Sesame Cucumber Salad Twist
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A quick cucumber salad tossed with a tangy sesame dressing combining rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey, and a kick of chili flakes. English cucumbers spiralized for crisp ribbons, dressed just before serving to keep crunch. A splash of lime juice swaps in for acid balance. Perfect against grilled proteins or tofu. Simple, fresh, bold in texture and contrast.
Prep:
22 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
22 min
Servings:
4 servings
#salad
#Asian fusion
#vegetarian
#quick prep
#light dish
Cucumbers sliced thin and slicked with nutty sesame and sharp rice vinegar. A salad where bright acid meets crunch and subtle sweetness. I used to drown cucumbers in heavy dressings — mistake. Waterlogged, flavorless. No more. Thin ribbons, just enough dressing to paint, not drown. Lime juice swapped in, adds lively punch. Toast seeds yourself. Those tiny pops of aroma make all difference. Flakes of chili scattered on top, heat teasing but not attacking. Tofu or grilled fish, a casual meal turns elevated. This salad listens to texture and color as much as flavor. Freshness is key — prepare close to serving time. Learn cucumber’s snap, dressing’s balance; taste, adjust constantly.
Ingredients
- 30 ml, 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 25 ml, 1 1/2 tbsp neutral oil (like grapeseed oil instead of vegetable oil for cleaner taste)
- 15 ml, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 15 ml, 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 12 ml, 3/4 tbsp honey (reduce slightly, balance with lime juice)
- 6 ml, 1 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 English cucumbers
- 15 ml, 1 tbsp fresh lime juice (twist replacing some vinegar)
About the ingredients
Switched neutral vegetable oil to grapeseed for cleaner flavor without overpowering sesame oils. Honey quantity trimmed 20% to balance with added fresh lime juice replacing some vinegar, which livens the dressing with fresh citrus sharpness. Red pepper flakes portion increased just slightly, about 25%, to give a teasing warmth without overwhelming. English cucumbers preferred for thin peel and low seed content to keep salad light; if unavailable then Kirby pickling cucumbers peeled carefully to remove bitterness but still maintain crisp crunch. Toast sesame seeds fresh in a dry pan instead of pre-packaged to get that vibrant nutty aroma, watch carefully to avoid burning. Lime juice provides freshness and a bright note balancing sweetness and acidity. Salt and pepper should be added cautiously with frequent tasting to avoid masking cucumber’s natural crispness.
Method
- Whisk together rice vinegar, lime juice, honey, crushed red pepper, toasted sesame oil, grapeseed oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl. Adjust acidity to taste; should hit a sharp but mellow tang. Toasted sesame seeds go in now; they add nuttiness and texture.
- Use a spiralizer or mandoline to cut cucumbers into thin ribbons. If spiralizer absent, peel in strips with a vegetable peeler, then stack strips and slice crosswise to shorten ribbons. The thinness and shape encourage even dressing cling. Stop when you hear the crisp snap of fresh cucumber.
- Reserve cucumbers cold, drain excess water if needed to avoid sogginess. Hold dressing and salad apart until right before serving to keep cucumber crunchy. Toss gently to coat all ribbons evenly with dressing but don’t bruise.
- Serve immediately. Cucumber ribbons should glisten with dressing but still crunch under bite. Flavor balance shifts as honey settles, acidity brightens, sesame oils perfume. Best with a cold beer or chilled white wine. Great side to skewered satay, grilled tofu, or crispy fish.
- If no English cucumbers, substitute Kirby pickling cucumbers but peel waxy skin. For honey substitute, agave or maple syrup works (slightly less sweetness). To amp umami, add a splash of tamari or toasted nori flakes as finishing touch—adds unexpected depth.
- Common pitfall: dressing overpowering cucumber. Keep ratio light; salad should breathe. Another tip: toast sesame seeds yourself in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes until fragrant—kicks flavor way up. If pressed for time, toss cucumbers directly in dressing but serve within minutes or texture suffers.
