Featured Comment:
“Delicious and easy to make. I couldn’t find fresh octopus today, but I used a small jar of marinated baby octopus cut in small chunks. Not as good as boiled octopus as in the recipe but did the trick. Very fresh, great mix of textures, and perfect dressing. Thanks.”
– John
What is Sunomono?
Sunomono (酢の物) is a simple Japanese dish made with fish, shellfish, and vegetables mixed with vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar. It’s a refreshing and easy-to-make dish, perfect for the summer. The word “su” (酢) means vinegar, and “mono” (物) means “thing,” so sunomono means “things in vinegar.”
Octopus and cucumber sunomono (tako to kyuri no sunomono) is a regional dish from Sanuki, a province in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. Sanuki is located near the Seto Inland Sea and is famous for its fresh octopus. The octopus from this region is known to be slightly sweet because of its diet of mainly shrimp and blue crabs. While it can be enjoyed all year round, the peak season is summer.
In Japan, there is a custom of eating octopus in the summer. The origin of this custom is said to be the hope that the roots of the seedlings planted in the rice paddies will take root firmly in the earth, just like the suckers of an octopus.
How I Developed This Recipe
Sunomono is a special dish in Japanese cuisine, particularly popular in traditional households like grandparents’. Its distinctive sourness blends perfectly with the crispness of cucumber and the tender chewiness of octopus.
The great thing about sunomono is that it’s simple and goes well with lots of different meals. It’s a nice change from richer dishes.
I’d love for you to try making it yourself and enjoy the unique, sour flavor that makes this dish a beloved staple in Japanese homes!
Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Soy Sauce: If you’re looking for the best flavor, go with a high-quality Japanese brand. Check out my full soy sauce guide on the blog for top picks.
- Mirin: Opt for authentic “hon mirin” for a genuine, sweet depth of flavor.
- Vinegar: Unseasoned rice vinegar is my top choice. If unavailable, grain vinegar or white vinegar can work in a pinch.
- Dried Wakame Seaweeds: These handy, shelf-stable flakes rehydrate quickly, making them ideal for busy cooks. Fresh wakame is great if you can get it, but dried wakame is a reliable option year-round.
- Cucumber: For the best texture and flavor, go for Japanese or Persian cucumbers.
- Boiled Octopus: In Japan, this is often sold pre-cooked for convenience. If you’re using raw octopus, boil it until tender before use. If you can’t find octopus, try boiled shrimp or imitation crab instead. For a plant-based version, simply omit the octopus and double the cucumber.
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Octopus and Cucumber Sunomono at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
If you prefer to watch the process in action, check out my YouTube video of this recipe for a complete visual walkthrough!
In a small pan, combine soy sauce, mirin, and rice vinegar.
Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Let it boil for 2 minutes to evaporate the alcohol.
After boiling, remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool.
Place dried wakame seaweed in a bowl of cold water. Soak for a few minutes until it’s fully rehydrated.
Cut Japanese or Persian cucumber into thin slices. Transfer the slices to a bowl.
Add salt to the cucumber slices. Gently rub the salt over the cucumber using your hands. Let it sit for 5 minutes to draw out moisture.
Take the boiled octopus and cut it into small bite-size pieces or thin slices, according to your preference.
Wash the salted cucumber under cold water. Squeeze out the excess liquid to ensure the cucumber is not too watery.
Drain the rehydrated wakame thoroughly.
In a bowl, combine the cucumber, wakame, and octopus. Add the cooled sauce from earlier and mix everything well to ensure an even coating.
Dish up the mixture into serving bowls.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds for an added nutty flavor and texture.
Jump to Full Recipe MeasurementsFAQ
Here are answers to frequently asked questions I have received across all platforms, including here, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. If you have any questions, feel free to send them to me anytime! It will be a big help for everyone in this community!
I usually buy it already boiled, but if you have raw octopus you would need to wash it with salt first then boil a pot of water. Turn down the heat to medium-low and gently simmer the octopus for about 5-6 minutes. Once cooked, transfer to ice-cold water (this is for about 100g octopus).
Boiled shrimp or imitation crab are good replacements!
I hope you enjoy this Tako to Kyuri no Sunomono recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Japanese Side Recipes
Sunomono Salad (with octopus and cucumber)
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 2 tsp mirin
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
- 1 Japanese cucumber
- ½ tsp salt
- 80 g boiled octopus or shrimp/imitation crab (for plant-based diets, swap for extra vegetables like tomato or shredded carrot)
- toasted white sesame seeds optional garnish
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
- Add 2 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 2 tsp mirin and 2 tsp rice vinegar to a small pan and heat on medium. Let the mixture bubble for 30 seconds to 1 minute to burn off the alcohol, then remove from the heat and leave to cool.
- Add 1 tbsp dried wakame seaweed to a bowl of cold water and soak it for a few minutes to rehydrate.
- Cut 1 Japanese cucumber into thin slices, place it in a bowl and add ½ tsp salt. Use your hands to rub the salt over the cucumber and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Cut 80 g boiled octopus into small bitesize pieces or thinly slice according to preference.
- Wash the cucumber under cold water and squeeze out the excess liquid. Drain the water from the wakame and place them in a bowl with the octopus.
- Add the cooled sauce and mix well.
- Dish up and sprinkle with toasted white sesame seeds.
- Enjoy!
Delicious and easy to make. I couldn’t find fresh octopus today, but I used a small jar of marinated baby octopus cut in small chunks. Not as good as boiled octopus as in the recipe but did the trick. Very fresh, great mix of textures, and perfect dressing. Thanks.
Hi John,
Thank you for trying this recipe! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed this! 🙂
Yuto