Go Back

Cucumber Salad

Cucumber salad with ribboned Persian cucumbers and a dark amber sesame-ginger dressing. Delicate translucent ribbons stay crisp when you salt briefly, toss fast, and finish with crispy fried shallots and sesame seeds.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
salting 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Calories: 80
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cucumber salad
  • 4 Persian cucumbers Ribboned into long translucent strips with a Y-peeler.
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
  • 1 clove garlic clove Minced.
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • 3 tbsp crispy fried shallots
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
  • 1 green onion Sliced thin.

Method
 

Ribbon and prep the cucumbers
  1. Ribbon the Persian cucumbers with a Y-peeler into long translucent strips.
  2. Salt lightly, then drain for 10 min and pat dry to prevent watery ribbons.
Make the sesame-ginger dressing
  1. Whisk together rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, fresh grated ginger, minced garlic clove, and red pepper flakes until smooth.
Toss and finish
  1. Toss the cucumber ribbons in the dressing until evenly coated and glossy.
  2. Top immediately with toasted sesame seeds, crispy fried shallots, fresh cilantro, and sliced green onion for the best crunch.
  3. Serve immediately for maximum crunch, since the ribbons wilt quickly after dressing.

Notes

Pro tip: ribboning creates a silkier, more delicate texture than slicing—keep the ribbons dry before dressing. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 1 day, but expect some softening; the crispy shallots are best added right before serving. Freezing isn’t recommended. For a lower-sugar option, replace honey with an equal amount of sugar-free syrup or omit and add extra rice vinegar to keep the tang-forward flavor.