This easy Asian Cucumber Salad recipe is crisp and fresh, with just the right balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors. It takes only 10 minutes to make so it’s the perfect summer side dish or condiments for your burger or sandwich!
There are so many ways to do a cucumber salad. You can make a Creamy Cucumber Salad, you can add some Greek flair and make it a Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, or you can give it an Asian spin—and that, my friends, would be this Asian cucumber salad recipe. And don’t let the name fool you, this is a salad that pairs well with just about anything, making it one of those go-to side dishes you find yourself adding to the menu a few times a month.
Why This Asian Cucumber Salad Is a Hit
The flavor in this Asian cucumber salad is so fresh, tangy, and delicious, it’s easy to eat a whole batch all by yourself!
- Super easy. This Asian cucumber salad takes only 10 minutes to make. Which is basically the “slicing” part of recipe. Simple!
- Layers of flavor. This recipe gets its tangy flavor from rice wine vinegar. Instead of cream, yogurt, or sour cream I add a little toasted sesame oil, which amplifies the Asian flavor. I finish it off with red pepper flakes and a touch of honey to balance the acidity.
- So many ways to use it. This salad is great as a fun summer side dish or you can use it as a condiment and pile it on top of Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Burgers, or Chipotle Barbacoa Tacos.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a quick list of the ingredients you’ll need to make this refreshing and summery cucumber salad. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Seedless cucumbers – Very thinly sliced; mini cucumbers, like Persian cucumbers, work best for this recipe.
- Red onion – You can swap in shallots or even green onions for a milder onion flavor.
- Red bell pepper – Finely diced, for a pop of color and sweetness.
- Rice wine vinegar – This is sometimes also labeled as rice vinegar.
- Honey – Balances the vinegar with a touch of sweetness.
- Sesame seeds – You can use white, black, or a combination of both.
- Toasted sesame oil – Be sure to use toasted, not plain sesame oil, for a rich, toasted nutty aroma.
- Red pepper flakes – Adjust the amount to taste.
- Sea salt – Kosher salt will also work.
How to Make Asian Cucumber Salad
This salad just requires a few steps to make! Here’s what you’ll need to do.
- Combine the veggies. Add the sliced cucumber, red onion, red pepper, and sesame seeds to a bowl.
- Make the dressing. Whisk the rice wine vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and sea salt in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup.
- Toss to coat. Pour the dressing over the veggies and toss to combine.
- Serve. You can either serve immediately or refrigerate for an hour or two to allow the flavors to meld.
Tips and Variations
Here are some additional pointers and variations for this Asian cucumber salad recipe.
- Slice the cucumbers very thin. Asian cucumber salad is at its best when the cucumbers are thinly sliced—about 1/8-inch. This can be somewhat labor intensive, but if you have a mandoline, it will make your life much easier. If you use a knife, it will take you 5-10 minutes to slice the cucumbers.
- Add hot peppers. If you enjoy spicy foods, you can use a hot chili pepper instead of (or in addition to) the bell pepper.
- Use cucumbers from your garden. If you have “regular” cucumbers from your garden or the farmers market, you can use those instead of seedless cucumbers. But to keep your salad from getting soggy, you’ll need to slice the cucumbers lengthwise and scoop out the seeds before slicing.
Serving Suggestions
This Asian cucumber salad pairs well with light grilled dishes like Chile Lime Grilled Salmon and Thai Grilled Chicken Thighs. Use it as a side for Asian dishes like Thai Vegetable Curry and Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry, or use it as an add-on for Asian Noodle Salad and Korean Beef Bowls.
How to Store
Cucumbers can be stored in the vinegar dressing for up to 3 days. If stored longer than 3 days, the cucumbers will start to lose their crispness. But then you’ll have Asian cucumber pickles and hey, pickles are good too!
More Simple Side Salads
Asian Cucumber Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side Dish, Appetizer, Vegetarian, Condiments, Salads
- Method: Salad, How to Cold Pickle
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
This easy Asian Cucumber Salad is crisp and fresh, with just the right balance of sweet, tangy and savory flavors. The perfect summer side!
Ingredients
- 4 cups of very thinly sliced seedless cucumbers (i used mini cucumbers)
- 1/4 cup of finely sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup of fined diced red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
Instructions
- Add VERY thinly sliced cucumber, sliced red onion, diced red pepper, and sesame seeds to a medium size bowl. Set aside.
