It is an error that needs correcting that in the near-20 years of plugging recipes into this url, only a few truly star cucumbers — and highly unrepresentative too, given that we are probably eating some format of cucumbers at half the nights of the week with dinner, and snacking on them throughout all of the other days. Crunchy, cold, hydrating, inexpensive, and taking well to any region of ingredients you wish to apply, I don’t need to sell you on their appeal, especially as we slog through our nth heat wave of the summer. I suspect that the lack of cucumber representation in the archives has more to do with the fact that little about cucumber salads brings out my inner obsessive recipe finetuner; usually I’m just throwing it together.
But for you, for us, and because this is actually the cucumber salad I make the most often on weeknights, I’ve pulled out the measuring spoons. Origin-wise, this is closest to a Japanese salad known as sunomono, which translates to “vinegared things.” Cucumbers are the most common, but it refers to any raw vegetable or seafood marinated in a sweet, tangy rice vinegar dressing. I skip the sugar, keep my cucumbers chunkier than seems common, and salt them for less time — I just do it for whatever time I have while I do other things, even if it’s just 10 minutes. Salting the cucumbers draws out some of their liquid, leaving a moisture deficit that better absorbs the dressing’s flavors.
For us, this is a staple of stir-fry, simple noodle dishes, or potsticker nights — either frozen or homemade, and also please tell me you want my pork potsticker recipe because I have so much fun making them, and making the whole family help. I usually have to double this because the least predictable member of our family* will eat the whole bowl before we have a chance to sit down if I’m not prepared.
(* I actually brought her some for her sleepaway camp visiting day, plus homemade dot cakes, and several other things I can’t tell you about lest you rightly judge me.)
It’s here! The 2026 SK Classroom Wishlist Project, in which we try to get teachers what they need to set their classrooms up for success, has kicked off. If you cannot figure out where to start, let me help! I recommend picking a school in your area, or perhaps where you grew up, or searching the descriptions for classrooms that might focus on something particularly meaningful to you. Help out if you feel you’re able. There is no purchase too small to unquestionably make a teacher’s (and their students’) day. Plus, buying crayons, pencils, and books that help kids learn and succeed feels really good. [Project information. Direct link to spreadsheet.]
Cucumber Salad with Sesame and Rice Vinegar
- 1 pound (455 grams) Persian-style cucumbers, trimmed, in 1/2-inch slices
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond brand, use half of others)
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce
- Ground black or white pepper
- Chili oil or chili crisp to taste, or red pepper flakes
- Toasted sesame seeds
Combine cucumbers and salt in a bowl. Set aside for as little as 10 to 15 minutes, or up to an hour or two. Transfer to the fridge to keep it cold and refreshing.
Drain any liquid from the cucumber bowl, then add rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, pepper, and additional salt, if needed. Stir to combine. Finish with chili oil and toasted sesame seeds.
Do ahead: Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, and they’re amazing, becoming gently pickled.
Previously
6 months ago: Miso Chicken and Rice
1 year ago: Grilled Chicken Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing
2 years ago: Salted Caramel Peach Crisp
3 years ago: Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad and Raspberry Streusel Muffins.
4 years ago: Buttered Noodles for Frances
5 years ago: Deviled Eggs
6 years ago: Pasta with Pesto Genovese
7 years ago: Frozen Watermelon Mojitos
8 years ago: Corn Fritters and Bourbon Peach Smash
9 years ago: Hummus Heaped with Tomatoes and Cucumbers
10 years ago: Corn, Bacon and Parmesan Pasta
11 years ago: Tomato and Fried Provolone Sandwich
12 years ago: Easiest Fridge Dill Pickles and Grilled Peach Splits
13 years ago: One-Pan Farro with Tomatoes and Hot Fudge Sundae Cake
14 years ago: Bacon Corn Hash
15 years ago: Whole Wheat Raspberry Ricotta Scones
16 years ago: Mango Slaw with Cashews and Mint, Thai-Style Chicken Legs, Peach Blueberry Cobbler, and Scalloped Tomatoes with Croutons
17 years ago: Light Brioche Burger Buns, Blueberry Boy Bait, and Lemony Zucchini Goat Cheese Pizza
18 years ago: Chocolate Sorbet
19 years ago: Double Chocolate Layer Cake
My garden is in cucumber overdrive so this is so awesome! Also uh yes please re the postickers!!
ditto the potstickers!
Cucumbers have always been one of my favorite things to eat. I remember sitting in the kitchen with my mom eating them, a much simpler version of sliced cucumbers, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper. I happen to have a couple in fridge, so this will be lunch today. Happy 20th Anniversary! I have been a follower/reader from the start. You always have the answer.
Persnickety question alert. Given that the earliest recipes on this website are from July 2006, why is the 20 year mark not already crossed?! Sorry, it’s just been buggging me.
Excellent question! I do not believe in launching empty websites or spaces — i.e. “watch this blank space! Coming soon!” — so I used the summer before I launched to try out posting and see if I could find my groove. Then when I actually told people about SK in September 2006, there was some stuff to read back to.
Clearly, you were a pro from Day 1 :)
I can’t wait to make this! I do love cucumbers and trying different ways of making them the star is so enjoyable to me. The fact I got pickling cucumbers and I’ve done my year fermented pickles, three large jars, and one small one so far. Making this salad out of more cucumbers I can get at my local farmers market that is only steps from my apartment is going to be so much fun.