- You’ll notice first sharp brightness from vinegar and lime, then sweetness mellows top notes. Touch chili flakes last or sprinkle on individual plates; avoids bleeding heat into entire bowl too early.
- Storing leftovers: cucumbers release water rapidly. Drain before storing in airtight container for up to 24 hours. Dressing thickens—rewhisk before serving. But best freshness is same day.
- Important: Always add salt and pepper last and taste multiple times. Adjust bite and balance slowly. Over-salting ruins crisp clean cucumber experience.
Cooking tips
Dressing mixed first, whisk thoroughly so honey dissolves well into vinegar and oils. Adding toasted sesame seeds while whisking releases oils and aroma. Spiralizing cucumbers thinly is vital; thicker pieces trap too much moisture and dressing, become soggy fast. If no spiralizer present, vegetable peeler or mandoline creating long thin ribbons mirrors texture well. Cutting ribbons shorter after spiralizing helps easier mixing and eating without cumbersome strands. Do not add cucumbers to dressing too early; wait until moments before serving to preserve crunch. Toss gently to avoid bruising ribbons. Observe cucumber’s texture: crisp to bite but pliable enough to hold dressing coating. Serve immediately for maximum texture contrast and flavor brightness. Leftovers prone to watery dilution; drain excess water and re-whisk dressing before reuse. Adjust acidity and sweetness after mixing, accommodate seasonal cucumber sweetness variance. Adding chili flakes last or sprinkling on plated portions helps control heat intensity avoiding dulling freshness by premature infusion.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Whisk dressing first, honey must dissolve fully. Add toasted sesame seeds last while whisking for nuttiness and aroma release. Timing matters here; seeds burn fast if dry pan too hot. You want pops of fragrance, not bitter taste. Toast 2 to 3 minutes exactly or less if pan heats unevenly.
- 💡 Cut cucumbers thin ribbons with spiralizer or mandoline for that crisp snap. Peel only if needed, thin peel keeps crunch intact. Long ribbons can be sliced crosswise shorter. Listen for that distinct cucumber crack when you twist or bend ribbons; tells freshness and texture right.
- 💡 Hold dressing separate until serving to avoid soggy ribbons. Cucumbers release water fast, so drain well if leftovers go in fridge. If storage needed, keep salad and dressing apart, toss just before plating. Rewhisk dressing before use to fix any thickening or separation.
- 💡 Use grapeseed oil over vegetable oil for cleaner flavor that won’t mask toasted sesame oil. Lime juice adds brightness matching honey sweetness but trim honey 20% when adding acid; balance shifts quickly. Red pepper flakes increase by a quarter for a teasing warmth but add last to keep clear heat notes.
- 💡 If no English cucumber, Kirby pickles peeled work but beware waxy skin bitterness. Toast sesame seeds fresh each time to get that vibrant nutty punch. Adding umami? Toasted nori flakes or splash tamari last minute adds depth. Salt and pepper? Add cautiously, taste multiple times as cucumber crispness fades with over-salting.
Common questions
Can I use other cucumbers?
English cucumbers preferred thin peel and low seeds. Kirby pickles work peeled. Regular slicing cucumbers more seedy, can get watery. Remove waxy skin always. Texture varies, impacts crunch and flavor absorption.
How to keep salad from turning soggy?
Don’t mix cucumbers and dressing early. Drain excess water if holding. Store separately, toss right before serving. Rewhisk dressing after refrigeration, it thickens. Cucumbers release water fast, salad turns limp otherwise.
What if no toasted sesame seeds?
Can skip but you lose toasted aroma and nuttiness. Substitute with light roasted nuts crushed or sprinkle sesame oil a bit more cautiously. Seed to oil ratio matters, so don’t add too much oil to avoid oily taste.
How to adjust heat from chili flakes?
Add chili flakes last or sprinkle on plates individually. This avoids premature infusion dulling freshness yet controls spiciness at bite. Can reduce or swap for milder pepper flakes if sensitive to heat.
