Japanese cucumber salad in 5 minutes

One of the first meals we had when moving back in after painting the house included a super easy Japanese cucumber salad.  It was so easy that when Sylvia was living out of home while the painters were in, she took a jar of the dressing, chopped some cucumbers and mixed them to make a quick salad.  We first made the salad in June and since then it has become a regular in our kitchen.

I have had a few recipes for cucumber salads in my recipe spreadsheet.  It always looked easy.  But it was not until I read Lorraine's post on Not Quite Nigella that I was convinced this was a simple recipe that would work well in my busy life. 

Lorraine regularly makes a version of the Viral TikTok Asian Cucumber Salad by Logan Fewd, which includes spring onions, fish sauce and chilli crisp.  It was not quite right for me.  I did a search and found interesting variations at In My Bowl and Evolving Table but was most interested in the vegan version at Chopstick Chronicles.  (You can read more about this style of marinated cucumber salad or Kyuri no sunomono or kiyuri namasu on 196 Flavours.) But it required salting the cucumber first.  That was one step too far!  I liked the simplicity of Lorraine's recipe that can be made in 5 minutes. 

I tried the Chopstick Chronicles marinade but had to tweak it to our tastes.  I like the cucumber chunky as I like crunchy vegies.  Sylvia would like to try it with thinly mandolined slices.  We sometimes have it with toasted sesame seeds, steamed edamame or sprinkle with furikake. 

It is amazing how much I love the salad given that I have never been a big fan of cucumber.  So far I have had it served with (1) miso noodles, red capsicum and burger, (2) sushi salad and red capsicum, (3) tofu besan omlette, sweet and sour eggplant, seaweed salad and rice, and (4) pesto potato salad, lettuce, tomatoes, pickle, and vegetarian pizza.  See above photos.

This Japanese cucumber salad will be great once summer comes and we need easy cooling recipes.  But it also works in winter when we need a simple answer to the need for something lighter when so many meals are stodgy comfort food!  And I am sure it will be a dish to take to picnics and potlucks.  So many possibilities!

More salad recipes with cucumber on Green Gourmet Giraffe blog:

Carrot and cucumber tulips (gf, v)
Panzanella (v)
Pearl couscous, cucumber and rocket salad with pesto
Strawberry avocado and walnut salad with a chocolate vinaigrette (gf, v)
Strawberry and cucumber salsa (gf, v)
Sushi rice salad (gf, v)

Japanese cucumber salad
An original Green Gourmet Giraffe recipe
Inspired by Chopstick Chronicles and Not Quite Nigella
Serves 2-3

2-3 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced

Dressing:
3 tsp rice vinegar
3 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp mirin
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp garlic granules (or freshly grated)
black pepper or chilli pepper to taste

Optional:
1/2 cup edamame, steamed and cooled
2 tbsp roast cashews
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
furikake

[If using sesame seeds which are not already toasted, put them into a frypan and keep an eye on them as they brown and start to smell amazing!]

Mix dressing ingredients together.  Stir in cucumbers and sesame seeds.  

If using, mix in the edamame/sesame seeds/cashews and sprinkle with furikake.

On the Stereo:
ABC RN Podcast: "Celebrating Charles Todd and the overland telegraph" on the Science Show, 21 June 2025.