Name: Easy Asian Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 2 large English cucumbers, thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds; 2 green onions, thinly sliced; 1 small clove garlic, minced; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional); Salt to taste

So Let Me Tell You About This Cucumber Salad

You know how sometimes you just need something fresh, crunchy and—let’s be honest—super fast that makes it look like you tried harder than you did? That’s basically how I started making this Easy Asian Cucumber Salad. It all began one sweltering July at my aunt’s backyard picnic when I was assigned to “bring a healthy veggie thing” and forgot until, uh, basically the day of. Ended up cobbling this together from what was rolling around in the crisper drawer (plus a nearly-empty bottle of rice vinegar). Now I make it on purpose because turns out it’s actually amazing—and, not to brag, but it disappeared even before the chips and dip did! Crazy, right?

Why This is Always in My Fridge (Or, Why You’ll Love It)

I make this when I need a break from boring salads—okay, and also when the cucumbers in my garden won’t stop reproducing (seriously, they’re like little green rabbits). My family honestly goes nuts for this because it’s such a nice change from typical side salads—and because you can throw it together in under 10 minutes if you’re not too fussy about precise slicing (which, honestly, who has time on a Thursday night?). Plus, it’s got this punchy, sweet-sour thing going on that’s almost impossible to mess up. The only tricky part is not eating half while you’re making it, which, ahem, has happened more than once.

What You’ll Need (a.k.a Ingredients, With My Mutterings)

2 big juicy cucumbers (English are best, but regular old ones work—just scoop out the seeds if they’re big and watery, grandma style)
1–2 teaspoons kosher salt (or any salt, to be honest—I used pink sea salt once and nobody noticed)
2–3 tablespoons rice vinegar (apple cider vinegar in a pinch, though it’s got more tang—use less if you swap it)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (low-sodium, regular, tamari—all fine. My friend swears by coconut aminos, go figure)
1–2 teaspoons sugar (sometimes I go for honey if feeling bougie. Brown sugar gives a deeper flavor, actually)
1 clove garlic, smashed and minced (I cheat with jarred sometimes; no shame)
1 teaspoon sesame oil (if you love that toasty vibe, but it’s fine to leave out if you don’t have it)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (leave out if you’re feeding spice-averse folks, or go wild with fresh chili—you do you)
1–2 scallions, thinly sliced (optional, but why not? Literally any onion-y thing will work—chives, shallots, I’ve even used a handful of chopped parsley once in a pinch)
A generous sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds (can skip, but they’re so pretty and fun to bite down on)

Here’s How I Make It (Guidelines, Not Law)

Wash your cucumbers and slice them pretty thin—about 1/8 inch if you’re into precision, but honestly, no need to stress (I use a mandoline when I want perfectly thin slices, but I’ve done it with a slightly blunt knife in a hurry too; both taste good!).
Toss the slices in a bowl with the salt and let them sit for 10 minutes. They’ll get weirdly watery—don’t panic, that’s just the cucumbers sweating (ugh, wish I could lose water weight this fast). Meanwhile, mix the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, and chili flakes in a cup or small bowl. Sip your coffee (or wine?) while you stir.
Drain off the cucumber water—just tip the bowl and give ‘em a gentle squeeze. You don’t have to wring them out like laundry, but a little pressure helps.
Pour the dressing over the cucumbers, toss to coat, and taste. This is where I add a little extra vinegar if it’s feeling dull, or another pinch of sugar if too tart. Don’t worry if the dressing pools at the bottom—it mixes in as it sits.
Sling on your scallions and sesame seeds, toss again, and if you can, let the whole thing sit for 10-15 minutes. But sometimes I can’t wait that long and dig in right away. Nobody’s policing your salad!

Notes (aka, Hard-Earned Lessons From Repeats)

Cucumbers can vary like, a lot. Some types are super watery; you might need to salt them a second time if you’re dealing with a particularly juicy batch. Or not—it’s never ruined anything.
I used to skip the sesame oil (didn’t think it would matter), but actually I find it works better if you add just a tiny bit. Makes a world of difference.
Once, I forgot the sugar entirely. It was…intense. Don’t do that. Or do—depends how tart you like it!

Stuff I’ve Tried (A Few Variations, Some Winning, Some Meh)

I once swapped half the cucumbers for thin-sliced radishes—great crunch, but wow, it went spicy. Maybe go easy if you’re nervous.
Trying fresh dill: not bad, but it did make the salad taste more like pickles than I wanted. Fun, but probably not for everyone—my brother hated it.
A splash of fish sauce instead of soy sauce works, but just a tiny splash, unless you want salad that punches back.
I read this version on The Kitchn and was inspired to try adding crushed peanuts on top. Recommend if you love some nutty crunch, though it’s not strictly classic.

What If I Don’t Have the “Right” Tools?

Mandoline is great for thin slices, but let’s be real—not everyone needs one. A regular sharp-ish knife is fine. Once, I literally used a vegetable peeler (not ideal, but sort of worked). Bowls, forks, a cutting board; nothing too fancy here. If you’re short on mixing bowls, I’ve mixed the dressing in a coffee mug. It’s all good.

Storing the Salad (Sort of Pointless Advice, Really)

You can toss leftovers in a container and stash it in the fridge for 2 days, though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! The flavors mingle and intensify the next day—some people say it gets soggy, but I actually kinda like it after it’s marinated a while.

When I Serve It (And Sometimes, What’s With It)

I like it with grilled salmon or quick fried rice, but honestly, last week my kids put it into peanut butter sandwiches. That was weird, but, well, what can you do? At BBQs, I just dump it into a pretty bowl and it always looks like I’ve put way more effort in than I actually did (pro tip: bring extra, it’ll vanish).

Hard-Learned Tips I’d Tell My Past Self

Don’t rush the salting step—last time I tried, it turned mushy instead of crisp. Gotta let those cukes do their thing.
If your garlic is super strong, cut back a little. I once used two cloves and then, well, couldn’t get rid of the garlic flavor for days!
If serving for a crowd, double the dressing. The cucumbers soak it up like crazy (and then everyone’s fighting for the last juicy bits at the bottom…)

FAQ (Because Apparently People Actually Ask These)

Can I make this in advance?
Yeah, definitely—I think it tastes better the next day, actually. If you want it extra crisp, wait to add dressing until about an hour before eating, but I’ve skipped that step plenty of times and nobody’s noticed.
What if I only have regular cucumbers?
No sweat! Just scoop the seeds out with a spoon (or don’t, if you don’t mind a juicier bite). Sometimes I don’t even bother if they’re smallish.
Could I make this less spicy?
Absolutely—just skip the red pepper flakes, or add half; you can always sprinkle some on at the table for heat-lovers.
How long does it really keep?
About two days max in the fridge, but, I’ve never actually had leftovers past day one. Some say it gets too limp by the second day, but, I mean, who cares if it still tastes good?
Is there a low-sugar version?
Sure! Swap the sugar for a squeeze of honey, or just cut it in half—my cousin makes it with none, but that’s a bit tart for my taste. Bon Appétit has a cool guide for riffing on flavors.

And, this is slightly random, but if you ever find you have leftover sesame seeds, toss ‘em on your next bowl of oatmeal. Trust me, it’s better than it sounds.

Easy Asian Cucumber Salad