Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono)

5 from 1 vote

Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono)

This Japanese cucumber salad is so light and refreshing! It's tossed with an easy sweet and tangy dressing made with rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce. It's very easy to make.

Prep Time20

Cook Time0

Total Time20

Course: Appetizer, Salad

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings: people

Calories: 20kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

Mandoline

Ingredients

6 Persian cucumbers
3 teaspoons Kosher salt
¼ cup rice vinegar
1 ½ to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or to taste
1 teaspoon less sodium soy sauce
Toasted white sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice the cucumbers into ⅛ inch thin slices (but too thin so that they keep their crunchy texture). Do not peel them.
Add the sliced cucumbers to a bowl. Add the kosher salt and toss to combine evenly. Let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes until their moisture is released.
Drain the excess water and rinse thoroughly with water to remove the salt. Then, squeeze the cucumbers to release as much water as possible. Pat them dry with paper towel. Note: The cucumbers won’t break easily, so feel free to squeeze them well.
Mix the dressing: In a bowl, combine the rice wine vinegar, granulated sugar, and soy sauce.
In a bowl, toss prepared cucumbers with the prepared dressing. If needed, season with extra salt to taste. Garnish generously with toasted white sesame seeds.
Serve immediately to enjoy that extra crunch, or refrigerate for 1 hour for even better flavor. Enjoy!

Notes

The cucumbers should be thinly sliced (1/8 inch slices), but not too razor thin either to preserve their texture. Use a mandoline for best results.
Don't be afraid to squeeze the cucumbers really well! They won't break.
Why salt the cucumbers: To keep then crunchy! Salt draws out cucumbers' natural moisture, so they stay crunchier later even when tossed with the dressing.
Use kosher salt, it works better than table salt.
Prep ahead: Make the dressing and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Storage: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days.

Substitutions and variations:

Do not substitute the rice vinegar. It has a unique flavor profile that's needed.
Use Persian or Japanese cucumbers. The skin is thin and they don't have a lot of seeds, which is ideal.
Alternatively, use English cucumbers, but you'll probably need 3 of them since they are larger.
Don't use regular green cucumbers. They skin is too waxy and thick, and have too many seeds.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition