Asian Cucumber Salad Sesame (Printable)

Refreshing cucumbers with tangy sesame and rice vinegar dressing, perfect as a light, vibrant side dish.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 large English cucumbers, thinly sliced
02 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

03 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
04 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
05 - 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
06 - 1 teaspoon sugar or maple syrup
07 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
10 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

→ Garnish

11 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
12 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, optional
13 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

# How-To:

01 - Place sliced cucumbers in a large bowl and sprinkle with sea salt. Toss to combine and let sit for 5 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Gently squeeze and drain off any accumulated liquid.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic, ginger, and black pepper until sugar dissolves completely.
03 - Add prepared dressing and sliced green onions to cucumbers. Toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Transfer salad to serving bowl and top with toasted sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, and red pepper flakes if desired.
05 - Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes to enhance flavor development before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in 10 minutes flat, making it perfect for those nights when you need something fresh but have zero energy for cooking.
  • The sesame-ginger dressing is addictive enough that you'll find yourself making extra to drizzle over rice or roasted vegetables.
  • It pairs beautifully with almost any main dish, from grilled fish to simple noodles, and feels special without any real effort.
02 -
  • Don't skip the salting step—it feels counterintuitive, but removing that water is the difference between a crisp salad and a soggy disappointment.
  • The dressing will taste slightly aggressive on its own, but once it hits the cucumbers it becomes perfectly balanced, so trust the process even if you want to add more sugar.
03 -
  • If your sesame oil smells rancid or bitter, replace it—that one ingredient can make or break the entire salad's flavor.
  • Ginger loses potency after a few minutes of sitting, so grate it fresh right into the dressing bowl rather than ahead of time.
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