Asian Cucumber Salad (2024)

This Asian Cucumber Salad is cool and refreshing and pairs well with many things. It’s vegan and gluten-free and is a nice addition to meals and bowls you are already making. Vegan. Watch the video!

I am not these bones, this flesh, this greying hair, I am the fire inside the shell, passing the light forward.

Here’s a simple recipe for Asian Cucumber Salad, that I think you will fall in love with. It’s fast and easy and light and delicious! Cool, refreshing cucumbers are just what I crave during the hot summer months and this salad is no exception. It hits all the flavor notes as well- such a great combo!

And although I went the generic route and called this “Asian”, you can take this Cucumber Salad in many different directions based on what you are serving. For example, to go with a more Thai theme, you could add fish sauce, lime juice, Thai Basil, and crushed peanuts. To give it more of a Korean twist and add Gochujang. Leave out the chili paste and garlic to give it more of a Japanese spin. You get the idea. 🙂

Ingredients in Asian Cucumber Salad:

• Cucumbers: Thin-skinned cucumbers (English, Turkish, Persian) work best here!
• Rice vinegar: we use seasoned rice vinegar for the best flavor!
• Toasted sesame oil
• Soy sauce or use gluten-free liquid amino acids
• Sweetener: maple syrup (or honey) or sweetener of choice
• Fresh garlic clove
• Fresh ginger root
• Scallions
• Toasted Sesame seeds
• Optional: chili paste or chili flakes or sriracha

What kind of cucumbers to use?

Use thin-skinned burpless cucumbers like Persian, Turkish or English Cucumbers, for the least bitterness and best flavor. Waxy cucumbers will work in a pinch but you will need to peel them first.

Instructions

Expert Tips:

1. Scoring the cucumber with the tines of a fork before slicing allows the dressing to cling to the cucumbers, making each and every bite more flavorful! A reader recently reminded me of this and it is SO true. Thanks, Joseph!
2. Salting the cucumber beforehand helps release liquid, also creating a more flavorful salad as the dressing doesn’t get as watered down. Of course, you can skip this if in a hurry.

So if you have time, saltthe cucumbers, and place in a strainer– for 20 minutes or up to a few hours!

Chop up your herbs. Here I’m simply using scallions, but feel free to play with chives, cilantro, or even Thai basil!

Asian Dressing Ingredients:

You can directly add these to the salad bowl with the strained cucumbers and toss. Simple!

Grate a little ginger into the salad.

Grate a little garlic into the bowl.

For a little heat- add Red chili paste or sriracha.

Mix it all up and adjust salt and spice level to your liking.

Storage

The Asian Cucumber Salad will last 3 days in the fridge- if it makes it that long! You can salt the cucumbers ahead, place them in a strainer over a bowl and place in the fridge overnight.

What to serve with Asian Cucumber Salad:

• Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
• JAPANESE FARM STYLE TERIYAKI BOWL
• Seoul Bowl (Vegan Bibimbap!)
• Thai Turkey Burger Recipe w/ Asian Slaw
• Chinese Eggplant with Spicy Szechuan Sauce
• Miso Mushroom Bowl
• Grilled Lemongrass Chicken
• Instant Pot Peanut Chicken
• Indonesian Grilled Sambal Chicken
• Pan-Seared Thai Chicken with Red Curry Paste

Variations:

• Thai Version: add crushed roasted peanuts, fish sauce and lime juice or tamarind (replace some of the vinegar).
• Korean Version: Add Gochujang, cilantro and extra ginger and garlic.
• Japanese Version: Leave out the garlic and chili paste, try chive blossoms.

More Favorite cucumber recipes!

• Persian Cucumber Walnut Salad
• Chilled Cucumber Melon Soup
• Cucumber Gazpacho
• Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Easy Crunchy Asian Slaw

Enjoy the Asian Cucumber Salad- please leave your feedback and/or adaptions below, everyone loves reading these!

Hope you are having a lovely week. All is well here, hope it is with you too.

xoxo

Sylvia

Watch the video!

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