Well, I read this recipe about an hour ago, just before dinner. I grabbed one of my homegrown Armenian cucumbers out of the fridge and made the salad. We just had it for dinner and both my husband and I thought it was terrific! Thank you for a super easy, very tasty recipe.
This sounds delicious and YES to the potstickers!
Deb thanks for doing your teacher supply drive again. Always great to be able to help!
Your sesame noodles with cucumbers and peanuts were basically 85% of my diet for both of the summers I was pregnant. I would make a huge amount of noodles, dressing on the side, extra cucumbers, and grilled chicken and we would all assemble our own bowls for an easy, filling, COLD dinner. Sooooo, all that to say I think I will add these to the mix next time I make those noodles, most likely tomorrow. ;)
PS: yes to the potstickers.
PPS: I’m hoping you publish your homemade almond extract soon.
I highly suggest using gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes). Delicious.
Why yes, I would like your potsticker recipe! We love them,
Would love your dumpling recipe. I have two dumpling obsessed teens and I have never attempted to make them at home, though I am sure a SK recipe would have me making them in no time.
Perfectly timed as my cucumbers in the garden are about to start overwhelming us! And pork potsticker recipe, yes please!
I love cucumber salads and also make them frequently. Smashing the cukes rather than cutting them has been a game changer—the craggy edges really grab and hold the dressing. I use the back of my knife or anything heavy in the kitchen to break the cucumbers into bite sized chunks. Try it with any recipe, it really elevated my cucumber salad game.
Hello, Just wanted to mention that DonorsChoose is a nonprofit org based in NY that does similar good work year-round and nationwide. What you are doing is incredible and generous of both spirit and time – so I’m only mentioning this as an additional resource if you were interested in finding out more. I don’t want to take away from the extremely worthy teachers you have going on this summer’s list. It’s also totally ok not to post this if it’s counterproductive to your current project. I just wanted the resource with you since it’s an important ongoing cause–and an organization I’m familiar with.
This was SO GOOD! Used Aleppo pepper but otherwise stuck to the recipe. I have a bunch left over and cannot stop snacking!
You’ve been holding out on us. I’ve been craving a cucumbery salad. I’ll be making this soon! Stay cool.
Your timing is eerie! Last night my mom texted me asking for “that cucumber salad recipe I’m obsessed with” and I was stumped what she meant. I do make something sort of like this sometimes, and we decided it was probably that, but if I would have checked here a day sooner, I would have just sent this! Looks like a tightened up version that I will be using (and sharing) from now on! And obvious HUGE YES to the potsticker recipe. I need it now.
This is coincidentally very similar to my mother’s family recipe for quick-pickled cucumbers! Which I don’t measure anything for, either, but the main differences are:
1) Chinkiang black vinegar instead of unseasoned rice vinegar, which I expect tilts the flavor profile towards Chinese rather than Japanese
2) Longer salting with vinegar added early alongside; I prefer overnight
3) Getting your hands dirty to squeeze the chopped cucumbers before their overnight rest, extracting as much water as possible for max crispiness
TBH I’m sure your version is 75% as good for 50% as much work :)
I made this, ate it, and promptly made another double batch, also consumed by the next morning. Loved the subtle kick white pepper in it, which I rarely use
I made this cutting the ingredients back a bit because my cucumbers came in a 12 oz pack. Because I had very little time, I only salted the cucumbers for 15 minutes and then proceeded with the recipe leaving out any pepper or chili crisp because it appears I am the only person on earth who does not like spicy food. Nonetheless, eaten with leftover Chinese take out, this was a smash! So flavorful and cool on this warm CA summer night. Thanks for making something simple so tasty!
For big fat garden cukes with thick skin and lots of seeds should I just roughly peel and then remove most of the seeds before I chop and salt?
Easy tip – yes & use a melon baller to remove the seeds.
Long time Smitten Kitchen fan, but this tasted rather bland to us. We added red onion, garlic and extra vinegar to make ik work (and a lot of chili crisp).
Cucumbers have been one of my favorite things this summer, so refreshing.
My biggest success has been sizing down a favorite pickle recipe so I can make a batch with just one pound of (storebought) cucumbers. I quickly learned I prefer making twice that much, but it’s so much easier than half a bushel at once. (Try the old fashioned lime pickles, where you soak the cukes in a solution of pickling lime overnight , then rinse and chill them, then soak them in a seasoned sugar/vinegar mix before water bath canning. Sounds complicated, but each step is easy and the whole thing spaced out over a few days, so there’s no one big job.)
Sorry to burst the bubble but I cannot support any kind of shopping on Amazon. Why is that the only option for the teachers’ wishlists? Mr Bezos could easily fund all of these wishlists with his magic wand if he were so inclined.
I will search out other opportunities in my community (Philadelphia).
I do appreciate your recipes; your tikka masala chicken tray bake is a legend in our family. It was delivered about ten years ago to a Colorado hospital holiday party at midnight (by me) and immediately the recipe was requested– so the love was spread to others about your website!
Teachers can submit lists from any platform; I do not choose for them or recommend one over the other. If you scroll through, you will find teachers who’ve made their lists with Donors Choose (currently lines #47, 203, 218, 257, 258, 261, 506, 536, 543, 585) a different platform. There are Target lists on lines 73 and 470.
I am so addicted to this salad. I crave it and can’t stop eating it! It is so good.
Absolutely delicious. It was more like 8-10 servings for my family since we ate these as small sides throughout the week. I’ve made this twice now. Second time I added an extra tbsp of toasted sesame oil because I love the flavor too much. Persian cucumbers are definitely the superior choice for this.