Have you noticed how often cucumber shows up in Japanese dishes, from cucumber tsukemono and kappa maki to tataki kyuri? That cool crunch and clean aroma feel timeless. Growing up, this simple sunomono-style salad was always at my grandparents’ house, waiting with its bright, refreshing bite.
Today, you’ll make that same traditional, clean Japanese cucumber salad, but with crisp color, exact ratios, and a tiny step that keeps every slice vibrant.
Japanese Cucumber Salad
Recipe Snapshot
- What is it? A crisp, classic Japanese cucumber salad with bright vinegar and subtle sweetness.
- Flavor profile: Refreshing, Tangy, Clean
- Why you’ll love this recipe: This recipe delivers crisp, consistent results with clear ratios and quick steps, making it ideal for anyone who values dependable weeknight sides.
- Must-haves: Cucumbers, Rice vinegar, Salt
- Skill Level: Easy
- Suitable for Meal Prep? Yes!
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What is Japanese Cucumber Salad?
Cucumber sunomono (きゅうりの酢の物) is a light Japanese side dish made from very thinly sliced cucumbers dressed in a sweet-tart vinegar mixture. Historically, these vinegared dishes evolved from “namasu,” a category of finely cut foods dressed with vinegar.
Japanese cucumber salad is the everyday, ultra-simple cousin you can throw together on a weeknight.
Japanese Cucumber Salad Ingredients
- Japanese Cucumber: Cool, snappy, and lightly sweet, cucumber is the crisp backbone of this Japanese salad.
- Fresh Ginger: Fresh ginger adds a clean, peppery lift that sharpens the dressing and makes each bite feel extra bright.
- Dashi Granules: It adds a subtle depth, but it’s optional. Vegetarians or vegans can omit or use plant-based kombu dashi granules.
Japanese Cucumber Alternatives
If you can’t find the slim, thin-skinned Japanese variety, don’t worry! Here’s the quick guide.
Best Matches (ranked by closest texture + ease of use)
| Alternative | Flavor / Texture Snapshot | How to Prep |
|---|---|---|
| Persian cucumbers | Thin skin, tiny seeds, naturally crunchy | Slice as-is. |
| Kirby / Pickling cucumbers | Firmer, snappy bite with slightly thicker skin. | Peel a few “stripes” if the skin feels tough. |
| English / Hothouse cucumbers | Mild and juicy with a softer crunch. | Peel a few strips and remove the seed core if watery. |
If you only have large American cucumbers…
Just halve, quarter lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds to avoid watery, grassy flavors. Peel in alternating stripes if the skin is thick. Once prepped, thin slicing (about 1-1.5 mm).
How to Make My Japanese Cucumber Salad
i. Whisk rice vinegar, sugar, (light) soy sauce, and dashi granules until dissolved. Add finely julienned ginger and let it steep until serving.
i. Bring water to a rolling boil at 100℃ (212°F) and prepare a large ice bath at 0-4℃ (32-39°F).
ii. Wash 2 cucumbers, sprinkle some coarse salt, and roll them firmly on the board for 15-20 seconds, then rinse briefly.
This technique (itazuri) smooths spines, tames grassy notes, and helps the skin shine. You’ll feel the surface lose its prickly texture and look slightly glossy. Don’t overdo it though.
iii. For vivid green (especially if using decorative slices), submerge the whole salt-rubbed cucumbers for 15 seconds at 100℃ (212°F).
iv. Then chill immediately in the ice bath to ≤4℃ (≤39°F) until cold. This “heat-then-halt” brightens chlorophyll without cooking the interior.
i. Trim ends, then slice 2.0-2.5 mm thick. Thinner slices wilt and taste overly sharp, thicker slices won’t absorb dressing fast. You’re aiming for flexible coins that still snap when bent.
i. Stir fine salt into water (≈3%) to make brine.
ii. Then soak the slices 10 minutes. This pulls out excess water by osmosis so the cucumbers stay crunchy after dressing.
Skipping the brine made the salad watery within 10 minutes. The 3% soak kept texture for hours. When I pushed past 15 minutes, it veered too salty, so stay tight on time.
i. Drain well, scoop up a handful, and gently squeeze once or twice. Stop when no drops fall.
