Asian Cucumber Salad

Our simple Asian cucumber salad is a light and refreshing side dish made from fresh cucumbers, crunchy peanuts, and a sweet and spicy dressing.

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Table of Contents

Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe Ingredients
Cucumber Salad (Asian) Substitutions and Additions
How to make Asian Cucumber Salad
How to serve this Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe
Storing Cucumber Asian Salad
Cucumber Salad Recipe (Asian) FAQs
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Our Asian cucumber salad is a simple yet delicious dish that packs a punch. Its fresh cucumbers are paired with a nutty crunch from the sesame seeds and peanuts, all tossed with a sweet and slightly spicy dressing.

Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe Ingredients

Asian Cucumber Salad raw ingredients that are labeled

This recipe for Asian cucumber salad has a refreshing and crunchy texture from the thinly sliced cucumbers.

The dressing is a perfect balance of sweet and tangy with a hint of spiciness from the red pepper flakes, while the sesame oil and sesame seeds add a nutty flavor that complements the honey’s sweetness and the soy sauce’s saltiness.

The chopped roasted peanuts add a satisfying crunch to the salad and a slightly nutty taste that enhances the overall flavor.

To make this fresh salad, you’ll need:

2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon of minced garlic (I used store-bought)
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon of salt (add more to taste depending on how salty the soy sauce is)
3 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced (I used English cucumbers)
2-3 tablespoons of chopped roasted peanuts
3 green onions, thinly sliced for garnish

Cucumber Salad (Asian) Substitutions and Additions

MIX-INS: If you want to switch up the flavor profile, you can add other ingredients, such as grated fresh ginger, sliced red onion, or chopped cilantro.

RICE VINEGAR: If you do not have rice vinegar (also known as rice wine vinegar), you can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead in this easy recipe.

HONEY: You can also substitute the honey with maple syrup or agave nectar in the salad dressing.

NUTS: If you don’t have roasted peanuts, you can use other nuts, such as cashews, almonds, or salted peanuts, in this tasty salad.

How to make Asian Cucumber Salad

You can easily make this salad by combining all of the dressing ingredients together before adding it to the sliced cucumbers and letting the salad chill in the fridge to allow the flavors to mingle.

STEP ONE: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, sesame seeds, and salt to taste.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

If you prefer a milder flavor, you can reduce the amount of rice vinegar in the dressing.

vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, pepper flakes, garlic, sesame seeds, and salt whisked together

STEP TWO: Slice the cucumbers and add them to a salad bowl.

PRO TIP:

To make slicing the cucumbers easier and more uniform, you can use a mandoline slicer.

cucumbers sliced and added to the salad bowl

STEP THREE: Pour the dressing over and toss to coat the cucumbers.

STEP FOUR: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

STEP FIVE: Remove the cucumber salad from the refrigerator and sprinkle it with the chopped roasted peanuts.

STEP SIX: Garnish with thinly sliced green onions and serve.

STEP SEVEN: Enjoy your delicious Asian cucumber salad with a satisfying crunch from the chopped roasted peanuts!

PRO TIP:

If the salad is left in the fridge for a few days, the cucumbers may release some moisture due to the salt and acid in the dressing. This can cause the salad to become more watery and less crisp.

To prevent this, make sure to drain any excess liquid from the salad before serving. You can try tossing the salad with fresh dressing and some chopped nuts to help revive the flavors. However, keep in mind that the cucumbers may have lost some of their texture and crispness over time.

How to serve this Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe

This Asian cucumber salad is a light and refreshing side dish that pairs well with a variety of heavier entrees. Grilled fish or chicken, tofu, pork, or beef steak would all be ideal accompaniments to this salad.

You could also serve this tangy salad alongside our chicken fried rice or shrimp fried rice for a complete meal.

There are plenty of ways to enjoy the spoils from your vegetable garden. Our tomato cucumber salad and pickled cucumber recipe are two more delicious cucumber salad recipes to add a bit of freshness to your table.

MORE SALAD RECIPES

Side Dishes

Simple Caesar Salad Recipe

Lunch

Mexican Layered Salad

Storing Cucumber Asian Salad

This salad has the best crunch and crispness when made and enjoyed fresh.

IN THE FRIDGE: This easy cucumber salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. However, it is best to serve it fresh.

IN THE FREEZER: Cucumbers don’t freeze well and would end up soggy and mushy once thawed. We recommend making this salad fresh.

A close up shot of a fork grabbing a piece of Asian Cucumber Salad

This crunchy Asian cucumber salad is the perfect side dish for almost any entree you can think of. It’s loaded with flavor from the tangy dressing, and the satisfying crunch from the fresh cucumbers and peanuts makes it a delight to add to your plate.

Cucumber Salad Recipe (Asian) FAQs

Can I use other types of cucumbers for this recipe?

While we love using English cucumbers for this simple recipe, it would work fine with garden cucumbers, mini cucumbers, or any other variety of cucumbers you have on hand. Make sure your cucumbers are sliced into thin slices, and unlike the English cucumbers, which have very thin skin, if you are using a variety that has thick skin, we’d recommend peeling it first.

Does this recipe go by any other name?

You may find that this salad is often referred to by other names, including Thai cucumber salad, Chinese cucumber salad, or Japanese cucumber salad. They are all just different names for this same flavorful side dish.

Is this recipe spicy?

Adding the spicy red pepper flakes will give this recipe a little heat, but that spiciness is balanced nicely by the sweetness from the honey. If you are really not a fan of spice, you can omit or reduce the quantity of red pepper flakes added.

How do you make cucumber salad not watery?

A few ways to avoid a watery cucumber salad include: opting for cucumbers with thinner skins and fewer seeds, such as English cucumbers. These types tend to be less watery compared to traditional cucumbers. Slice the cucumbers and sprinkle them with a bit of salt. Let them sit for about 15-20 minutes. This draws out excess moisture. Afterward, rinse the cucumbers and pat them dry with paper towels. If you’ve sliced the cucumbers ahead of time and they’ve released water, drain the excess liquid before assembling the salad.

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Cucumber Salad Recipe (Asian)

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Our simple Asian cucumber salad is a light and refreshing side dish made from fresh cucumbers, crunchy peanuts, and a sweet and spicy dressing.

Prep Time 15

Total Time 45

Servings

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon minced garlic, I used store-bought
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon salt, add more to taste depending on how salty the soy sauce is
3 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced (I used English cucumbers)
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
3 green onions, thinly sliced for garnish

Instructions

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, sesame seeds, and salt to taste.
Slice the cucumbers and add them to a salad bowl.
Pour the dressing over and toss to coat the cucumbers.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Remove the cucumber salad from the refrigerator and sprinkle it with the chopped roasted peanuts.
Garnish with thinly sliced green onions and serve.
Enjoy your delicious Asian cucumber salad with a satisfying crunch from the chopped roasted peanuts!

Notes

If you prefer a milder flavor, you can reduce the amount of rice vinegar in the dressing.
To make slicing the cucumbers easier and more uniform, you can use a mandoline slicer.
If the salad is left in the fridge for a few days, the cucumbers may release some moisture due to the salt and acid in the dressing. This can cause the salad to become more watery and less crisp. To prevent this, make sure to drain any excess liquid from the salad before serving. You can try tossing the salad with fresh dressing, and some chopped nuts to help revive the flavors. However, keep in mind that the cucumbers may have lost some of their texture and crispness over time.

Nutrition

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This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!