- In a small bowl mix together rice wine vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and sea salt .
- Add dressing to the cucumber bowl. Toss to mix everything.
- Serve immediately or cover and let sit in the refrigerator for an hour or two to let all the flavors meld.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 28
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 g
173 comments on “10-Minute Asian Cucumber Salad”
I’ve been making this for a while now. I put it in my salmon poke bowls. So good!
Such a great idea! Would add some acidity to cut through the fat of the salmon. So good!
Stupid question. Is red pepper… red bell pepper or a spicy pepper? Other than that, I’m excited to try this recipe.
yes it’s just red bell pepper and not a silly question, I’m gonna add that into the recipe.
I make this salad one or two times a month. It’s a favorite of my entire family.
Yeah! So glad to hear!
So good! A hit with the whole family! Great stand alone-so refreshing. We paired with the bang bang salmon bites (also amazing!).
OH love that pairing! Glad to hear you love it so much!
I’ve lost 27.5 lbs. and looking for refreshing veggies. Can’t wait to try some of yours!
Congrats on all the weight lost! Hope you like them!
Oh my! I wasn’t sure about this recipe but I had so many cucumbers from our garden and thought it would be ok to make for a 4th of July cookout. I read the comments from others and I totally understand why everyone is raving about this. It’s a wow of epic porportion for me!! It’s a 10+ star rating. I could have eaten the whole bowl before taking it to the cookout today. I’m am over the moon about this way of using cucumbers and will make it everyday or so during the summer for myself! I did add a little ginger. I love ginger with any asian recipe. I didn’t have honey so I added about a 1/4 cup sugar. I could drink the dressing and think it would be delicious on a regular salad. So glad I took a chance on your recipe. Thank you!
hahaha.. Yeah!! I love that it was 10+ star recipe and yes that dressing is perfection!
Hi! I am late to this party, but I cant wait to make this cuke salad tomorrow.
What is the optimal time for this salad to marinate/chill time before serving?
Thanks
You’re gonna love it! I usually let it sit for 15 minutes. But to really let it marinate maybe an hour.
I made this and enjoyed it. But I did think the sesame oil somewhat overpowered the taste. Next time I believe I will substitute a neutral oil for the sesame.
You could also use half the amount, the sesame flavor really adds so much.
I can clearly see plenty of seeds in the cucumbers you used, I am confuse
The seeds in the photos are sesame seeds. 🙂
We loved it! I did add a couple splashes of soy sauce & no salt and a sprinkle of Dan-O’s preemo seasoning. Added sesame seeds when served. I’ll be making this again & again!
Woohoo! So glad you liked it and I love your additions!
This was a lot more sour (vinegar) than I remember this salad from restaurants. I added some maple syrup to adjust
It’s definitely suppose to be sour/tart, maple might give it a weird taste, next time add honey.
It was too difficult to make because the website sucks
OH I’m sorry to hear you had a hard time with it.
I made this as a side dish to accompany Seared Tuna. It paired perfectly, but I am giving it 4 stars because I don’t think it is a stand alone dish. I did not have any toasted sesame oil & had to substitute with vegetable oil – not sure how much this changed the taste. I would recommend allowing several hours covered in the fridge for the flavors to meld.
OHHH yeah that would make a HUGE change. Toasted sesame is the star of this sauce because it adds a slight nuttiness and calms the rice wine vinegar down.
Hello! This looks great but to make it vegan can I sub agave for honey or would you recommend something else? Thank you.
Yes, agave would work as a substitution.
Wonderful, thank you! Light, quick, fresh, tasty- a big hit for potlucks!
I couldn’t agree more! I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
How long can this sit in fridge?
I’d say it’s at its best at day 2 or 3.
This was fantastic!!! I love the flavors! Thank you!
I am so glad you loved this recipe! Such an easy and fresh dish!
Hi Krista,
Tried this salad tonight with our dinner. My husband and I both loved it! Thank you so much for sharing it.
I am so glad it was a hit for both of yo! Thank you for giving this recipe a try!
Delicious! Easy to change up, new go to.
Music to my ears! Thank you!
