This quick and easy Asian Cucumber Salad is a cool and refreshing side dish to complement any meal. Made with crunchy cucumbers, red onion and a few other simple ingredients, it brings tons of flavor and texture and takes just a few minutes to throw together. This is one of my favorite salads to whip up when I want something light and fresh and don’t feel like eating lettuce. It’s perfect for a BBQ side or picnic.
I find that this recipe works best with English cucumbers. English cucumbers are the long, slender ones that typically come wrapped in plastic in the grocery store. They have a thin, tender skin and minimal seeds, making them perfect for this salad. English cucumbers are also a little sweeter and there’s no need to peel them. Just slice them up!
You can definitely use the regular variety of cucumber in this recipe if that’s what you have on hand, especially in the summer if you’re growing them in your garden or picking them up at the farmers market. For regular cucumbers, I would suggest running a vegetable peeler around it, leaving a little skin in tact, to make that gorgeous striped pattern. Also better to cut regular cucumbers into larger chunks and remove the seeds.
Whatever kind of cucumber you use and how you cut them is up to you. You really can’t go wrong with the tangy, fresh flavors and fun textures in this salad!
Asian Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb cucumbers English cucumber recommended
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tbsp jalapeño minced
- 1 inch fresh grated ginger
- 5 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp honey
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Thinly slice cucumber and onion. If you're not using English cucumber, I recommend cutting into chunks and removing seeds.
- Whisk together vinegar, sesame oil, jalapeño, honey and salt.
- Add cucumbers, onion, cilantro and sesame seeds to dressing and stir.
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