A crispy cucumber salad recipe tossed in an addicting sweet and sour Japanese style vinegar marinade. This super simple Japanese cucumber salad recipe is one you don’t want to miss. One bite and you won’t be able to stop!
This refreshing cucumber salad recipe is inspired by the traditional Japanese dish called sunomono.
Served in restaurants and homes across Japan, this dish goes perfectly with just about any meal and is probably the easiest side dish you will make.
What is Japanese Cucumber Salad, also known in Japan as sunomono salad?
Crunchy cucumber slices are tossed in a vinegary sauce making it both sour and sweet.
It’s a cool and refreshing side dish that goes great with any meal.
If you are looking for the traditional Japanese taku-su dish, a recipe that adds thin sliced octopus into this cucumber salad, check out the recipe here.
What ingredients do I need and how to I make Japanese cucumber salad?
The ingredients for Japanese Cucumber Salad include:
- Cucumbers (Japanese or Persian)
- Salt
- Dried Seaweed
- Sweetener
- Rice Vinegar
- Soy Sauce
- Sesame Seed
Combine vinegar and sweetener and heat until a soft boil. Add soy sauce and toasted sesame seeds into the vinegar mixture and set aside. Peel cucumbers and rub them with salt. Then slice either by hand or with a mandoline and stir it into the sauce. Add rehydrated seaweed wakame and place it into the fridge until ready to serve. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
What is the difference between American cucumbers and Japanese cucumbers?
American cucumbers are larger, have thicker skin and bigger seeds. Japanese cucumbers are more crunchy and thinner skin and very little seeds.
I recommend using crunchy cucumber such as Japanese cucumbers aka kyuri, Persian cucumbers or baby cucumbers.
What’s the difference between rice wine vinegar and rice vinegar?
White distilled vinegar is very acidic with a strong tart, sour taste while rice vinegar has a more mild and delicate flavor that is slightly sour and a hint of sweetness.
Do I need to peel the skin off Japanese cucumbers?
Since the cucumber skin is the most nutrient-dense part of the cucumber, it is best for health benefits to keep the skin on.
But you might notice many Japanese cucumber recipes where the skin is peeled every other stroke.
This is just for aesthetic purposes so doing so is not necessary and definitely a personal preference.
What is the nutrition information for Japanese sunomono cucumber salad?
- 46 Calories
- 7g Carbohydrates
- 2g Fiber
- 2g Protein
- 1g Fat
- 636mg Sodium
- 417mg Potassium
- 57mg Calcium
- 1mg Iron
- 219ui Vitamin A
- 10mg Vitamin C
Did you have other recipes that use cucumbers?
- Spicy Garlic Cucumber Salad
- Chili Oil Cucumber Salad
- Japanese Cucumber Pork Belly Pickled Plum Salad
- Cucumber Wrapped Cream Cheese Philly Roll
- Japanese Egg Salad
Now, let’s get making this Japanese Sunomono Cucumber Salad recipe!
- Prepping Time 5M
- Total Time 5M
- Net Carb/Serv ~2g
- Servings 2
Ingredients
- 2 Persian or Japanese Cucumbers
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Dried Seaweed
- 2 tsp Sweetener (sugar alternative, sugar or preferred sweetener)
- 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Sesame Seed
Directions
1) Gather all the ingredients.
2) Fill a bowl of water and add the Dried Seaweed. It should re-hydrate in about 5 minutes.
3) In a small fry pan, add sweetener and Rice Vinegar. Bring to a soft boil, then remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl.
4) Add Soy Sauce, Toasted Sesame Seeds into the same mixing bowl to create dressing.
5) With a vegetable peeler, peel the skin off the cucumbers every other stroke. Pour 1/2 tsp of salt into the palm of your hands and rub the salt onto the cucumber. Repeat with the other cucumber.
6) Cut the cucumbers into 1/4 inch slices and place into a serving bowl.
7) Once the seaweed is re-hydrated, squeeze excess water from the seaweed and add into the serving bowl. Pour dressing, toss and keep refrigerated until ready to serve (best to serve within 30 min – 1 hour).
Hope you enjoy your Japanese Sunomono Cucumber Salad !
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Japanese Sunomono Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 2 Persian or Japanese Cucumbers
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Dried Seaweed
- 2 tsp Sweetener sugar alternative, sugar or preferred sweetener
- 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Sesame Seed
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Fill a bowl of water and add the Dried Seaweed. It should re-hydrate in about 5 minutes.
- In a small Teflon fry pan, add sweetener and Rice Vinegar. Bring to a soft boil, then remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Add Soy Sauce, Toasted Sesame Seeds into the same mixing bowl to create dressing.
- With a vegetable peeler, peel the skin off the cucumbers every other stroke. Pour 1/2 tsp of salt into the palm of your hands and rub the salt onto the cucumber. Repeat with the other cucumber.
- Cut the cucumbers into 1/4 inch slices and place into a serving bowl.
- Once the seaweed is re-hydrated, squeeze excess water from the seaweed and add into the serving bowl. Pour dressing, toss and keep refrigerated until ready to serve (best to serve within 30 min - 1 hour).
Video
Nutrition
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