Sushi Cucumber Salad (Printable)
Crisp cucumbers with rice vinegar, soy sauce, and nori strips for umami flavor.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 large English cucumbers, thinly sliced
02 - 2 green onions, finely sliced
→ Dressing
03 - 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
04 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce (gluten-free if needed)
05 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
06 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
→ Garnishes
09 - 1 toasted nori sheet, cut into thin strips
10 - 1 tablespoon pickled ginger, chopped (optional)
11 - 1/2 avocado, sliced (optional)
# Steps:
01 - Place sliced cucumbers in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 10 minutes. Gently squeeze out excess water and transfer to a large bowl.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar until sugar dissolves completely.
03 - Add the green onions and dressing to the cucumbers. Toss well to coat evenly.
04 - Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and toss again to distribute.
05 - Top with nori strips, pickled ginger, and avocado if using. Serve immediately for best texture.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Takes just 15 minutes from start to finish, perfect for last minute guests
- The rice vinegar and sesame combination creates that addictive sushi flavor profile
- Stays crisp for hours in the fridge if you can resist eating it all at once
02 -
- Squeezing the cucumbers too hard will make them lose their crunch, so be gentle when removing the excess water
- The salad needs at least 5 minutes to marinate for the flavors to really develop, but do not let it sit longer than 2 hours or the cucumbers will soften too much
03 -
- A mandoline makes getting those paper thin cucumber slices so much easier and faster than knife work
- Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes before adding them to wake up their flavor