Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this video, I'll show you how to make authentic Japanese cucumber salad (sunomono) in just 5 minutes of prep! This refreshing, tangy side dish features crunchy cucumbers in a ginger-soy dressing, perfect for beginners and busy weeknights.
🖨 PRINT FULL RECIPE: sudachirecipes.com/japanese-cucumber-salad
📖 GET MY FREE COOKBOOK: sudachi.kit.com/5c166f80ba
🔔 SUBSCRIBE HERE: tinyurl.com/b69ed7na
✨My First Printed Cookbook: amzn.to/4j512pZ
📌 RECIPE DETAILS:
⏰ Time: 26 mins
👥 Servings: 2
🥕 Ingredients:
- 5 g ginger root julienned
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar unseasoned
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp Japanese light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu) or regular Japanese soy sauce
- 1 pinch dashi granules optional, use plant-based kombu dashi granules to make it vegetarian/vegan
- 2 Japanese cucumbers
- ½ tsp salt for itazuri, coarse salt preferred
- 500 ml water for brine, cold
- 1 tbsp salt for brine
💡MY RECOMMENDED PANTRY ITEMS, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT⬇️
amazon.com/shop/sudachirecipes
📖 FULL RECIPE & INSTRUCTIONS WITH TIPS
Website: sudachirecipes.com/japanese-cucumber-salad
Latest Recipes: sudachirecipes.com/blog
iOS App: tinyurl.com/mtz9b85r
Android App: tinyurl.com/5n88bkku
❓ COMMON QUESTIONS
Q: Where does Japanese cucumber salad come from?
A: Japanese cucumber salad evolved from an older dish called namasu (膾), which originally used finely chopped raw meat or fish. By the late Heian period it referred to fish and vegetables dressed together, and from the Muromachi to Edo periods, vinegar-based sunomono became a standard side dish. Today, vegetable-only versions are common, often served as a refreshing “Japanese salad” that resets the palate and balances a full meal.
Q: Why did my cucumbers turn soft and floppy instead of crisp?
A: Over-massaging with salt, salting for too long, or soaking too long in the dressing all damage the cucumber cells and push out too much water, making them limp. Aim for a quick salt contact (just a few minutes), don’t knead the slices, and squeeze only until water no longer drips.
Q: My cucumber salad tastes watery and bland. What went wrong?
A: If the cucumbers weren’t squeezed enough after salting, trapped water leaks into the dressing and dilutes the flavor. The fix is to squeeze until no droplets fall, then use just enough dressing to lightly coat (you’re “dressing,” not “pickling” in a big pool).
⏱ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:20 Make Vinegar Dressing
0:57 Prep Cucumbers (Itazuri)
1:38 Flash Blanch
2:20 Slice Cucumbers
2:40 Brine
3:08 Toss Together
4:07 Ingredients Recap
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------
👨🍳 ABOUT SUDACHI
Sudachi (formally known as Sudachi Recipes) is a Japanese cooking media established in 2019 by Yuto Omura (Author of "Japan: The Ultimate Cookbook"). He was born and raised in Japan and lived in the UK for several years. Sudachi is located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, and aims to share authentic and modern Japanese recipes with the rest of the world.
📱 CONNECT WITH SUDACHI
➤Website: sudachirecipes.com
➤Free Cookbook: sudachi.kit.com/5c166f80ba
➤Instagram: instagram.com/sudachi.recipes
➤Pinterest: pinterest.com/sudachirecipes
Music: Ratatouille's Kitchen by Carmen María and Edu Espinal
#salad #japaneserecipe #japanesefood #japanesecooking #cucumber #cucumbersalad
In this video, I'll show you how to make authentic Japanese cucumber salad (sunomono) in just 5 minutes of prep! This refreshing, tangy side dish features crunchy cucumbers in a ginger-soy dressing, perfect for beginners and busy weeknights.
