This Japanese cucumber salad recipe, called sunomono, is crisp, tangy, and cooling, made with paper thin cucumbers, wakame seaweed, and a light sweet vinegar dressing. It's the perfect side for anything spicy. Ready in 30 minutes with just a handful of ingredients.
When you cook as spicy as I do, it helps to serve it with something that not only helps to balance out that heat, but with real flavor of its own. It resets your palate between bites.
Sunomono is that dish, my friends, a fresh, crispy, and tangy Japanese cucumber salad.
I love this with Miso Ramen, Tonkatsu, and and other Japanese dishes that land on the spicy side. The cucumbers stay nice and crisp, and the dressing is bright and just barely sweet. The wakame adds a soft chewy texture and you get a taste of the ocean underneath it all. It takes about ten minutes to make.
I tested this one hard and this is the version we enjoy the most. I've made it with mirin and without, with wakame and without, and through several dressing ratios before we settled on this exact recipe. Patty gave it her stamp of approval too, and she is a tough sell on cucumbers, so that tells you something.
Let's talk about how to make sunomono, shall we?
What is Sunomono?
Sunomono (酢の物) translates to "vinegared things." It technically refers to any Japanese dish dressed with vinegar, but when you see "sunomono"on a menu, it usually means this cucumber salad.
The dressing is called "amazu", a simple sweet vinegar made from rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, with a splash of soy sauce. It works perfectly for this, and you'll love it with any of your spicy dishes.
Ingredients Needed
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Cucumbers. Japanese or Persian cucumbers work best for this. They have a thinner skin, fewer seeds, and excellent crunch. English cucumbers are good, too. Typical American garden cucumbers have thicker skin and more seeds with a more watery interior - if using these I suggest peeling and scooping them out first.
- Kosher salt. To draw water out of the cucumbers to keep them crispy, and for seasoning the dressing.
- Dried wakame. Dehydrated seaweed that we rehydrate, which is very simple. It adds umami flavor and a slight chewy texture. I love this stuff and think it makes the dish. That said, the salad still tastes great without it, so skip if you can't find it. Definitely worth looking for, though. You can use it in this miso soup recipe, too.
- Unseasoned rice vinegar. Make sure you use unseasoned, since seasoned rice vinegar already has sugar and salt mixed in. It's more mellow and slightly sweet on its own.
- Sugar. Balances the acidity and sharp vinegar flavor.
- Soy sauce. Just a teaspoon for a savory note. Use tamari for gluten free.
- Toasted sesame seeds. A little texture for serving, nutty notes, and it looks nice.
- Fresh ginger. Optional, for grating over the finished dish to brighten it all up.
- Chili Flakes. A sprinkle, for garnish. Not traditional, but I love how it looks and I just can't resist.
How to Make Sunomono
Make the dressing. Combine the rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and soy sauce in a small saucepan. Warm it over medium heat, stirring, just until the sugar dissolves, about 1 to 2 minutes. Do not let it boil. You can microwave it instead, 20 to 30 seconds in a microwave safe bowl, then stir.
Heating is important to take some of the raw edge off the vinegar. It gives you a smoother dressing overall. My recommendation = don't skip it.
Cool it completely. Very important. Adding warm dressing will soften the cucumbers on and you lose all that crunch you want. Refrigerate while you prep the rest.
Rehydrate the wakame. Cover it with cool water and soak 5 to 10 minutes. It expands about tenfold, so a little goes a long way. Use a large enough bowl. Drain and squeeze it dry.
Slice and salt the cucumbers. Slice them paper thin, about 1/16 inch. I use my mandoline for even slices. Makes it very easy. Toss with the salt and let them sit 10 minutes.
Squeeze them. Grab the cucumbers and squeeze firmly with your hands to press out the liquid. Rinse under cold water, squeeze again, then pat dry. Too much moisture will give you soft cucumbers. We want crunch factor!
Toss and chill. Combine the cucumbers and wakame in a bowl, pour over the cooled dressing, and toss gently. Chill 15 to 20 minutes to let the flavors mingle. It's definitely best served cold.
Serve. Top with sesame seeds and a small mound of grated ginger. Use a slotted spoon so the extra dressing drips back into the bowl instead of pooling on your plate.
Boom! Done. Cool, crisp, and ready in about 30 minutes. Pretty easy, isn't it?
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Crumble the wakame between your fingers before you rehydrate it. You get small even pieces instead of long ribbons of seaweed hanging off your fork. You get a more even bite this way.
- Taste and adjust the dressing after the chill. To me, it seems sweeter when hot, but it's not as pronounced after it cools. If it's too sharp or tart, add a touch of sugar at a time, and adjust salt to taste.
