Asian Cucumber Salad with Miso and Sesame
Flavorful, crunchy and refreshing Asian cucumber salad with savory and sweet miso dressing is a must have side dish on a hot summer day. Make more to store in the fridge and upgrade any meal instantaneously with this side!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 35kcal
Ingredients
- 6 mini cucumbers also called Persian cucumbers
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ tsp sea salt
Miso Dressing
- 1½ tablespoons white miso
- 1½ tablespoons mirin
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 clove of garlic minced
Others
- 1 scallion sliced
- 1 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon black sesame seeds optional
Instructions
Cut and marinate cucumbers.
- Trim both ends of mini cucumbers and slice into ½" (around
- In a bowl, toss cucumber slices with 2 tablespoons of sugar and ½ teaspoon of salt, cover with plastic wrap (touching the cucumbers) and let it sit for 15-30 minutes, toss again half way through. This step will help with get rid of the raw taste of cucumbers while making them crunchier after the liquid comes out.
Make miso dressing
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix all the miso dressing ingredients together and set it aside.
Assemble the salad
- Drain the liquid from the cucumber (you should have a good amount of excess liquid), and toss cucumbers with miso dressing.
- Mix in scallion and finally sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Serve it right away or chill it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavor to develop more before serving.
Notes
- Marinating cucumbers with mostly sugar and a bit of salt instead of just salt will prevent the cucumbers from becoming overly salty, which can leave a bitter aftertaste when eating. Most of the sugar will dissolve and become a part of the drained liquid, so the cucumbers actually won't be that sweet.
- Placing plastic wrap right on top of cucumbers can shorten the marinating time. You can also marinate it in a plastic bag and squeeze out the air.
- Feel free to adjust the dressing based on your taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 35kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 386mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 82IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg