Asian Cucumber Salad
Make Asian Cucumber Salad now with crisp cucumbers, tangy dressing, and crunchy peanuts.
Ingredients
- 6 Persian or Japanese cucumbers* (often labeled "mini cucumbers")
- ½ cup honey-roasted peanuts (chopped)
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Crushed red pepper flakes (for serving)
- Diced avocado (optional - have been adding more often lately)
Instructions
Step 1: Slice and Combine the Crunchy Elements
Using a sharp knife or mandoline, slice the Persian/Japanese cucumbers into even 1/4-inch rounds and transfer them to a medium matte sage-green ceramic bowl. Scatter the chopped honey-roasted peanuts over the cucumber rounds so the crunchy texture is already distributed among the wet, glossy cucumber slices; the peanuts should sit visibly on top, irregularly chopped to show crunchy shards and toasted sheen.
Step 2: Whisk the Dressing
In a small white ceramic ramekin or glass jar, whisk together rice vinegar, sesame oil, reduced-sodium soy sauce (or tamari), minced garlic, and sugar until the mixture looks cohesive and slightly glossy with tiny suspended garlic flecks. Place the ramekin and a small metal whisk resting on its rim beside the sage-green bowl so the dressing vessel and tool remain part of the visual story.
Step 3: Toss and Finish the Salad
Pour the dressing over the cucumber-and-peanut mixture and gently toss in the sage-green bowl so the cucumber rounds are lightly glazed, each slice showing a wet sheen and tiny specks of garlic and soy. Finish by scattering crushed red pepper flakes for bright red contrast and optionally folding in diced avocado for creamy green pockets among the cool cucumber rounds. Serve immediately in the same sage-green bowl so the glossy, tangy dressing pools subtly at the base and the peanuts keep their crunchy visual bite.
Notes
- Keep the dressing separate if you need to store the salad to prevent sogginess.
- Use a mandoline or sharp knife for even cucumber slices.
- Swap peanuts for seeds to accommodate nut allergies.
- Add avocado last to keep it from browning.
- Refresh stored salad with a splash of rice vinegar before serving.