In this Japanese Cucumber Salad-Sunomono Salad Recipe, the cucumbers and red onion are thinly sliced, coated with sesame oil and a splash of rice vinegar, and tossed with toasted black sesame seeds. This Japanese cucumber salad will make you think you’re dining at your local Japanese restaurant.
I’m obsessed with Sunomono because it’s quick, simple, delicious, and pairs with almost anything! It’s also made with five simple ingredients and is super easy to make in fifteen minutes.What could be better?!
What is Japanese Cucumber Salad?
Sunomono is a traditional Japanese salad made from thinly sliced cucumbers marinated in a tangy vinegar dressing (and sometimes with a touch of soy sauce for added depth). It is refreshing and crisp, which makes it a favorite side dish often accompanying main meals in Japan.
This cucumber salad recipe uses “Japanese cucumbers,” which are slender, dark green, and bumpy in texture. These cucumbers have some crispness and mild flavor, which makes them ideal for salads and pickling. Japanese cucumbers are often seedless or have tiny seeds, so there’s no need to deseed them before using them.
If Japanese cucumbers aren’t available, you can also use Persian cucumbers. If you use large English cucumbers, remove the seeds, which can be a bit watery. Avoid using regular garden or slicing cucumbers, as they have high water content and larger seeds.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Japanese cucumber salad recipe:
Japanese Cucumbers: These long and skinny cucumbers have a fantastic crunch. However, any cucumber will work for this salad.
Red Onion: Thinly sliced onion adds the perfect sweetness with the vinegar.
Sesame Oil: I always use toasted sesame for a deeper flavor.
Rice Vinegar: This adds a soft acid to pickle the cucumber and onion.
Black Sesame Seeds: I like using black seeds for color, but white seeds would be great, too.
Kosher Salt: I only use kosher salt in all my recipes. It’s simply the best!
If you’re wondering where to find the ingredients for this Japanese cucumber recipe, most grocery stores, especially those with Asian products, sell them.
Find the full recipe with ingredients and directions below.
Optional Ingredients and Substitutions
For those who might not have certain ingredients above, here are some alternatives that will still let you enjoy a taste reminiscent of the traditional Sunomono:
Cucumbers: If Japanese cucumbers are unavailable, Persian cucumbers are your next best bet. You can use large English cucumbers, slice them lengthwise, and remove the seeds, though they might hold more moisture.
Vinegar: You can also use Rice wine vinegar or apple cider, but you may need to adjust the quantity to get the desired tanginess.
Seeds: You can use white sesame seeds as an alternative or mix them with black seeds for a different visual appeal.
Oils: For a unique twist, try substituting with a hint of miso for depth in flavor. If you are allergic to nuts or seeds, use olive or avocado oil instead of sesame oil and toasted coconut instead of sesame seeds.
Additional Flavor: Add a tsp of soy sauce to the dressing for an umami touch. Add Wakame (a type of seaweed) for texture and authenticity.
Directions
Use a Japanese mandolin slicer or a sharp knife to slice the cucumbers into paper-thin rounds.
Place your red onion on the cutting board and lob off the blossom end. Place the onion flat on the cutting board and cut directly through the root, creating two halves.
Peel off the skin of both red onion halves and discard. Place one half with the flat side on the board and cut it in half again, slicing directly through the root. Lob off the root end of one-quarter of the onion.
Take the remaining onion, place it in an airtight container, and reserve it for another use. (Note: Keeping the onion in an airtight container helps prevent the smell from permeating the rest of your refrigerator.)
Place a quarter of the onion on the mandolin and slice it into paper-thin slices. Again, if you do not have a mandolin, slice the onion as thin as possible with your knife.
Place the sliced cucumber and onion in a large glass or stainless-steel mixing bowl. Add the measured sesame oil, rice vinegar, black sesame seeds, and salt.
Use a large spoon to mix until well combined. Serve and enjoy.
FAQs
Japanese cucumbers have a fresh, crisp texture and a mild flavor. Unlike other cucumber varieties, they are less bitter and slightly sweet, with a clean, refreshing aftertaste.
This recipe uses Japanese cucumbers with very thin skin, so I prefer not to peel them. The skin gives the salad more texture and color. If you use Persian Cucumbers, English cucumbers, Hot House cucumbers, regular cucumbers, or any cucumber, I would leave the skin on and make thin cucumber slices.
How to slice cucumbers for this Japanese salad?
I like to use a Japanese mandolin to slice the cucumber and red onion super thin. I prefer this tool over a food processor because I get perfectly uniform slices. However, you can use a very sharp knife as well.
