Refreshing Japanese Cucumber Salad.
Sunomono or Japanese Cucumber Salad is a light and refreshing dish that’s simple yet full of flavor. Thinly sliced cucumbers are tossed in a tangy dressing made with rice vinegar, sugar, and a hint of soy sauce, creating a perfect balance of sweet and sour. Often garnished with sesame seeds or a touch of seaweed, this Japanese pickled cucumber is crisp, cool, and perfect as a side dish or appetizer. It pairs wonderfully with sushi, grilled meats, or other Japanese dishes, offering a refreshing contrast to richer flavors. Plus, it’s low in calories and easy to prepare!
Sunomono Ingredients
Ingredients for the sauce
- 30 ml Rice vinager
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Soy sauce
All other ingredients
- 1 Japanese cucumber, thinly sliced (if it is hard for you to find Japanese cucumber, then use regular cucumber)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ Tablespoon Dried wakame (optional)
- ¼ Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
How to Make Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber Salad)
- Preparing the Sauce: In a medium-high heat sauce pan, combine all ingredients for the sauce. Mix it well and let is simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. It doesn’t take long, about 2 minutes. Reserve.
- Hydrate the Wakame: Soak the wakame in water for 5 minutes. Afterwards, remove all excess water. Place them into a large bowl and reserve.
- Remove half of the skin from the cucumbers and slice them quite thinly.
- Add the sliced cucumber to a bowl and combine it with the ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix it well and set aside for 5-10 minutes. The idea here is to remove the excess moisture from the cucumbers.
- Using your hands, remove all excess water from the cucumbers by squeezing it. Place the cucumbers together with the hydrate wakame bowl.
- Add the dressing and the sesame seeds and mix it well. Enjoy Sunomono as a side dish or appetizer.
- Sunomono lasts well in a airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days.
Recipe Tips
- Use Japanese Cucumbers: If available, use Japanese or Persian cucumbers, as they have thin skins and fewer seeds, making them perfect for this salad.
- Salt the Cucumbers: Sprinkle sliced cucumbers with a little salt and let them sit for 5-10 minutes to draw out excess water. This keeps the salad crisp and prevents the dressing from becoming diluted.
Other Japanese Recipes
Sunomono
Refreshing Japanese Cucumber Salad.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
Ingredients for the sauce
- 30 ml Rice vinager
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Soy sauce
All other ingredients
- 1 Japanese cucumber, thinly sliced (if it is hard for you to find Japanese cucumber, then use regular cucumber)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ Tablespoon Dried wakame (optional)
- ¼ Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
Instructions
Preparing the Sauce
- In a medium-high heat sauce pan, combine all ingredients for the sauce. Mix it well and let is simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. It doesn't take long, about 2 minutes. Reserve.
Hydrate the wakame
- Soak the wakame in water for 5 minutes.
- Afterwards, remove all excess water. Place them into a large bowl and reserve.
Preparing Sunomono
- Remove half of the skin from the cucumbers and slice them quite thinly.
- Add the sliced cucumber to a bowl and combine it with the ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix it well and set aside for 5 minutes. The idea here is to remove the excess moisture from the cucumbers.
- Using your hands, remove all excess water from the cucumbers by squeezing it.
- Place the cucumbers together with the hydrate wakame bowl. Add the dressing and the sesame seeds and mix it well.
- Enjoy it as a side dish. (Sunomono lasts well in a airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days.)
