The best Asian Cucumber Salad with cucumbers, avocado, green onion, and a delicious sesame dressing. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and perfect as a light side dish for any meal.
Serve this alongside one of these popular recipes: chicken adobo recipe, chicken stir fry, coconut curry chicken, or chicken chow mein.
The Best Asian Cucumber Salad
When I was a kid, my mom used to make a simple salad with cucumbers and tomatoes from the garden. Just seasoned with lemon, salt, and pepper. Over the years, I’ve found lots of tasty versions, but this Asian Cucumber Salad is my favorite. It’s super easy, delicious, light, and goes great with so many dishes, like Asian ground turkey.
This recipe is quick to make and has the best simple dressing. Even though it’s usually served as a side dish at my place, I always end up filling most of my plate with it. I just can’t get enough!
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Helpful Notes |
|---|---|
| Cucumbers | Persian or English work best. Leave the skin on if you’d like. |
| Avocado | Use ripe but still firm so it doesn’t get mushy. |
| Green onions | Use both whites and greens. For milder flavor, use just the whites. |
| Sesame oil | Toasted sesame oil has the best flavor. |
| White wine vinegar | Any clear vinegar works, but this is my favorite here. |
| White sugar | Just a touch for light sweetness. |
| Toasted sesame seeds | Toasted gives more flavor than regular. |
| Red pepper flakes (optional) | Skip if you don’t want spice. |
Quick Tip
Totally optional: Salt the cucumbers and let sit 30 minutes to draw out extra water. This keeps them crisp and prevents a watery dressing. Skip if short on time.
How To Make Asian Cucumber Salad
- Combine Veggies : Mix sliced cucumbers, chopped avocado, and sliced green onions in a bowl. Use a mandoline slicer for quick and even slices of your cucumbers.
- Prepare Dressing: Whisk together sesame oil, white wine vinegar, sugar, sesame seeds, and optional red pepper flakes. Then, add salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss Salad: Pour the dressing over the veggies and toss well. Taste and adjust.
- Rest and Serve: Let the salad sit for a few mins to let the flavors blend. Serve fresh!
Quick Tip
The ends of Persian or English cucumbers can be bitter, so make sure to cut them off for this dish.
Variations
- Make it spicier: Add more red pepper flakes and drizzle in some chili onion crunch for extra spice.
- Use Different Nuts and Seeds: Swap sesame seeds for chopped peanuts or sunflower seeds for a different texture and flavor.
- Add Protein: Toss in or serve with some grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu for a more filling salad.
- Change the Dressing: Try different dressings, like a peanut sauce or a ginger-soy vinaigrette, for a new flavor.
Featured Comment
“So good. This has become a go to lunch for me now, I top it off with whatever leftover protein I happen to have. A great way to get in lots of greens. Today, I tossed in parsley, and some leftover chicken. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!”
– Rene
Asian Cucumber Salad Tips
- Chill the Veggies: Keep the veggies in the fridge before adding them to the Asian Cucumber Salad for extra crunch.
- Use Fresh Ingredients: Fresh, ripe veggies make the salad taste amazing.
- Choose Toasted Sesame Seeds: These have more flavor than regular ones. Look for them in the spice aisle.
- Stir Often: Once you’ve dressed the salad, toss often to mix the dressing well with the veggies.
- Season Well: Salt and pepper are key for flavor, so taste as you go to make sure it’s just right.
Storage
To store your Asian Cucumber Salad, use an airtight container and put it in the fridge right away. For the best flavor and texture, enjoy the salad within 1–2 hours.
If you need to store it longer, keep the dressing separate and mix just before serving. This keeps it from getting soggy. Before serving, give the salad a quick toss and add a bit more dressing to freshen it up.
You can make this sesame dressing up to 3 days in advance to make your prep even quicker!
More Cucumber Filled Recipes:
Asian Cucumber Salad
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Peel the cucumber if desired. I like to leave the peels on for flavor and nutrients. Thinly slice the cucumbers. Use a box grater with a vegetable slicing surface, a mandolin slicer, or a knife. Add the sliced cucumbers to a large bowl.
- Chop the avocado, measure 3/4 cup, and add to the salad. Thinly slice the white portion of the green onions, measure 1/4 cup, and add to the salad.
- In a mason jar, combine the sesame oil, white wine vinegar, sugar, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place lid on and shake to combine. See note 1.
- Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning to preference.
- For optimal flavors, let stand for about 10–15 minutes, stirring frequently, before serving. Salad is best enjoyed within 1–2 hours of being made.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was very good & refreshing & EASY!!!
Only change i made was using a seasoned Rice Vinegar (Nakano), only because i had no white wine vinegar. That dressing was SO good! I will be making this salad a lot! The Persian cucumbers are best for this, imo. This went perfectly with Bang Bang Chicken
Thanks so much for sharing! I’m so glad you enjoyed this! Thanks Kathy!
So good. This has become a go to lunch for me now, I top it off with whatever leftover protein I happen to have. A great way to get in lots of greens. Today, I tossed in parsley, and some leftover chicken. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
I’m so happy to hear you’ve been loving this salad! Thanks Rene!
Can’t wait to try this. Ty for the recipe!!😊
I’m so excited to hear what you think!
This was so tasty! And the perfect accompaniment to your air fryer bang bang chicken! I added some garlic powder to it which I thought rounded it out some. I think next time I make this, I will try using Chinese black vinegar and maybe add cilantro too. Thanks so much for this delicious and fresh salad!
I’m so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much for sharing!