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Cucumber, Sesame and Chilli Salad

4 years ago
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Cucumber, Sesame and Chilli Salad is crisp, refreshing, and full of punchy flavour – crunchy cucumber slices tossed with toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, fresh chilli, and a pinch of sugar for balance. It’s the perfect side to rich or spicy dishes, adding brightness and a touch of heat. I love sprinkling over toasted sesame seeds and fresh herbs just before serving. Simple, quick, and packed with zing.

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Cucumber, Sesame and Chilli Salad

Cucumber, sesame and chilli salad is crisp, fresh, and full of punchy flavour, with cool cucumber balanced by nutty sesame and a gentle kick of chilli. A simple savoury dressing brings everything together while keeping the salad light and refreshing. It’s quick to prepare and works beautifully alongside grilled meats, rice dishes, noodles, or as part of a larger Asian-inspired spread.

Yield: 2

Cucumber, Sesame and Chilli Salad

Cucumber, Sesame and Chilli Salad is crisp, refreshing, and full of punchy flavour – crunchy cucumber slices tossed with toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, fresh chilli, and a pinch of sugar for balance. It’s the perfect side to rich or spicy dishes, adding brightness and a touch of heat. I love sprinkling over toasted sesame seeds and fresh herbs just before serving. Simple, quick, and packed with zing.
5.0 Stars (4 Reviews)

My cucumber salad with sesame and chilli is my favourite kind of no-fuss side dish. Crisp cucumbers get tossed in a punchy dressing of sesame oil, vinegar, and chilli for a mix of cool, spicy, and tangy that always hits the spot. It’s the perfect refreshing companion to dumplings, grilled meats, or rice bowls, and comes together in minutes. I love how light and flavourful it is – ideal for warm days, lazy dinners, or anything that needs a bit of crunch.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 large continental cucumber, diced and seeds removed
  • 2 1/2 tsp tamari or regular soy sauce
  • 2 tsp mirin
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
  • 1/2 tsp minced chilli

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, mix together the tamari, mirin, sesame oil, minced chilli and sesame seeds until well combined.
  2. Add the diced cucumber and toss well until evenly coated in the dressing.
  3. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Removing the cucumber seeds helps keep the salad crisp and prevents the dressing becoming diluted with excess water.
  • Try to cut the cucumber into fairly even pieces so each piece gets a good coating of the dressing.
  • This salad is deliberately very lightly dressed. The cucumber should be coated rather than sitting in a pool of dressing.
  • If using regular soy sauce instead of tamari, taste before adding any extra seasoning, as the soy provides plenty of salt.
  • The amount of chilli gives a gentle heat. Add a little more if you prefer the salad noticeably spicy.
  • Toss the cucumber through the dressing just before serving. If left sitting for too long, the salt in the tamari or soy sauce will begin drawing moisture from the cucumber.
  • If making ahead, prepare the cucumber and dressing separately and combine them immediately before serving.
  • Give the dressing another quick stir before adding the cucumber, as the sesame oil may separate slightly while standing.
  • This salad is best served fresh and isn't suitable for freezing.
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated in a tightly sealed container for up to 1 day, although the cucumber will soften as it sits.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 74Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 865mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 2g

Please note, this nutrition information is to be used as a guide only. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

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© Bry
Cuisine: Japanese / Category: Salad

Serve this with

  • Serve with my Sweet & Spicy Chinese Beef for a cool, crunchy contrast. The sesame, chilli and vinegar cut through the rich, sticky beef beautifully and keep the whole meal feeling fresh.
  • Pair with my Karaage Chicken for something crisp, spicy and refreshing. The cucumber salad balances the fried chicken perfectly, especially with a little extra sesame scattered over the top.
  • Add alongside my Egg Drop Soup for a light East Asian-style meal. The chilled cucumber, gentle heat and nutty sesame bring plenty of texture next to the soft eggs and savoury broth.

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Damn TikTok

Ugh, damn TikTok. I love it, I really do, but it’s also the biggest time thief in my life. I open it for five minutes and suddenly it’s an hour later, the washing’s still in the machine, and I’ve learnt seventeen new ways to cook a boiled egg. I don’t usually cook from TikTok though, despite saving every other recipe like I’ve got all the time in the world and a pantry full of obscure condiments. But this cucumber salad with sesame and chilli? It’s been everywhere. And the kicker? I’ve been making a version of it for decades.

I mean, it’s honestly one of my favourite comfort salads. It’s crunchy, a bit spicy, and so guilt-free you can practically feel your skin glowing as you eat it. I usually throw it together on weekends with a scoop of rice and some hot smoked salmon, especially if I’ve been a bit naughty during the week. And by naughty, I mean I’ve been skipping vegetables and pretending cheese is a food group. This salad is my delicious reset button, the kind of recipe that’s so easy and so satisfying, it makes you feel sorted.