I love this salad and I added sliced radishes which gives it a little kick. May try adding orange sections next as the sweetness might make for a nice balance.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe and are putting your own spin on it!
This was a yummy change from the usual Thai cucumber salad I make when I want a rice vinegar-based salad. I did feel the need to increase the sweetness so I drizzled a wee bit of Lyle’s Golden Syrup over it all and tossed well.
I was also out of red onion but I had a shallot on hand and just used that. Very good!
I am so happy you gave this recipe a try! I find myself craving it more and more once the warmer weather arrives!
Perfection with my neighbors small homegrown cucumbers!
Nothing better than homegrown! Thank you for the 5-star review!
I love making a batch of this when I meal prep on Sundays to have on weeknights if I’m feeling snacky. Delicious!
Such a great snack to have one hand! Although, when I make a batch, they never last long! So happy you loved this recipe!
Excellent
Thank you!
I love this salad! I’ve made it so much that I’ve had to adjust a little during quarantine of what I had at home .. white onion.. no red pepper .. maple syrup instead of honey … All still delicious! I love to use black sesame seeds if I have them for a color contrast. Thanks so much for this new staple!!!
Ohhh yeah. So glad to hear that!
careful with the onion/pepper as it can overwhelm the delicateness of the cucumber. A tasty salad! I however, do not understand people leaving commentary as opposed to an actual review of the recipe…..
I gave this five stars because this is super delicious. Thanks for sharing
Yum! Thank you for sharing!! Where is the glass from that you have as the main picture with the cucumber salad in it?! It’s so cute!
You’re welcome. I got it at World Market but I think you can get it on amazon too.. just look for weck jars.
Thank you for this recipe! Awesome!
Glad you enjoyed it! Quick and delicious!
How long will this last? Is it something I can make and snack on throughout the week?
Yes, absolutely. It should last between 5-7 days.
I ate the whole salad in one meal!!! It was sooooo good!!
It is the perfect snack, too, and so easy to put together!
An easy Cucumber Salad that takes only 10 minutes
This cucumber salad was excellent. Made a half batch tonight at to go with chicken yakitori. Excellent flavor without having to marinate very long! We did slice the cucumbers very thinly, so the dressing did penetrate well in the 10-15 minutes before it was served. There were no leftovers. This recipe is a keeper for me — definitely worth making again.
Yippie!! What a great combo!!
Healthy and delicious, easy to to it. I usually make it and eat immediately! watering mouth lol.
Such an easy and tasty recipe! Agree. I always devour it as soon as I make it.
I really want to make this!!! HOWEVER my son has a severe allergy to sesame. What would you use instead? Usually i just use Canola oil and keep the sesame out.
Hey Kyra, you could definitely try it with avocado oil, sunflower or walnut oil
It appears to be GF but you did not list it as such. Is it, please? Making it tonight!
Yes it is!
Made as a side for dinner tonight. Tastes great without marinating time at all. Betting by tonight it will really be great. Thank you.
Yes!! One of my favorites, always quick, easy, and delicious.
Outstanding salad. My kids loved it and my vegetable-hating husband went back for 3rds. Thanks!
That is a huge win! So glad everyone loved it!!
My mouth is watering now It looks really fresh and green. I’ve never tried Persian cucumbers but it looks like they are polular around. Aw, I have to try these soon!!
you’re going to love it!
Amazing salad idea with cucumber. Looks so healthy and delicious also. Will try it soon.
I absolutely love cucumber salad and could happily eat it with everything, so thanks for the lovely recipe!
Dee-licious. Quick and tasty, and these are ingredients that we usually have on hand. Was a very refreshing side for a spicy Malaysian noodle dish that we made.
Yes! So glad you enjoyed them, and what a great combo!!
I made this delicious salad for a bbq with friends. My husband could t stop eating it. The flavors blend together so well. It was so delicious and there were no leftovers! I’m going to make it again for our July 4th bbq with family. Thank you for this excellent recipe!
So happy you all enjoyed this recipe! It is a staple for the 4th of July at our house, too!
This recipe?! My God! My new obsession! So easy, so unbelievably tasty! Wanna hear something weird? I was actually making barbocoa-style tacos the same day! I kid you not…I had the tacos going before I read your story! I literally screamed! I just made this salad yesterday…it’s gone. I’ll be making it again before the week ends. Thanks!!!!
