Our Cucumber Salad recipe is light, crisp, and perfect for a Summertime side dish. It’s tossed in a soy ginger dressing that adds a ton of flavor and only takes about 10 minutes to prepare.
A cucumber salad might just be the easiest, lightest, and fastest Summer side dish ever! It pairs perfectly with so many dishes, too. We love it with Greek yogurt marinated chicken, Chicken Stir Fry, oven baked Mahi Mahi, Beef with Garlic Sauce, and baked cod with Panko.
Cucumber Salad Recipe:
This cucumber salad is a little different than the traditional, creamy cucumber salad with a mayonnaise or sour cream dressing. It’s Asian-inspired and has a soy ginger dressing that’s light and vibrant. The dressing tastes fresh and pairs perfectly with the fresh, crisp cucumbers. It also makes this salad dairy-free!
Our cucumber salad is meant to be a side dish, but it’s so delicious that it can easily be enjoyed as a complete meal. I mean, that would be a lot of cucumbers, but it’s that good! I love to top it with plenty of freshly chopped scallions, and a good sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds for some crunch. It’s pretty much perfect!
How to Make a Cucumber Salad:
- In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, vinegar, garlic paste and ginger paste.
- Place the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the cucumbers, then add the green onions.
- Toss to combine.
- Serve with toasted sesame seeds if desired.
Cucumber Salad Tips and Variations:
- Cucumbers: English cucumbers are the best variety for this recipe, but regular cucumbers can also be used. You’ll want to use a spoon to scoop the seeds out of the center of the regular cucumbers if you use that variety. Otherwise, the cucumber salad can have a soggy texture.
- Soy Sauce: I love a low-sodium soy sauce in this recipe, but regular soy sauce can be used if that’s what you have handy. Just keep in mind that the taste may be slightly salty with regular soy sauce. If you need a substitute for soy sauce, try coconut aminos. They’re a great substitute and taste similar to soy sauce.
- Seasonings: The garlic paste and ginger paste can be substituted with equal amounts of finely minced garlic and ginger. A microplane is the best way to get the garlic and ginger finely minced.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar balances out the savory flavors nicely, but it can be reduced or omitted if you’d rather not use it. Honey or agave nectar is also a great substitute.
Do you need to peel cucumbers before making a salad?
If you use English cucumbers, they have a thin enough skin that you shouldn’t need to peel them. If you use regular cucumbers, you may want to peel those since their skins are thicker and more waxy.
Storage Recommendations:
Room Temperature: This cucumber salad can be served chilled or at room temperature but should not be stored at room temperature.
Refrigerator: Store this salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For best flavor, allow it to set in the refrigerator for an hour before serving.
Freezer: We do not recommend freezing this salad.
Other side dish recipes you may enjoy:
Cucumber Salad
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Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup soy sauce low-sodium
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste or finely minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste or finely minced ginger
- 2 English cucumbers large in size, sliced to about ¼-inch thick
- 5 ounces green onions chopped (about ½ cup once chopped)
- Optional: toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, vinegar, garlic paste and ginger paste.½ cup soy sauce2 tablespoons sesame oil1 tablespoon granulated sugar2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar2 teaspoons garlic paste1 teaspoon ginger paste
- Place the cucumbers in a large bowl then pour the dressing over top. Add the green onions and toss to combine.2 English cucumbers5 ounces green onions
- Serve with toasted sesame seeds if desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.