This Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber Salad) features thinly sliced cucumbers and glass noodles tossed in a sweet vinegar dressing. This delicately refreshing salad is easy to prepare and serves as an excellent appetizer or side to any Japanese dish.
Do you have lots of cucumbers from your garden, or are they on sale at the store? Give this sweet, tangy Japanese cucumber salad a try! Consider doubling or tripling the recipe because you won’t be able to resist once you taste it. 🤩
You can serve this sunomono salad alongside sushi such as Kappa Maki and Futomaki. 🍱
It also pairs well with dishes like my Teriyaki Tofu or Japanese Chickpea Curry.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy To Prepare. With no cooking required, add all the ingredients to a bowl and place in the fridge to marinate, and that’s it!
- Crowd Favourite. Give this cucumber salad a try with your family and friends – it’s a favourite here, and I know everyone will surely enjoy it!
- Bright & Refreshing. The zesty, sweet vinegar dressing, crunchy cucumbers, and chewy noodles create a light and bright taste.
🥒 What Is Sunomono?
“Sunomono” means “vinegared things” in Japanese, highlighting its vinegar-based preparation. This classic Japanese dish consists of sliced cucumbers marinated in a sweet, tangy vinegar dressing. Typically enjoyed as an appetizer or side dish, you can incorporate other ingredients like noodles, wakame (seaweed), or vegan “seafood” to make it more filling.
Ingredient Notes
- Cucumber – I like using English cucumbers, but Japanese cucumbers will also work if you can find them.
- Glass Noodles – I like using dried Korean glass noodles made with sweet potato starch. Also known as sweet potato vermicelli or cellophane noodles, they provide a chewy, springy texture that readily absorbs flavours.
- White Vinegar – Adds a tangy and bright flavour.
- Sugar – Adds sweetness that balances the other flavours in this dish. I used white granulated sugar.
- Soy Sauce – Adds a bit of saltiness and savoury flavour. Feel free to use tamari if you can’t eat gluten or leave out the soy sauce altogether.
- Salt – I used iodized table salt to draw out excess water from the cucumbers and season the vinegar dressing.
Step By Step Instructions
1. Peel the cucumber skin in a zebra-like pattern, alternating between leaving strips of peel on and peel off.
2. Then, slice the cucumber in half lengthwise, gently remove the seeds with a small spoon, and discard them.
3. Thinly slice the cucumber (1/8 inch thick) using either a mandolin or your knife skills. Place them in a bowl, sprinkle 1 tsp salt on top, mix, and let sit for 15-20 minutes.
4. Afterward, use your hands to firmly squeeze out any extra liquid from the cucumbers (this will create that crunchy texture).
5. Next, remove excess liquid from the bowl or use a colander/strainer.
6. Prepare the vinegar dressing by mixing the white vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and salt in a bowl or glass measuring cup. Stir until you dissolve the sugar.
7. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to your package directions, rinse and drain well. Add them to a bowl with the squeezed cucumbers and the vinegar dressing. Stir to combine and chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, to let the flavours mingle.
8. Garnish with optional toasted sesame seeds and edible flowers before serving.
👩🏻🍳 Jazz’s Tips
- Thinly slice the cucumbers to ensure they can fully absorb the delicious vinegar dressing. I like using a mandoline to get even slices everytime.
- Salt the cucumber. You can remove excess water and improve its crunchy texture by sprinkling salt on the cucumber slices and allowing them to rest for 15-20 minutes.
- Including noodles is optional. I’ve prepared this recipe numerous times without them, and it still makes for the perfect side dish to complement any main course.
- Chill for best flavour. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight, allowing the ingredients to absorb the dressing, resulting in a flavorful cucumber salad.
Storage Tips
Keep your sunomono salad in the fridge in an airtight container; it’s best when consumed within 2-3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it’s optional; I do it for aesthetics, but if your cucumbers have thick or waxy skin, you can consider peeling them.
The cucumber seeds contain higher water content and can be slightly bitter. Removing them can improve the salad’s overall texture, making it cruncher and more enjoyable to eat.
This salad complements any Japanese and Asian dishes perfectly. Some recipes on my blog are my Sticky Tofu, Garlic Chili Udon, Teriyaki Tofu, or Japanese Chickpea Curry.
I’m confident you’ll adore this Japanese cucumber salad! This recipe is easy to prepare and packs an incredible crunch.
⭐️ MORE JAPANESE RECIPES
- Vegan Japanese Egg Salad Sandwich
- Garlic Chili Udon Noodles
- Tofu w/Teriyaki Glaze
- Kappa Maki (Cucumber Sushi Rolls)
- Vegan Futomaki Roll (Maki Sushi)
- Vegan Japanese Chickpea Curry
DID YOU MAKE THIS SUNOMONO SALAD?
I would greatly appreciate your feedback. Kindly leave a comment or star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. Also, feel free to tag me on Instagram, as I enjoy seeing photos of your recipes.
Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber Salad)
Equipment
- Mandoline or Sharp Knife
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 tsp salt
- 50 grams dried Korean glass noodles
Vinegar Dressing:
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp salt
Garnishes (optional)
- toasted sesame seeds
- edible flowers
Instructions
- Begin by peeling the cucumber skin in a zebra-like pattern, alternating between leaving strips of peel on and peel off.
- Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and gently scrape the seeds out using a small spoon, then discard them.
- Thinly slice the cucumber, aiming for 1/8 inch thick, using either a mandolin or your knife skills. Place them in a bowl, sprinkle 1 tsp salt on top, mix well, and let sit for 15-20 minutes.
- Afterward, use your hands to firmly squeeze out any extra liquid from the cucumbers (this will create that crunchy texture).
- Next, remove the excess liquid from the bowl or use a colander/strainer.
- Prepare the vinegar dressing by mixing the white vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and salt in a bowl or glass measuring cup. Stir until you dissolve the sugar.
- Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to your package directions, rinse and drain well. Add them to a bowl with the squeezed cucumbers and the vinegar dressing. Stir to combine and chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, to let the flavours mingle.
- Before serving, garnish with toasted sesame seeds and edible flowers if desired.
- For a larger batch, I like doubling the vinegar dressing recipe and using 3 English cucumbers.
Video
Notes
- Thinly slice the cucumbers to ensure they can fully absorb the delicious vinegar dressing. I like using a mandoline to get even slices everytime.
- Salt the cucumber. You can remove excess water and improve its crunchy texture by sprinkling salt on the cucumber slices and allowing them to rest for 15-20 minutes.
- Including noodles is optional. I’ve prepared this recipe numerous times without them, and it still makes for the perfect side dish to complement any main course.
- Chill for the best flavour. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight, allowing the ingredients to absorb the dressing, resulting in a flavorful cucumber salad.
This is so delicious! I had never tried anything like this before and it’s easily one of my new all time faves. The flavour is perfectly sweet and amazing. I prepared this alongside rice and chikn nuggets and it made the best meal ever. I especially love how crunchy the cucumbers become after squeezing out all the water! Highly recommend!
I love how few ingredients this recipe called for. It turned out so delicious! Thanks –also your photos of the salad are what made me decide to give it a try –yum!
I am always needing more ideas for the abundant summer cucumbers. Easy and fresh — this is perfect.
Love sunomono, this recipe turned out great!