That said, this might be the last salad I share for a while. The weather’s finally shifting here and as much as I love a crisp, fresh lunch, I am absolutely itching to dive into proper autumn cooking. I’ve got a half dozen pasta recipes just waiting to make their debut, and don’t even get me started on my salted caramel fudge. Brisbane’s heat means salad season lasts forever, but I’m over it. Bring on the carbs and cosy nights.

Comfort, Crunch, and a Clean Conscience

Comfort food doesn’t always need to be smothered in cheese and eaten on the couch under a blanket. Sometimes it’s just a dish that makes you feel good, inside and out. This cucumber salad with sesame and chilli is that kind of comfort food. It’s got crunch, it’s got kick, and it makes you feel like you’re taking care of yourself without even trying.

When I’m in reset mode (read: trying to undo a week of snacks and no movement), I serve it up with sushirice and hot smoked salmon. It’s one of those meals that feels like you’ve got your life together, even if the laundry pile is about to start talking. And it comes together in less time than it takes to find something to watch on Netflix. That’s a win.

The best part? It’s flexible. Add some edamame for protein. Toss it with rice noodles. Use it as the base for a poke bowl. It’s endlessly zhushable and works with whatever you’ve got in the fridge. Plus, it’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and you won’t feel like you need a nap afterwards. What more could you want?

Frequently asked questions

Can I use tamari and soy sauce interchangeably?

Yes. Tamari usually has a slightly richer, more rounded flavour and is often gluten free, while regular soy sauce tends to be a little sharper and saltier. Either works well here, so use whichever suits your preference and dietary needs.

What can I use instead of mirin?

A mild rice wine vinegar with a very small pinch of sugar is the closest easy substitute. Mirin is sweeter and less acidic than vinegar, so don’t replace it measure for measure with plain vinegar or the dressing can become noticeably sharper.

What should I serve with this cucumber salad?

It works particularly well alongside grilled or roasted meats, salmon, rice dishes and Japanese-inspired meals. Its cool, crisp texture and sesame-chilli dressing make it especially useful next to richer dishes where you want something fresh on the side.

Ingredient breakdown

Continental cucumber

Continental cucumber gives the salad its crisp, fresh base and works particularly well because its thin skin doesn’t need peeling. Removing the watery centre keeps the pieces firm and stops excess moisture from diluting the dressing.

Tamari or soy sauce

Tamari or soy sauce provides the main salty, savoury element of the dressing. Tamari gives a slightly deeper flavour, while regular soy sauce works perfectly well if gluten isn’t a concern. Only a small amount is needed because the cucumber is meant to be lightly coated rather than heavily seasoned.

Mirin

Mirin adds gentle sweetness and helps soften the saltiness of the tamari or soy sauce. It also rounds out the chilli and sesame flavours without making the dressing taste obviously sweet.

Sesame oil

Sesame oil gives the salad its distinctive nutty aroma and flavour. It’s quite assertive, so two teaspoons are enough to flavour the entire dressing without overpowering the fresh cucumber.

Sesame seeds

Sesame seeds add a little texture and reinforce the nutty flavour of the sesame oil. The small quantity keeps them as an accent rather than turning the salad heavily seedy.

Minced chilli

Minced chilli provides a gentle background heat that lifts the otherwise cool, fresh cucumber. Half a teaspoon keeps the salad approachable, but the quantity can easily be increased if you prefer a stronger chilli kick.

Cucumber, Sesame and Chilli Salad is crisp, refreshing, and full of punchy flavour – crunchy cucumber slices tossed with toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, fresh chilli, and a pinch of sugar for balance. It’s the perfect side to rich or spicy dishes, adding brightness and a touch of heat. I love sprinkling over toasted sesame seeds and fresh herbs just before serving. Simple, quick, and packed with zing.
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Bry is the food writer and recipe developer behind Cooking with Bry, a recipe platform built on nearly thirty years of cooking experience and over 215 original recipes spanning classic Australian, British, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. She grew up in Western Sydney, where food was never just food. It was Aussie barbecues in the backyard, Middle Eastern bakeries down the road, and Mediterranean kitchens that treated every meal like an occasion. That early, immersive exposure to bold and diverse flavours shaped her palate and her cooking instincts in ways that underpin every recipe she develops today. She spent seven years living in the UK across London and Glasgow, deepening her understanding of British comfort food and traditional European cooking before returning to Australia via Adelaide, the country's undisputed foodie capital, where a passion for exceptional produce and honest, ingredient-led cooking only grew stronger. She's now based in Brisbane, developing and testing all of her recipes from her home kitchen. All of that, Western Sydney, the UK, Adelaide, Brisbane, and everywhere in between, feeds directly into what she cooks and how she writes about it. Her recipes pull from the traditions she knows most deeply, the food that feels like home, and are developed with the home cook firmly in mind. Honest, unfussy, and built around flavours that actually work.
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