🖨 PRINT FULL RECIPE: sudachirecipes.com/japanese-cucumber-salad
📖 GET MY FREE COOKBOOK: sudachi.kit.com/5c166f80ba
🔔 SUBSCRIBE HERE: tinyurl.com/b69ed7na
✨My First Printed Cookbook: amzn.to/4j512pZ
📌 RECIPE DETAILS:
⏰ Time: 26 mins
👥 Servings: 2
🥕 Ingredients:
- 5 g ginger root julienned
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar unseasoned
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp Japanese light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu) or regular Japanese soy sauce
- 1 pinch dashi granules optional, use plant-based kombu dashi granules to make it vegetarian/vegan
- 2 Japanese cucumbers
- ½ tsp salt for itazuri, coarse salt preferred
- 500 ml water for brine, cold
- 1 tbsp salt for brine
💡MY RECOMMENDED PANTRY ITEMS, TOOLS & EQUIPMENT⬇️
amazon.com/shop/sudachirecipes
📖 FULL RECIPE & INSTRUCTIONS WITH TIPS
Website: sudachirecipes.com/japanese-cucumber-salad
Latest Recipes: sudachirecipes.com/blog
iOS App: tinyurl.com/mtz9b85r
Android App: tinyurl.com/5n88bkku
❓ COMMON QUESTIONS
Q: Where does Japanese cucumber salad come from?
A: Japanese cucumber salad evolved from an older dish called namasu (膾), which originally used finely chopped raw meat or fish. By the late Heian period it referred to fish and vegetables dressed together, and from the Muromachi to Edo periods, vinegar-based sunomono became a standard side dish. Today, vegetable-only versions are common, often served as a refreshing “Japanese salad” that resets the palate and balances a full meal.
Q: Why did my cucumbers turn soft and floppy instead of crisp?
A: Over-massaging with salt, salting for too long, or soaking too long in the dressing all damage the cucumber cells and push out too much water, making them limp. Aim for a quick salt contact (just a few minutes), don’t knead the slices, and squeeze only until water no longer drips.
Q: My cucumber salad tastes watery and bland. What went wrong?
A: If the cucumbers weren’t squeezed enough after salting, trapped water leaks into the dressing and dilutes the flavor. The fix is to squeeze until no droplets fall, then use just enough dressing to lightly coat (you’re “dressing,” not “pickling” in a big pool).
⏱ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:20 Make Vinegar Dressing
0:57 Prep Cucumbers (Itazuri)
1:38 Flash Blanch
2:20 Slice Cucumbers
2:40 Brine
3:08 Toss Together
4:07 Ingredients Recap
🎞️ RELATED VIDEOS YOU MIGHT LIKE
youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8lncWEfRxGc-sHXsNyq7xqaPGvV35MZ6
youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8lncWEfRxGcvBp9rSZeSAD6HgEc4RZ6x
youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8lncWEfRxGc6WGlisc8At9b7oi2wXtSD
🍱 RECOMMENDED JAPANESE RECIPES
youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8lncWEfRxGcmFWe2bDA9wLYRlzt8o0tg
youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8lncWEfRxGcI0cEWQELxhd6si9tNtVaW
youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8lncWEfRxGfY8aneIprLEn8_UbTriF7y
youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8lncWEfRxGfT-K_Fv7ba25x7w6eAbgsD
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
👨🍳 ABOUT SUDACHI
Sudachi (formally known as Sudachi Recipes) is a Japanese cooking media established in 2019 by Yuto Omura (Author of "Japan: The Ultimate Cookbook"). He was born and raised in Japan and lived in the UK for several years. Sudachi is located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, and aims to share authentic and modern Japanese recipes with the rest of the world.
📱 CONNECT WITH SUDACHI
➤Website: sudachirecipes.com
➤Free Cookbook: sudachi.kit.com/5c166f80ba
➤Instagram: instagram.com/sudachi.recipes
➤Pinterest: pinterest.com/sudachirecipes
Music: Ratatouille's Kitchen by Carmen María and Edu Espinal
#salad #japaneserecipe #japanesefood #japanesecooking #cucumber #cucumbersalad