If you invest in a mandolin, I also highly recommend using it for these other delicious and simple salads: Persimmon Salad, Corn Salad, Brussel Sprouts Salad, and Farro Salad. You can pair these salads with your favorite grilled chicken or other protein, and they’ll be the star of your next dinner party or soiree! I like to use a Japanese mandolin to slice the cucumber and red onion super thin. I prefer this over a food processor because I get perfectly uniform slices. However, you can also use a very sharp knife.
Salting cucumbers acts as a “cooking agent,” breaking down the cucumber to extract water content. I like to slice my cucumbers first, add them to a small bowl with salt, let them sit for twenty minutes, and then squeeze out the water before adding them to the rest of my salad ingredients.
Don’t forget to discard the excess water before adding it to the salad. I also use this same salting cucumber technique in this delicious Cucumber Tomato Salad. The salt helps to bring out the vegetables’ natural sweetness and flavor.
Is Japanese cucumber salad good for you?
Yes, Japanese cucumber salad is generally healthy. Cucumbers are low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals, especially when eaten with their skin. The rice vinegar dressing is also light and lower in calories than creamy dressings. However, consume in moderation and be mindful of added salt or soy sauce, which can have a higher sodium content.
What To Serve With This Recipe?
This Japanese cucumber salad is amazing with protein, simple vegetable sides, noodles, and rice. Check out my favorite pairing below.
Proteins: You can also pair this Asian salad with this yummy Korean braised beed, galbi jjim, a crunchy and rich chicken katsu curry, or an addictive teriyaki chicken recipe, a succulent pork chashu, or a light and addictive salmon sashimi. You can also make non-asian proteins, like this pan-seared salmon or duck breast recipe, this vegetarian saganaki (crispy fried cheese), and even a soft-boiled egg.
Vegetables: Similarly, I love pairing this salad with this simple Asian baby bok choy, these pickled carrots and daikon, this turnip recipe, and even this how-to-make kimchi tutorial.
Noodles & Rice: I love this salad with the addictive and fresh pork Vietnamese noodle bowl, bun thit nuong, or these healthy, sweet potato noodles or shiitake noodle recipe, or this oh-so-yummy egg fried rice or healthier steamed rice.
Storage Instructions
This salad is fantastic to make several hours ahead, as the cucumbers pickle quite nicely. However, I don’t recommend freezing this salad, as the vegetables are best eaten fresh.
Refrigerator: You can store in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days in your refrigerator.
More Favorite Salads & Vegetable Side Recipes
- Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Corn Salad Recipe
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Farro Salad
- Vegan Potato Salad
- Burrata Salad
- Tomato Confit
- Roasted Beets
- Squash Blossoms
- Baby Bok Choy
- Swiss Chard Recipe
- Miso Eggplant
- Sauteed Kale
- Kimchi Recipe
- Roasted Peppers
- Turnip Recipe
- Roasted Vegetables
- Roasted Tomatoes
Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono) Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Japanese cucumbers, (English or Persian cucumbers will work as well, thinly sliced into rounds)
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2.5 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds, toasted
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Season to taste with salt.
Notes
- Using a mandolin to slice the cucumber thinly and red onion is the easiest and quickest way to get perfectly uniform, thinly sliced vegetables.
- I like to use a Japanese mandolin. It is one of my most prized and essential kitchen tools. I practically use it every day!
- You must be careful and methodical when using such a tool not to harm your fingers, as all mandolins are incredibly sharp.
- My advice is to work slowly and get comfortable with the tool.
- If you are uncomfortable using a mandolin, you can work with the same precision and care to achieve a similar result with a knife.
- It is instructed above to take the onion and lob off the blossom end. Then, place the onion on the flat side down and slice directly through the root. Place the one-half flat side down, and slice directly through the root again to make a quarter. You are using this one quarter for the salad and will slice off the root end of the quarter to slice it on the mandolin.
- However, the onion half and other quarter piece of onion still hold the root. Thus, keeping the root intact will hold all the layers and flavor together and help when cutting the onion for future use!
- I always keep toasted sesame seeds (black and white) in my pantry!! It saves you time, hassle, and fear of burning them in your toaster oven. You can usually find them pre-toasted in most Asian markets. Trust me; they are a complete game-changer for your panty!
So simple, and so delicious! I made this for a BBQ side and everyone loved it!
Thank you so much, I’m glad it was a success!
Made this for my kids on a busy week night and it has insta my become a fan favorite! So simple, so clean, so delish! Thank you!
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