How to Make an Asian Style Cucumber Salad Recipe

This Asian Style Cucumber Salad is incredibly easy to prepare. It’s so crunchy and has an amazing nutty, tangy flavor, which makes a perfect side dish with so many things.

Vacation Recipe Inspiration

This recipe was inspired by a trip we took to Gulfport, FL. Gulfport is a wonderfully quirky town, with a fun little downtown, a great farmers market and not one chain restaurant in sight. All locally owned.

We have been there a number of times and one of our (many) favorite restaurants is O’Maddy’s. Great location right on the water, fun vibe and consistently great food at very reasonable prices. A perfect combo!

They have a really great menu and lots of delicious recipes. One of my favorite items on the menu is their Asian cucumber salad.

It’s just a little side dish, but packs a lot of flavor in a small bowl. And, so simple, too. It’s a perfect dish for a hot summer day.

Their original recipe is simply sliced cucumbers, shredded carrots and an Asian-inspired tangy dressing. It doesn’t sound like much to make a delicious salad, but it really works!

After we got back from that trip, I set out to re-create that salad in my own kitchen. It turns out that it’s incredibly quick and easy to make. And, most importantly, my home version tastes amazing and reminds me of that salad in Florida.

The recipe calls for very few ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand or can easily find in your local grocery store. The prep work takes little time and the result is a quick and easy salad that’s crunchy, fresh and has a wonderfully, nutty sesame flavor.

Type of Cucumber to Use

First of all, the main ingredient – cucumbers. But, with so many to choose from, which type of cucumbers are best to use for this asian cucumber salad recipe?

Personally, I like the English cucumber. It has a thin skin and is seedless. Why does that matter?

With regular cucumbers (really, any waxy cucumbers), you have to break out the vegetable peeler and peel. Otherwise, your cucumber pieces may be a bit tough.

And with cucumbers, the fewer seeds for me the better. So, the fact an English cucumber has no seeds is perfect!

Finally, I don’t like excess moisture that some cucumbers can bring to a salad. That excess water just dilutes the other delicious flavors. Again, an English cucumber helps mitigate too much water in the salad and helps keep a more crunchy texture.

Making the Asian Style Cucumber Salad

Preparing the Vegetables

Simply cut the cucumber into bite-sized pieces. In a large mixing bowl or salad bowl, combine the cut cucumber with the shredded carrots.

Preparing the Dressing

In a separate small bowl, combine the sesame oil and red wine vinegar. Once those are well-combined, add in the salt, pepper and cilantro.

Finalizing the Salad

Take the prepared dressing and pour over the cucumbers and carrots. Let marinate for at least one hour before serving.

(Note: For an even nuttier taste, you can use toasted sesame oil in place of regular sesame oil.)

Eat it Today (But it’s Better Tomorrow!)

This is a great next day salad. I think the best flavor actually comes on day 2! The flavors have that much more time to marinate together which just deepens the taste.

It’s a simple side salad, but has such a complex, delicious flavor. And, it’s a pretty easy Asian cucumber salad to prepare.

So, no need to wait. Make this for your next summer get-together.

Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

• For ease, I suggest using pre-shredded carrots rather than shredding your own.
• I always use English cucumbers because the skin is much thinner and more tender than a regular cucumber, so you don’t need to peel them. It saves time and adds extra color to the salad.
• I highly recommend giving the salad about an hour to marinate in the dressing. It allows the cucumber to release some moisture and gives the flavors time to blend.

Ingredients Needed To Make Asian Style Cucumber Salad

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

• Cucumber – An English cucumber works best. The skin is thin and tender and since an English cucumber is seedless, it has less liquid content. This helps prevent the salad from getting soggy.
• Shredded carrots – Pre-shredded carrots are going to make this salad even quicker to make. But, you can certainly shred them yourself.
• Rice wine vinegar
• Sesame oil – This adds a slight nutty flavor to the dressing.
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Cilantro – This adds a fresh brightness to the flavor.

How To Make This Asian Style Cucumber Salad

• Combine cucumber and carrots in a large bowl.
• In a separate small bowl, whisk the sesame oil into the rice wine vinegar until well-combined.
• Stir in salt, pepper and cilantro.
• Pour dressing over cucumber mixture, tossing to thoroughly combine.
• Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour, so that the flavors combine.

Tasty Food to Serve with Asian Style Cucumber Salad

• Grilled Boneless Turkey Breast
• Grilled Shrimp with Garlicky Parmesan Orzo
• Pork Fried Cauliflower Rice
• Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki
• Grilled Skirt Steak
• Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
• Grilled Thai Chicken Sandwich with Peanut Sauce

ENJOY!

Original Post Date: February 17, 2014

Updated: May 17, 2023