, sweet and sour savory dressing for a perfect side dish.

This quick and easy recipe makes the perfect side salad.

I like to serve it in the summer as a side at barbecues and picnics.

The rest of the year it pairs well with any Asian inspired main or is a perfect light dish to share at a potluck.

It only uses a few simple ingredients, but it’s chock full of crispy, crunchy cucumbers and packs a ton of flavor with just the right amount of kick.

Ingredients

To make this you need:

• Cucumbers– Go for English cucumbers, finely sliced. 
• Rice wine vinegar– To get the most authentic flavor, don’t substitute for another kind of vinegar.
• Water
• Sugar– Granulated sugar.
• Soy sauce– You can use tamari if you want to keep this gluten free.
• Sesame oil– A little goes a long way.
• Spices– Minced fresh garlic, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds.

How to Make

This cucumber salad is the easiest side dish you can make.

To do it, whisk the vinegar, water, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, oil, and red peppers flakes together in a small bowl until evenly incorporated.

Then, pour the dressing over the sliced cucumbers and toss to coat.

Let the cucumbers chill in the fridge for about an hour.

Before serving, sprinkle sesame seeds over top.

Serve chilled and enjoy!

Storing Leftovers

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for no more than 24 hours.

If you store them for too long, they will get mushy.

Tips and Tricks

• If you don’t want this salad to be quite as zesty, omit the red pepper flakes and reduce the amount of garlic.
• Don’t make this too far ahead of time as the vinegar will break down the cucumbers.
• If these sit too long, they will eventually turn into Asian-flavored pickles.
• Add extra flavor with a little cilantro for garnish.

Other Asian Inspired Recipes

This Asian cucumber salad recipe is a kicked up version of classic cucumber salad. Make this for your next barbecue or to accompany a takeout inspired meal and enjoy!

Looking for other Asian inspired recipes? Try these:

• Asian Chicken Wraps
• Crunchy Chinese Chicken Salad
• Sriracha Broccoli
• Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
• Crispy Asian Glazed Brussels Sprouts
• Sriracha Beef Lettuce Wraps

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Asian Cucumber Salad

Asian cucumber salad is a zippy version of the classic. Cool cucumbers meet a tangy, sweet and sour savory dressing for a perfect side dish.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Lunch, Salad, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American, Asian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 69kcal

Author: Meaghan @ 4 Sons R Us

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Ingredients

• 2 English cucumbers finely sliced
• 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• dash of red pepper flakes
• 1-2 tbsp sesame seeds

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, water, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, oil, and red peppers flakes (if using) until evenly incorporated. Pour the dressing over the sliced cucumbers, tossing to coat.
• Let the cucumbers 'marinate', chilled, for about an hour.
• Before serving, sprinkle sesame seeds over top. Serve chilled,

Notes

Don't try to make this ahead of time to store because the longer these sit they will eventually turn into soggy Asian-flavored pickles. They're best used within 24 hours.

• If you don't want this salad to be quite as zesty, omit the red pepper flakes and reduce the amount of garlic.
• Don't make this too far ahead of time as the vinegar will break down the cucumbers.
• If these sit too long, they will eventually turn into Asian-flavored pickles.
• Add extra flavor with a little cilantro for garnish.

Nutrition

Calories: 69kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 257mg | Potassium: 249mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg

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recipe originally published August 23, 2015