Asian Cucumber Salad

This Asian Cucumber Salad is easy to prepare and a delightful, refreshing addition to any meal. Crisp, thinly sliced cucumbers are beautifully combined with a flavorful dressing that balances savory and tangy flavors.

I enjoy a refreshing and flavorful salad with plenty of crunch. Try this creamy cucumber salad or creamy grape salad for something cool and creamy, or consider this tomato cucumber avocado salad or broccoli bacon grape salad for variety.

Before You Get Started

CUCUMBERS: For the best salad, choose fresh, crisp cucumbers. I prefer English cucumbers because they have smaller seeds and contain less water, preventing the salad from becoming watery. You can use regular cucumbers, just be sure to peel and deseed them, and take note that your salad will become watery more quickly. An alternative is to toss the sliced cucumbers with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and let them sit for 20 minutes. You will see a pool of water at the bottom of the bowl. Pour this out and pat the cucumbers dry. Use in your recipe, and you will have deliciously crisp cucumbers!

CHILL TIME: I recommend letting the cucumber salad chill for 20 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to combine and enhances the taste.

SESAME SEEDS: Choose toasted sesame seeds as they will have more flavor than the regular ones. If you can’t find them, you can toast some yourself! Toast the seeds in a dry skillet over medium to medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds until they become golden and fragrant. Remove them from the pan immediately to prevent burning.

How To Make Asian Cucumber Salad

Here is a simple overview of how to make this cucumber salad. As always, the detailed recipe can be found below in the recipe card.

STEP 1: Prepare the Dressing

In a large bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, chili crisp, sesame oil, and honey. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly.

STEP 2: Slice the Cucumbers and Onion

Slice the cucumbers, chop the onion and cilantro. Toss with the dressing. Serve immediately, or, for better flavor, chill, covered, for 20 minutes, which I recommend.

***KITCHEN TIP: Use a mandoline to achieve perfectly even slices. Just be careful not to slice too thinly, as they will become limp and watery more quickly.

Serving Suggestions

This is a side dish that pairs well with almost anything, especially summery main dishes! Here are a few suggestions:

• Orange Chicken
• Chinese Lemon Chicken
• Ground Beef and Broccoli
• Shrimp and ramen soup
• Use it in bowls or alongside steamed dumplings

Storage

To store your Asian Cucumber Salad, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate it immediately. For the best flavor and texture, enjoy the salad within 1 to 2 hours.

If you need to store it for a longer period, keep the dressing separate and mix it just before serving. This will prevent the salad from becoming soggy.

Before serving, give the salad a quick toss and add a little more dressing to refresh it. You can prepare the sesame dressing up to 3 days in advance to speed up your meal prep!

Variations

VEGGIES: Feel free to add more veggies such as thinly sliced carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, or other fresh produce you need to use up.

CHILI CRUNCH: I love using mild chili crisp—like Momofuku Chili Crunch—to add great texture and a subtle kick that enhances rather than hides the other ingredients. If you prefer things very mild, start with just one teaspoon or swap the chili crisp for classic red pepper flakes. To turn up the heat, simply mix in an extra splash of chili oil, chili flakes, or Sriracha.

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