Salad
Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono)
Thin cucumber ribbons in a sweet-tart rice vinegar dressing with sesame — a cooling 10-minute side that needs no stove.
About this recipe
Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono) is a salad snack for 2 that comes together with no stove at all — just prep, toss and serve., and it takes around 10 min start to finish. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar buy
- 1 tsp sesame seeds buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
Slice the cucumber as thinly as you can; salt lightly and rest 5 min, then squeeze out the water.
~5 min
- 2
Stir rice vinegar, sugar and soy until the sugar dissolves.
~2 min
- 3
Toss the cucumber in the dressing and finish with sesame seeds. Serve cold.
~3 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Rice vinegar
- cider vinegar or white vinegar cut with a little water.
- Soy sauce
- tamari (gluten-free) or, in a pinch, a mix of Worcestershire sauce and water.
Cook's notes
- Smash the cucumber before slicing — the rough faces grab dressing far better than clean cuts. How to smash cucumber →
- Rinse the rice until the water runs (mostly) clear for fluffier, less gummy grains. How to wash & cook rice →
- Do your chopping first (mise en place). With everything prepped, the actual cooking here is only about 10 min.
Storage & leftovers
Best eaten fresh. If you’re prepping ahead, keep the dressing separate and only toss just before serving so it stays crisp — store the parts in the fridge for up to a day.
Frequently asked
How long does Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono) take to make? +
Around 10 min from start to finish, almost all of it hands-on.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: knife. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Rice vinegar → cider vinegar or white vinegar cut with a little water; Soy sauce → tamari (gluten-free) or, in a pinch, a mix of Worcestershire sauce and water. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono) ahead of time? +
Best eaten fresh. If you’re prepping ahead, keep the dressing separate and only toss just before serving so it stays crisp — store the parts in the fridge for up to a day.
More Salad recipes
Salad
Classic Coleslaw
Finely shredded cabbage and carrot in a tangy-sweet mayo dressing — a crunchy 10-minute no-cook side for anything.
Salad
Thai Beef Salad (Yam Nua)
Seared beef tossed with lime, fish sauce and chilli over crunchy cucumber and herbs — bright, punchy and on the table in 20 minutes.
Salad
Thai Glass Noodle Salad (Yum Woon Sen)
Slippery glass noodles tossed with prawns, lime, fish sauce and chilli — a bright, spicy Thai salad ready in 20 minutes.