Spicy Options
Sunomono is perfect as it is and just what you need to balance your palate with spicy dishes. However, it works very nice with spicy additions, which I love to do when serving it on its own. Here is how I like to spice mine up.
- Chili flakes. Sprinkle over the top for heat and a pop of red color. Simple and perfect.
- Rayu. A drizzle of Japanese chili oil is so good, and authentic Japanese. You get warmth, nutty flavor, and it looks wonderful.
- Chili crisp. My homemade chili crisp adds crunchy bits along with the heat. It's a nice texture addition and great for presentation.
- Shichimi togarashi. The classic Japanese seven spice blend. Just a pinch for mild heat, citrus, and sesame notes.
- Yuzu kosho. Whisk about ¼ teaspoon into the dressing. A wonderfully bold option, floral with a good heat.
- Fresh chilies. Toss thin slices of red chili or fresh jalapeño right in with the cucumbers. Boom.
Start light with the spicy additions. The point of this dish is the cool factor, so I like to accent with heat, not bury the flavor.
Seafood Variations
Seafood turns sunomono into a light appetizer. Toss it with any of the following popular additions.
- Kani Sunomono. 4 ounces of hand-shredded imitation crab sticks. I've seen this in American sushi restaurants, and it's easy to do.
- Tako Sunomono. 4 ounces of sliced cooked octopus. This is a traditional version.
- Ebi Sunomono. 4 to 6 ounces of cooked shrimp, sliced in half lengthwise.
Vegetable Variations
This dressing is great for more than cucumbers. Try it with thinly sliced bell peppers, fresh jalapeños, or blanched green beans. It can work with many of your favorite veggies.
I have been wanting to use them to make a full pickled vegetable salad, combining the cucumbers with pickled green beans, pickled tomatoes, and a few refrigerator pickled chili peppers. Just increase the dressing to cover everything. I think this one is going to be a winner.
What to Serve with Sunomono
Serve sunomono as a side with fried foods, rich dishes, and anything fiery. Here are some ideas to get you going.
- Tonkatsu with tonkatsu sauce
- Miso Ramen, Chicken Ramen, or Spicy Ramen Noodles
- Yakitori
- Yaki Udon or Yakisoba Noodles
- Japanese Style Curry
- Miso Soup
- Spicy Edamame
Sprinkle a little furikake over a bowl of rice on the side and you have a proper meal. Toss in some seafood, too!
Storage & Leftovers
Sunomono is best served the day you make it. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. We thought the texture was fine at 2 days, but they softened up as the cucumbers sat and released more water. The flavor was still good, though.
If you want to prep ahead, make the dressing up to 3 days early and keep it in the fridge. It holds nicely. Slice and salt the cucumbers a few hours ahead if you need to, but dress the salad closer to serving, if possible.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this Japanese cucumber salad recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
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Sunomono Recipe (Japanese Cucumber Salad)
Ingredients
Sunomono
- 2 Japanese cucumbers or 3 Persian, or 1 English (10 to 12 ounces total)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons dried cut wakame optional but recommended
Dressing (Amazu)
- 4 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
Garnish
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- Grated fresh ginger optional
Instructions
- Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, and soy sauce in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring, just until the sugar dissolves, about 1 to 2 minutes. Do not boil. Microwave option: combine in a microwave safe bowl and heat 20 to 30 seconds, then stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Cool the dressing completely. Warm dressing wilts the cucumbers and you lose the crunch factor. Refrigerate it while you prep everything else.
- Rehydrate the wakame (if using). Cover with cool water and soak 5 to 10 minutes. It expands about tenfold. Drain and squeeze dry.
- Slice the cucumbers paper thin, about 1/16 inch. A mandoline is very helpful. Toss with the ½ teaspoon salt and let sit 10 minutes.
- Squeeze the cucumbers firmly in your hands to drain excess liquid. Rinse under cold water, squeeze again, then pat dry. Important for crunchy versus soft bites.
- Combine the cucumbers and wakame in a bowl and toss with the cooled dressing. Chill 15 to 20 minutes.
- Top with sesame seeds and a small mound of grated ginger. Serve with a slotted spoon to let excess dressing drip back and not onto your plate.
Notes
Nutrition Information
FAQs
What does sunomono mean?
Sunomono (酢の物) means "vinegared things" in Japanese. It refers to any dish dressed with vinegar, though most people use it to mean this cucumber salad.
What kind of cucumbers are best for sunomono?
Japanese or Persian cucumbers are ideal thanks to their thin skin, minimal seeds, and firm crunch. English cucumbers work well too. If you only have standard American cucumbers, peel them and scoop out the seedy center first.
How long does sunomono keep?
Up to 2 days refrigerated in a sealed container. The flavor holds but the cucumbers gradually soften and release water, so it is best the day you make it.
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