Japanese Cucumber Salad {Sunomono} Recipe
A refreshing and light Japanese Cucumber Salad, also known as Sunomono, featuring thinly sliced cucumbers tossed in a tangy rice vinegar dressing with a touch of sweetness and umami from soy sauce. This crisp salad is garnished with toasted sesame seeds and optional seaweed, making it a perfect side dish for any meal or a healthy snack.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized Japanese or English cucumbers
Dressing Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
- Thinly sliced seaweed such as wakame or nori for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the cucumbers: Wash the cucumbers thoroughly. You may peel them if you prefer, but leaving the skin on adds texture and color to the salad. Slice the cucumbers thinly using a knife, mandoline slicer, vegetable peeler, or spiralizer for different presentations.
- Salt the cucumbers: Place the cucumber slices in a medium bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat evenly. Let the cucumbers sit for 10-15 minutes to draw out excess moisture through the salt.
- Drain excess moisture: After resting, gently squeeze the cucumbers or pat them dry with paper towels to remove any excess water, ensuring the salad remains crisp.
- Make and add dressing: In the cucumber bowl, add rice wine vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce. Stir or toss until the sugar dissolves completely. Optionally, add sesame oil for an extra layer of flavor and incorporate well.
- Add garnishes: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the salad. For a traditional touch, garnish with thinly sliced seaweed such as wakame or nori if desired.
- Marinate: Refrigerate the salad for at least 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld beautifully before serving.
Notes
- You can peel cucumbers if you prefer a milder skin flavor, but keeping the skin adds nice crunch and nutrients.
- Using a mandoline slicer or vegetable peeler ensures even, thin slices for better texture.
- Adjust the sugar and soy sauce to taste for sweetness or saltiness.
- Adding sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds enhances the nutty flavor traditional in Japanese cuisine.
- For authentic presentation, use wakame seaweed, but nori works well as an alternative garnish.
- The salad is best served chilled and consumed within 1-2 days for optimal freshness.
Keywords: Japanese Cucumber Salad, Sunomono, Japanese salad, cucumber recipe, rice vinegar dressing, sesame seeds, wakame, healthy snack, vegetarian
Find it online: https://mixitwitjoe.com/japanese-cucumber-salad-sunomono-recipe/
