If you want an alternative to the usual green, leafy salads, then this Easy Asian Cucumber Salad is exactly what you’re looking for! Not only is this quick to make and refreshing to the palate, but it also showcases your hearty harvest of cucumbers.

For this delightful plate of cool and comforting flavors, large, thin-skinned cucumbers take center stage. English cucumbers are a great choice because of their mildly sweet taste and crispy texture. You can enjoy them with the skin, adding a subtle crunch, and you don’t have to remove the seeds either since they’re much smaller than the seeds of regular cucumbers.

The trick to this Easy Asian Cucumber Salad is to slice the cucumbers thinly and draw out the excess water with salt. A salt soak would keep the naturally high water content of the cucumbers from forming a small puddle at the bottom of the plate. This way, you don’t dilute the flavors from other liquids, such as seasoned rice vinegar and soy sauce.

Aside from enjoying the refreshing taste of cucumbers, adding some garlic, ginger, cayenne, scallions, cilantro, and ground pepper will give your Easy Asian Cucumber Salad a pleasant kick. A dash of dark sesame oil and sunflower or grapeseed oil brings the whole mix together with a delicate and slightly toasty finish.

Besides being delicious, this Easy Asian Cucumber Salad also presents beautifully, with its bright gradations of green made even more vibrant by accents of brown, red, yellows, and whites from the other ingredients. It’s more than just a treat for the palate — it can satisfy your craving just by looking at it! Best of all, you can serve this salad alongside some sushi or grilled salmon.

Easy Asian Cucumber Salad

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If you’re looking for a salad that’s refreshing and comforting, whip up a bowl of this Easy Asian Cucumber Salad alongside some sushi and grilled salmon!

• Author: Norann Oleson
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4
• Category: Salads & Dressings

Ingredients

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• 2 large, thin-skinned cucumbers, such as English, thinly sliced
• Salt, to taste
• 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (or more to taste)
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons sunflower oil or grapeseed oil
• 1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts, very thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

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Instructions

1. Place sliced cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle liberally with salt. Let sit in sink 15 minutes to drain. Rinse and dry with a clean kitchen towel. Transfer to a serving bowl.
2. While the cucumbers are draining, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, cayenne, and pepper. Whisk in the sesame oil and the sunflower or grapeseed oil.
3. Toss the vinegar mixture with the cucumbers, scallions, and cilantro. Chill until ready to serve.

Cucumbers are easy to grow and will reward you with delicious dishes and health benefits! Check out our Cucumber Growers Gardening Guide, and you’ll have everything you need to know about growing and enjoying this versatile food.

Have you tried this recipe? It’s so easy and should be a staple in your house—please tell us how it turned out for you.