An easy and super tasty, Asian cucumber salad, with scallions, sesame oil, vinegar, and sesame seeds.
We eat a lot of Asian food, from mung bean pancakes, to rice/veggie stirfries. One of our favorite sides is so simple, a cucumber salad with sesame oil, vinegar, and sesame seeds!
The dish is super easy to make, and is best to make, if you can, an hour or so before you serve it. This gives the flavors a chance to meld. But if you don’t have time for that, don’t worry, it is excellent freshly mixed!
Recipe
Asian Cucumber Salad
A simple, Asian cucumber salad, with scallions, sesame oil, vinegar, and sesame seeds.
Heat can easily be added!
Ingredients
- 4 cucumbers the picture has English, but I also like seeded cucumbers, with seeds
- 1 bunch scallions
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- ¼ to ⅜ cup vinegar see notes
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds can also use white
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- If you wish, peel the cucumbers, see notes.
- Chop scallions and add to the cucumbers.
- Toss with the sesame oil. Add ¼ cup vinegar. Add more vinegar to task.
- Add sesame seeds and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Adjust seasoning.
- Place in the fridge for an hour for the flavors to meld or serve immediately.
Notes
Your vinegar choices vary widely. I have used a simple rice vinegar (usually not sweet), mirin, or Ume. The latter is a red plum vinegar that is quite tart and salty and one of my favorite Asian vinegars.
I prefer eating cucumbers with the peel since the peel has so many nutrients. However sometimes the peel on a particular cucumber is bitter, and should be removed. Also, some folks just don’t like the peel. Your choice!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Anne W.
Love this simple side salad! (Scallions were missing from the ingredient list, but I got the note in the instructions.)
Keith Hughes
Awesome! Thanks for pointing out the omission. Fixed!