Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (2024)

23In Appetizer/ Side Dish/ Vegetable/ Video

Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (1)

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Sunomono (Cucumber Salad) is a perfect small side dish. It’s easy to make, healthy to eat, and very refreshing to accompany any main dish. It’s tangy but sweet, who wouldn’t like it?

Japanese cucumbers are much skinnier than American ones. They have much less seeds (or at least much smaller seeds) and thinner skin. You might be able to find Japanese cucumbers at some markets in the US. However, if they are not available, you can use English or Persian cucumbers as substitutes. Especially Persian cucumbers are very similar to Japanese ones. Persian cucumbers are a bit shorter, but it doesn’t matter. Just use one more.

We often put seaweed (Wakame) in this salad. If you like seaweed, go for adding it. Otherwise, enjoy as it is.

Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (2)

Sunomono (Cucumber Salad)

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 small servings

Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 Japanese or 4 Persian cucumbers
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Slice cucumbers as thin as you can. Stir in salt, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Squeeze water out from cucumbers.

  • In a small bowl, mix rice vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce together until sugar dissolves.

  • Add vinegar mixture and sesame seeds to prepared cucumbers and mix well.

Video

CucumbersFeaturedSaladsunomono

March 25, 2012 By JapaneseCooking101

Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (4)

About JapaneseCooking101

Noriko and Yuko, the authors of this site, are both from Japan but now live in California. They love cooking and eating great food, and share a similar passion for home cooking using fresh ingredients.Noriko and Yuko plan and develop recipes together for Japanese Cooking 101. They cook and shoot photos/videos at their home kitchen(s.)

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  • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (8)

    Kiley

    April 19, 2014 at 8:32 pm

    Thanks for a great simple side dish recipe! If I add Wakame to the Sunomono, do I use it after just soaking it or do I need to boil it as well before adding it to the salad? Thank you!

    • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (9)

      Noriko

      May 6, 2014 at 9:30 pm

      Kiley,
      you don’t need to boil wakame, just soak it in water and squeeze out water before using.

  • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (10)

    Poppy

    June 12, 2014 at 7:32 pm

    This is really tasty. A very symbols techie that easy easy to make, though I ended up shaking the cucumbers for close to 10 minutes (I have a 6 month old baby… had to walk away from dinner for a few minutes, lol). It tasted very similar to the sunomono at our fav sushi restaurant. Thanks for this recipe!

    • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (11)

      Noriko

      September 14, 2014 at 1:03 pm

      Poppy,
      glad you liked our Sunomono recipe! Come back for more recipes!

  • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (12)

    Coreen

    June 15, 2014 at 7:27 am

    This is my favorite salad. How long will it last refrigerated? I sometime times eat alone and would not eat all of the in one sitting.

    Thank you

  • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (14)

    Tom

    July 21, 2014 at 5:38 pm

    This looks delicious and so fresh! How long would something like this keep?

    • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (15)

      Noriko

      September 13, 2014 at 5:17 pm

      Tom,
      it should be fine for 2-3 days.

  • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (16)

    Jackie Wine

    July 28, 2014 at 5:34 pm

    Noriko,

    Thank you!!!

    • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (17)

      Noriko

      September 13, 2014 at 2:00 pm

      Jackie,
      you’re welcome!

  • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (18)

    Sharon

    August 16, 2014 at 11:08 pm

    Thank you for this recipe! My husband made it tonight for the first time and it came out great!!! My 4 year old loved it, too! Delicious!

    • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (19)

      Noriko

      September 8, 2014 at 10:20 pm

      Sharon,
      thanks for making our Sunomono! Come back for other recipes!

  • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (20)

    Darrian

    August 21, 2014 at 2:41 pm

    Will this dish change at all if I let it sit in the fridge for a few hours??

    • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (21)

      Noriko

      September 8, 2014 at 9:57 pm

      Darrian,
      You can make ahead.

  • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (22)

    Courtney

    September 10, 2014 at 9:04 am

    Hi there,
    How long will this last, my mom gave me a bunch of cucumbers and I would like to make a batch of this salad 🙂
    Thank you!

    • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (23)

      Noriko

      September 12, 2014 at 1:19 am

      Courtney,
      a couple of days.

  • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (24)

    Helen

    October 25, 2014 at 9:07 am

    Hi, looks like a great recipe. Does it matter whether I use light or dark soya sauce? Thanks!

    • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (25)

      Noriko

      October 26, 2014 at 9:24 pm

      Helen,
      use either one!

  • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (26)

    Ursula

    March 17, 2016 at 11:22 am

    Thank you for this recipe! I used American cucumbers because I didn’t find the Japanese ones or any of the substitutes and it worked just fine, I just made an effort to cut it really, really thin. I’m usually not a big fan of salads but I absolutely loved this!

  • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (27)

    Filipe

    March 30, 2016 at 1:43 am

    It’s possible to use Stevia instead of Sugar ?

    • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (28)

      Noriko

      April 5, 2016 at 11:37 pm

      Fillipe,
      it should be fine, but may not be the same amount as sugar. Add small amount of stevia first and taste.

  • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (29)

    Lisa Lim

    September 11, 2016 at 12:33 pm

    Dear Noriko,
    Thank you for this delicious recipe. It’s a great way to use Persian cucumbers quickly.

  • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (30)

    Tammy

    October 12, 2016 at 7:18 pm

    Love sunomono especially with octopus which I will not attempt, but shrimp would be nice and ginger what are you’re thoughts.

  • Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (2024)

    FAQs

    Sunomono (cucumber salad) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101? ›

    Cucumber, commonly called “kyuri” but also called “kappa” as a sushi ingredient, is rolled with rice and “nori” (dried laver seaweed) in a thin style.

    What is cucumber called in Japan? ›

    Cucumber, commonly called “kyuri” but also called “kappa” as a sushi ingredient, is rolled with rice and “nori” (dried laver seaweed) in a thin style.

    Do Japanese cucumbers taste different? ›

    Japanese cucumbers can grow quite long, commonly being picked when they are at least 12 inches. Like other longer varieties, they are thin skinned and have minimal seeds. They are of the sweetest and most flavorful cucumbers.

    What does the Japanese culinary term Sunomono mean? ›

    Sunomono (vinegared things) is a salad that features a rice vinegar or lemon-based dressing and is typically served in small bowls as a side dish or appetizer.

    Do Japanese cucumbers need to be peeled? ›

    The skin is very tender so there's no need for peeling before eating. They have a distinctive crisp texture that is second to none. Japanese cucumbers have less bitter flavors compared to other common cucumbers. And best of all, with a little effort, they make an excellent item for the home garden.

    What is the difference between a Japanese cucumber and a regular cucumber? ›

    The Japanese cucumber has several advantages over common cucumbers. It is slender, thin-skinned, void of developed seeds, never bitter and entirely edible. The average harvested length is about four inches, while the cucumber is still young. Its skin is forest green and smooth with longitudinal grooves.

    What is the most consumed vegetable in Japan? ›

    Most eaten vegetables in Japan 2020

    According to a survey conducted in February 2020, more than 21 percent of participants stated that cabbage was their most consumed vegetable. Approximately 15 percent responded that they ate onions most commonly.

    What is the best tasting cucumber in the world? ›

    A few favorites include 'Beit Alpha,' which is grown for its sweet flavor and exceptionally thin skin. 'Suyo Long' is a seedless, mild-flavored variety from northern China that grows about 18 inches long. 'China Jade' has striking yellow-green flesh and long, thin-skinned fruit.

    Why are my Japanese cucumbers bitter? ›

    Usually, cucurbitacin stays in the stem and leaves, but it can work its way into the fruit, causing bitter cucumbers. Cucumbers tend to grow bitter when the plant is under stress from inconsistent water, fluctuating temperatures or poor soil. The higher the level of the compound, the more bitter the fruit.

    Do you eat skin of Japanese cucumber? ›

    Japanese cucumbers are mild and crunchy, with an unsweet melon-like flavor. The skins can also be eaten, although you could peel them in alternating green stripes for aesthetics.

    What is Buta in Japanese food? ›

    Buta means "pig" or "pork", and don is short for donburi, the Japanese word for "bowl". Butadon originated from the city of Obihiro, Japan.

    What is Japanese for nine cucumbers? ›

    Answer The Japanese for 'nine cucumbers' is therefore kyuri kyuhon.

    What is Buta Niku in Japan? ›

    Japanese steamed pork patty, also known as "buta niku no mushimono," is a mixture of tenderized ground pork, shiitake mushrooms, ginger, garlic, and green onions. It is simply seasoned with soy sauce, sake, and sesame oil. Additional sesame oil and chopped green onions may be used as optional garnishes.

    How long can Japanese cucumber last in the fridge? ›

    When stored properly, cucumbers can last up to one week in the refrigerator. This timeframe is applicable to both whole cucumbers and sliced cucumbers. If you're looking for a long-term storage solution, you could try freezing cucumbers.

    Is zucchini the same as Japanese cucumber? ›

    Differences Between Zucchini & Cucumber. Fruit or Vegetable: Though they may look similar, cucumbers and zucchini do not belong to the same family. Cucumbers belong to the gourd family while zucchini belongs to the Cucurbita family. Technically speaking, cucumbers are considered to be a fruit by many people.

    What is cucumber in Japanese Kappa? ›

    Cucumber in Japanese is actually kyuuri. So what's the deal? Well, kappa is a reference to a spirit in Japanese folklore – and throughout history has somehow become associated with cucumbers when it comes to kappa maki.

    What is the difference between Yamaimo and Nagaimo? ›

    Yamaimo and nagaimo can be used interchangeably in many dishes, but nagaimo has a more liquid, loose texture while yamaimo is stickier and paste-like. I prefer to use yamaimo in recipes that call for grated yam, and nagaimo in cooked dishes or finely julienned — plus it's less expensive.

    What is okura in Japanese? ›

    the Japanese word for okra.

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