Over-squeezing turns the slices mushy.
ii. Toss the cucumbers with the ginger-infused dressing until every slice glistens.
i. Cover and chill 20-30 minutes to let flavors permeate. Stir once before serving to redistribute dressing and ginger.
Essential Tips & Tricks
- Salt-rub the cucumbers before slicing to smooth the skin and reduce grassy bitterness.
- If you choose to blanch, keep it to 15 seconds.
- Slice at 2.0-2.5 mm for the ideal balance of crunch and fast flavor absorption.
- Brine the slices for 10 minutes in 3% salt water .
- After brining, squeeze only until no droplets fall. Over-squeezing crushes the cells and kills the crisp texture.
With these simple tips in mind, you’re set for success every time you make Japanese cucumber salad.
Storage & Meal Prep
Fridge: Airtight container, 2-3 days. Keep the cucumbers fully submerged under the dressing and press a piece of plastic wrap (or parchment) directly onto the surface to reduce oxidation and off-odors.
Freezer: Not recommended.
Meal Prep: Make up to 1 day ahead for best texture; flavor deepens overnight while maintaining crispness. For a 2-3 day prep cycle, store in single-serve containers.
What to Serve With This Recipe
- Japanese Salt-Grilled Salmon (Shiozake)
- Miso Mackerel
- Chicken Nanban
- Ginger Pork (Shogayaki)
Japanese Cucumber Salad FAQ
Japanese cucumber salad evolved from an older dish called namasu (膾), which originally used finely chopped raw meat or fish. By the late Heian period it referred to fish and vegetables dressed together, and from the Muromachi to Edo periods, vinegar-based sunomono became a standard side dish. Today, vegetable-only versions are common, often served as a refreshing “Japanese salad” that resets the palate and balances a full meal.
Over-massaging with salt, salting for too long, or soaking too long in the dressing all damage the cucumber cells and push out too much water, making them limp. Aim for a quick salt contact (just a few minutes), don’t knead the slices, and squeeze only until water no longer drips.
If the cucumbers weren’t squeezed enough after salting, trapped water leaks into the dressing and dilutes the flavor. The fix is to squeeze until no droplets fall, then use just enough dressing to lightly coat (you’re “dressing,” not “pickling” in a big pool).
More Japanese Salad Recipes
Hungry for more? Explore my Japanese salad recipes to find your next favorite dishes!
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Japanese Cucumber Salad (Vinegared)
Ingredients
- 5 g ginger root julienned
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar unseasoned
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp Japanese light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu) or regular Japanese soy sauce
- 1 pinch dashi granules optional, use plant-based kombu dashi granules to make it vegetarian/vegan
- 2 Japanese cucumbers
- ½ tsp salt for itazuri, coarse salt preferred
- 500 ml water for brine, cold
- 1 tbsp salt for brine
My recommended brands of ingredients and seasonings can be found in my Japanese pantry guide.
Can’t find certain Japanese ingredients? See my substitution guide here.
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water (big enough to fit the whole cucumbers) to a rolling boil. White you wait, place 5 g ginger root (julienned) in a bowl and add 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp Japanese light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu), and 1 pinch dashi granules. Mix until the dashi granules have dissolved and leave to soak.
- Wash 2 Japanese cucumbers and place them on a cutting board. Sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and roll them firmly back and forth on the board for 15-20 seconds, then rinse.
- Prepare a bowl of ice cold water and set it by the stove. Once the water is boiling, place the cucumbers in the pot and blanch for 15 seconds.
- After 15 seconds, transfer straight to the ice water bath.
- Cool for a few minutes, then place the cucumbers on a cutting board and cut off the ends. Thinly slice about 2.0-2.5mm thick.
- Measure 500 ml water into a bowl and add 1 tbsp salt. Whisk until dissolved, then add the sliced cucumber and soak for 10 minutes.
- Lift the cucumbers out of the brine in handfuls and squeeze gently but firmly until no more drops of water fall.
- Place in a dry bowl and add the ginger infused dressing from step one. Mix until every slice is evenly coated.
- For the best flavor, cover and chill for 20-30 minutes. Mix before serving and enjoy!
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