Asian Cucumber Salad

by Robin Miller on April 24, 2026

Asian Cucumber Salad in a white bowl with black chop sticks

This light, refreshing salad features crunchy cucumbers in a garlicky, mildly fiery, Asian soy vinaigrette. It’s crisp, refreshing, and perfect all year long. Plus, it’s easy to make and ready in minutes!

Asian Cucumber Salad in a white bowl with black chop sticks and red napkin

This recipe was written for the Arizona Republic.

Simple ingredients, zesty outcome. You need very few, readily available ingredients for this salad, and the result is remarkable – both in texture and contrasting flavors.

Cucumbers are available year-round, and all remaining ingredients are easily found at your local supermarket; no hunting for anything unfamiliar at an Asian specialty grocery store. Consider this salad when you’re looking for a deliciously quick appetizer, or crispy side dish for your favorite entrees. Low-calorie, high-fiber, vegan, and gluten-free, this Asian cucumber salad isn’t just delicious, it’s suitable for varying dietary preferences.

Here’s what you need for this Asian cucumber salad

Cucumbers. You have a few choices when it comes to the cucumbers for this salad. I prefer the mini cucumbers (sometimes called Persian cucumbers, or snacking cucumbers) because they have a thin, smooth skin, crisp texture, and subtly sweet flavor. Note that mini cucumbers are not pickling cucumbers; pickling cucumbers are ideal for soaking up brine, while mini cucumbers are best eaten fresh. You can also use English or Japanese cucumbers, which are both essentially seedless. Just note that English and Japanese cucumbers have small longitudinal grooves, while mini cucumbers are smooth.
Salt. Salt is used to pull excess water from the cucumbers in the first step of this recipe. This is an important step to ensure the cucumbers stay crunchy!
Soy sauce. Salty, savory soy sauce makes up the bulk of the vinaigrette and adds great flavor to the dressing. You may use regular or low sodium soy sauce. For gluten-free and/or soy free options, use tamari, coconut aminos, or liquid aminos.
Rice vinegar. Rice vinegar is made with fermented rice and delivers a mildly sweet nuance to the vinaigrette (rice vinegar is less acidic than white or apple cider vinegars). In this recipe, you may use regular or seasoned rice vinegar, just note, due to the addition of sugar in seasoned rice vinegar, it’s often sweeter. If desired, you may substitute white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, just note that they are more acidic.
Chili oil. Chili oil is vegetable oil that’s been infused with chili peppers, and it adds a nice kick to this salad. If desired, you may swap in chili garlic sauce, sweet chili sauce, gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), or crushed red pepper flakes. When using chili flakes or red pepper flakes, start with 1/2 teaspoon and adjust the seasoning from there. For a milder cucumber salad, you may omit the chili oil.
Sugar. A touch of sugar balance the saltiness of the soy sauce in the vinaigrette. If desired, you can replace the sugar with honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, or your preferred sweetener. Tip: As noted above, if you’re using seasoned rice vinegar, it’s sweeter than regular rice vinegar, so adjust the sugar accordingly.
Sesame oil. Toasted sesame oil adds a deep nutty flavor to the vinaigrette, giving it great depth. If you have a sesame allergy, omit the oil, and/or substitute with more chili oil. Pro tip: Make sure to purchase toasted sesame oil, which has a deep brown color.
Sesame seeds. Toasted sesame seeds add a delicious, nutty crunch to the salad right before serving. You can find toasted sesame seeds in the spice aisle, next to the raw sesame seeds. If you only have raw sesame seeds, it’s easy to toast them. To toast the raw seeds, place them in a small dry skillet over low heat and cook until lightly toasted, shaking the pan frequently to prevent scorching.
Green onions. Green onions (scallions) add a fresh, grassy note to this salad. If desired, you can swap in 2 tablespoons of chopped red onion.
Optional: While I didn’t use cilantro in this salad, you most certainly could. When adding cilantro, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the chopped leaves when you add the cucumber slices to the vinaigrette.

A few tips for this Asian cucumber salad

Salt the cucumbers. As mentioned above, salting the cucumbers pulls excess liquid from the slices and guarantees a crunchy salad. Salt the cucumbers for at least 5 minutes, but no more than 10 minutes or they will break down.
Rinse the salted cucumbers well. Once the cucumbers have been coated in salt for 5 minutes, rinse them thoroughly before proceeding with the recipe. This step is crucial to prevent an overly salty salad, especially because the vinaigrette has sodium. Pro tip: Make sure the cucumbers are well drained and patted dry after to rinsing to prevent a watery salad.
Make the vinaigrette before adding the cucumbers. Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients before adding the sliced cucumbers. This ensures that the ingredients are evenly distributed in the vinaigrette and will uniformly coat the cucumbers.
Add flavor by marinating longer. While you can serve this cucumber salad immediately after assembling, letting it sit for 10 minutes enhances all the flavors in the vinaigrette by allowing them to bloom. For an even bigger flavor punch, marinate the salad for up to 30 minutes before serving.

What should you serve with this Asian cucumber salad?

This Asian cucumber salad pairs well with virtually every protein – from baked chicken to grilled steak, to steamed fish – which makes it an excellent addition to your weekly dinner rotation. You can also stuff the salad into your favorite sandwiches and wraps for added flavor and crunch.

How should you store leftover Asian cucumber salad?

Store this Asian cucumber salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Note that as the cucumbers sit in the vinaigrette, they will absorb more liquid and soften. I do not recommend freezing this salad as cucumbers break down when thawed.

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