Sunomono (Vegan Japanese Cucumber Salad Recipe)
Crisp, thinly sliced cucumber and tender wakame in a simple, well-balanced rice vinegar dressing. This sunomono salad recipe is ready in minutes, and it's a lovely light side dish or starter!
Servings: 2.5 cups
Calories: 62kcal
Cost: $4
Ingredients
Cucumber Prep:
- 12 ounces Persian cucumbers 4 medium size
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
Optional Sea Vegetables:
- 1 tablespoon dried wakame
- ½ cup boiling water 120 ml
Dressing:
- ½ teaspoon white sesame seeds toasted
- ½ teaspoon black sesame seeds toasted
- ½ teaspoon garlic minced
- 4 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons tamari
- 2 teaspoons sugar or agave nectar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest or yuzu zest
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil optional
- ½ teaspoon shichimi togarashi optional
Optional Garnishes:
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons furikake
Instructions
- Either by hand, with a vegetable peeler, or a mandoline, thinly slice the cucumbers into rounds and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle with the salt, tossing to coat evenly.
- Let the cucumbers sit for 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly under cold water. Gently squeeze out excess water and set the cucumbers aside.
- In the meantime, if using wakame, place it in a heatproof bowl, cover with the boiling water, and soak for 5 minutes until rehydrated. Drain, squeeze out excess water, and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the white and black sesame seeds, minced garlic, rice vinegar, tamari, citrus zest, sugar, and sesame oil (if using). Add the shichimi togarashi if desired.
- Combine the prepared cucumbers and rehydrated wakame (if you are using it) in a mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat.
- Transfer to a serving dish and, optionally, garnish with sliced scallions or furikake. Serve immediately or chill before serving.
Notes
✅ Cuke Me Baby One More Time:
When salting cucumber slices, massage the salt in gently to draw out excess water. After rinsing, let them drain well to keep them crisp.
🌟 Dressing for Success:
Use unseasoned rice vinegar for better flavor. And if it’s not acidic enough for your taste, either use a little more or swap it out with white vinegar.
🌊 Wakame, Waka YOU:
Thoroughly squeeze rehydrated seaweed to remove excess water. This prevents the dressing from being diluted or the salad from getting soggy.
🔪 Live to Slice Another Day:
Use a mandoline for evenly thin cucumbers, but handle with care! Those things are scary-sharp, so stay focused to avoid injuries.
Nutrition
Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1692mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 365IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg