Lately, this recipe for Asian Cucumber Salad is my go-to when I want to make something quick (only 10 minutes!), healthy, and super delicious.
With cool cucumbers, crunchy peanuts, nutrient-dense wakame, crispy fried shallots, and toasted sesame seeds, this Asian-Inspired Cucumber Salad is everything you want a side salad to be.
So many interesting textures, so quick and easy to make. So healthy. And a perfectly balanced tangy-umami dressing to finish off this delicious salad situation.
And did I mention, this salad is vegan?
As the perfect companion to hot and steaming Asian dishes like noodles and curries, this fresh salad will cool your mouth right down, and light your tastebuds right up.
Keen to try my vegan Asian Cucumber Salad recipe? Let’s discuss how you can make it, too…
The Best Asian Cucumber Salad:
Quick, Easy & Vegan Recipe
The Ingredients
You don’t need many ingredients to make this cucumber salad, which is a major plus!
You only need a few fresh cucumbers and some common Asian pantry staples. If you’re into Asian cooking like I am, then there’s a high chance you already have all of the ingredients in stock…
The salad:
- Cucumbers
- Dried wakame (seaweed)
- Roasted peanuts
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Fried shallots
- Red chili flakes
The dressing:
- Rice wine vinegar
- Vegan fish sauce
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Agave syrup (coconut sugar or palm sugar also work)
The Method
Okay, now that we know which ingredients we need, let’s talk about what to do with them.
This is one of the easiest (but most delicious) salads you can possibly make. Just 10 minutes (at most), and you’re done.
- First, rehydrate the wakame by soaking it in some warm water for a few minutes. Strain the wakame and squeeze out any excess water.
- Next, shake the salad dressing ingredients together in a jar.
- Chop the cucumber.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add in the main salad components, pour over the salad dressing, toss, and enjoy!
The Best Asian Cucumber Salad: 10-Minute Vegan Recipe
And that’s it, guys! There you have the easiest side salad to pair with your favorite Asian-inspired main dish: Asian Cucumber Salad.
I hope you love it like I do.
Want more vegan Asian-inspired recipes? Check out these favorites:
- Sweet and Spicy Baked Orange Cauliflower
- Chinese-American Sweet & Sour Tofu
- Vietnamese Noodle Salad (Bún Chay)
- Thai Mango Sticky Rice
- Indian Chickpea and Potato Curry (Chana Aloo Masala)
- Indonesian Gado Gado Salad
10-Minute Asian-Inspired Cucumber Salad
My recipe for Asian Cucumber Salad with Wakame is quick (10 minutes or less!), easy, super healthy, and 100% vegan. It features cool cucumbers, nutrient-dense wakame seaweed, lots of interesting textures, and a tangy-umami dressing. Serve as a side salad with your favorite Asian-inspired main dishes!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 side salads 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Chop & Toss
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 3 cucumbers, chopped
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped or crushed
- 2 tbsp dried wakame
- 2 tbsp fried shallots
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
For the dressing:
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp vegan fish sauce
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp agave syrup (or other sweetener: palm sugar, coconut sugar)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Rehydrate the wakame: In a small bowl, soak the wakame with warm water for about three minutes, until it has expanded. Strain and squeeze out the excess water.
- Dressing: Shake the dressing ingredients together in a jar.
- Salad: Add all salad components into a bowl. Pour over dressing and toss to combine. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Keywords: asian cucumber salad, thai cucumber salad, japanese cucumber salad, with sesame, wakame seaweed, and fried shallots
This was delicious!
PS I’m so glad you’re back online! I can’t wait to read all about your adventures.