Obsession is the perfect word to describe this salad. Once you start, you can’t stop!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
yes, it lasts between 5-7 days. Sometimes longer, but the cucumbers are freshest between 5-7 days.
This looks so good! Do you pair it with any thing else for a filling meal?
Honestly, this salad pairs great with any protein or as a side to a burger. The list could go on and on!
I am cutting back on sugar. Have you tried this without the honey?
It looks delicious!
I have not yet. You definitely could though, it just may be a little bit more tart (or acidic) but should still be good.
@ Jill – try Balsalmic Vinegar instead of honey and white wine vinegar.
Ohh no not balsamic.. that would ruin the taste of this. I’d use 1/4 teaspoon of sugar or omit the honey and sugar all together.
It’s only 1 tiny tsp. of honey, for heaven’s sake………btw I think it would be too sour if you left out the honey. I just made it and it’s a little sour already, It needs to sit and marinate for awhile I think.
This is one gorgeous cucumber salad!
Can’t wait to make this for my family!! About how many regular cucumbers would I need to make 4 cups? Thanks!!
I’d say about 3 cucumbers, I usually buy the english cucumbers which are longer.
Yum, yum, yum! What a great healthy salad!
I love finding new salads, the same old gets boring, thanks for this fab recipe!!
Love the Asian spin on this. This salad looks ridiculously fresh and healthy! Yummy!
Amazing salad idea with cucumber. Looks so healthy and delicious also. Will try it soon.
I love Asian cucumber salads and yours looks fantastic!
Can’t believe how quick and easy this recipe is! Incredibly tasty, too
This was delicious and so easy. I made it last night and it was good but had some tiday and after sitting overnight I think it was better today as the flavors had blended so nicely. It was also still very crisp.
Oh i completely agree.. it’s a great next day salad because it pickles all the ingredients overnight! YUM!
The salad is to diiiie for! Thanks!
Thank you!!!
This is super easy and delicious. One of my favorite recipes.
DEFINITELY learn to use the mandolin! This is the 1st time using mine (that I got for my wedding 13 years ago!)! I wish I started using when I got it! Evert cut is even and sooo perfectly thin!
hahah I know right! It just makes you happy to have everything uniform. 🙂
Hi Krista! Just had to thank you for this fantastic Asian Cucumber Salad recipe! I was looking for a quick and easy Asian-inspired salad for tonight, and when I saw your site show up on the list when I googled it, I knew this was the one to make! And I wasn’t disappointed – we loved it! Simple but with BIG flavor, and really pretty, too! Slam dunk! 🙂
Ohh thanks so much Shelley! So glad it was a hit. We love adding this to sliders too, adds a nice kick!
What would you recommend in place of the oil? I have a friend, we eat together a lot, who eats plant based, oil free. I know the sesame oil adds significant asian flavor. What else could be used, any ideas?
Thank you!
It does add significant flavor to this dish. However you could just omit it if you’d like. You’d just have more of a vinegar taste, almost like pickled cucumbers which are still going to be great!
Thanks for the share!
Thanks for the great recipe!
Can you reuse the brine? Or should I just toss it and make a new batch for more pickles?
I have done it before but shhhh you probably shouldn’t. 🙂 But if you must, I would only do it once.
Love it so much!
Can this be bottled and kept in the fridge please.
Yes, absolutely. It will infuse the flavors even more!
Hey there, wondering how long I can store these for. I know the acetic acid cotent tends to be lower in rice vinegar though I’m hoping these can still be stored for awhile. Thanks!
Hey Sarah, I’d say about 1- 1.5 weeks. The acid will start to break down the cucumbers and may tend to get mushy.
umm… in your instructions you forgot to put in a step for mixing the cucumbers with the dressing.
Thanks Wendy!
Love it.mnot the everyday salad
Made this cucumber salad tonight and it was excellent! Wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome! So glad to hear that Jennifer!
Lots of comments. Where’s the recipe?
It’s towards the bottom of the page Kathleen in the recipe card box. 🙂
I love eating cucumber salad or raw. its good for our body.
Me too! Pickled cucumber salads are my favorite!
Good Job! When I looked at the picture, I said she used a mandoline. I have one too, but have not mastered it. More to clean than a knife anyway.
I did and definitely have not mastered it. I go sooo slow because I’m freaked out that I’m going to cut my hand off. 🙂
I love to follow healthy recipes! thanks!
Thanks Mary!
Made this for a work lunch along with General Tso’s chicken and WOW it is delicious – the heat from the red pepper flakes and the toasted sesame oil infusion are simply fantastic together!!
Ohhh love that pairing! Now I’m hungry for Chinese food! So glad you liked it Ariana!
Can you please post your recipe for your general Tsaos chicken that You made? That sounds amazing with this cucumber dish.
hmmm… I’ve never made general tsaos, I’ve made mongolian beef though and you can search that one on my website.
Thanks for the tasty, healthy recipe! I tried this last night (using English cucumbers and a tablespoon of soy sauce) and it was so delicious. My boyfriend and I ended up eating the entire bowl!
I don’t blame you! In fact I think we ate the entire bowl too! Love the soy sauce addition too!
I made this tonight and it was great! I did add about a tablespoon of soy sauce too though. Thanks for the great recipe!
You’re welcome! Glad you liked it Meredith!
What about salting the cuke slices first to drain excess moisture before adding the dressing?
hey barb, you could if you’d like to. 🙂
So, I know that you say to use seedless cucumbers, but could you use a regular English cucumber?
sure, you could totally use english cucumbers Meaghan!
Oh the stories are the for sure the best part! I love talking with bartenders, waiters, drivers, etc that we see over and over! It’s like making new friends 🙂
And this Asian Salad? You have no idea how much I want to make this right this minute! I love cucumbers and craving all things Asian with this baby so definitely adding to our 4th of July menu!
Exactly! The baby says you need to make it this weekend, for sure!
I’m the same way! I feel there is so much to learn from other’s experiences, which is why I love memoirs so much! This salad looks amazing, by the way!
Thanks Michelle! 🙂
I am going to be eating a lot of this next week in Vietnam! Although your version looks way better
Wait! What? Your going to Vietnam! How cool is that!
Can’t wait to hear the fun foods you guys get to taste!
Cucumbers are a favorite of mine and not such a favorite of my husband. Which means more for me! I eat a cucumber almost every day as a snack..I will definitely be making this gorgeous salad. Maybe I can get Baby Stella to join me on the cucumber lovin’ train. 😉
Pinned!
oh…. baby stella will love it! Cason just started to like cucumbers, he eats them raw now. I love it! 🙂 Thanks for the pin sweet friend!
Awesome! I needed to switch up my cucumber salad recipe. Thanks for the share!
Woot Woot! Then you will love this one!
i love hearing about people’s stories too!! i can’t stand when people ask the usual questions just to ASK, without actually listening. its nice that there are people who genuinely care about the questions they ask!!
cucumber salad looks super refreshing – would go perfect with a mojito 🙂
AGREED! I want something deeper, to get to know the person!
LOVE the mojito idea with this! Totally doing that!
I love healthy side dishes like this! This would be perfect with a BBQ – pinned! Gorgeous pictures, Krista!
So perfect for a summer bbq, thanks Jen for the sweet comment AND the pin! 🙂
You have yourself a deal…I want to make this salad ASAP! It sounds so light and delicious, and I love Asian flavors. Yum!
Awesome! Love it when a good deal comes together! 🙂 Can’t wait to hear what you think of this!
This is one stunning salad, girlfriend! I’m digging the lighting on this one. 😉
Oh.. thanks girl! It is absolutely delicious!
When you learn how to use your Mandoline, I could use a crash course, too! This salad looks like the perfect side for a summer BBQ!
haha.. sounds good Sara!
Cucumbers have never looked so good!
haha.. right!
OMG! Me, too! I loooove listening to them about their life, and how they got to where they are, and their kid’s names, and retirement plans… I think that might be called “being nosy”… whatever! haha 😀
The salad is to diiiie for! Beautiful photos, too!
haha.. some people might think that but those are the people who are just closed up and don’t like to share whats going on in life! 🙂
So pumped you liked this salad girl and thanks on the photos! 🙂
This looks so tasty! I love the twist you placed on a cucumber salad, and i agree about the story telling. Stories really are what connects us all with each other!
Thanks so much Rachel!