Sunomono: Japanese Cucumber Salad in 10 Minutes

Sunomono appears on almost every Japanese restaurant menu as a small appetiser or side dish - thin cucumber slices, sometimes with wakame or crabmeat, dressed in a clean rice vinegar sauce. It is genuinely one of the simplest things you can make: the technique is salting the cucumber to draw out moisture (so the dressing doesn't dilute), then tossing with a three-ingredient amazu (sweet vinegar) dressing. Ten minutes, minimal effort, and it pairs well with everything from teriyaki salmon to gyudon to karaage.

Ingredients (serves 4 as a side)

• 2 Japanese cucumbers, or 1 long English cucumber
• Half teaspoon salt (for drawing moisture)
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1.5 tablespoons sugar
• Half teaspoon soy sauce
• Toasted sesame seeds to garnish

Optional additions:

• 1 tablespoon dried wakame seaweed, rehydrated
• Small amount of imitation crabmeat (surimi) or real crab, flaked
• Sliced octopus (tako) - the classic Kyoto version
• A few thin slices of pickled ginger

On the cucumber: Japanese cucumbers (kyuri) are thinner, have smaller seeds and less water than English cucumbers, and are the traditional choice. English cucumber works well with the salting step. Avoid regular salad cucumbers with thick skin and large seeds - the texture is wrong.

Method

Slice the cucumber thinly - as thin as you can manage with a sharp knife, or use a mandoline. Uniform, thin slices give the best texture.

Place in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, toss and let sit for 5 minutes. The cucumber will release water. Squeeze firmly with both hands to remove as much liquid as possible - this is what keeps the dressing sharp and clean rather than diluted.

Combine rice vinegar, sugar and soy sauce in a small bowl, stir until sugar dissolves. Taste - it should be sharp, sweet and very slightly salty. Adjust with more vinegar or sugar as needed.

Toss the squeezed cucumber (and wakame or other additions if using) with the dressing. Divide between small bowls. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 30 minutes - the cucumber softens if left much longer.

The Amazu Dressing

Amazu (sweet vinegar) is the base for sunomono and several other Japanese vinegared dishes. The 3:1.5 ratio of rice vinegar to sugar is a starting point - adjust to your taste. Some versions add a small amount of dashi to the dressing for extra depth. A teaspoon of grated ginger adds warmth. Ponzu (citrus-soy) can replace the dressing entirely for a more complex, citrusy version.

Pairing Suggestions

Sunomono works as a side alongside almost any Japanese main. It is particularly good with:

• Rich, fatty dishes like karaage or teriyaki - the acidity cuts through the fat
• Rice bowls like gyudon or oyakodon - adds freshness and texture contrast
• A small pre-meal starter before tonjiru or miso soup

Nutrition Estimate (per serving)

• Calories: ~40-50 kcal (without crab or wakame)
• Protein: ~1g
• Carbs: ~9g (mostly from sugar in the dressing)
• Fat: ~0.5g

Adding wakame adds approximately 5 kcal and minimal protein. Adding crab (50g) adds approximately 50 kcal and 8g protein. All values are estimates.

For how sunomono fits into a full week of Japanese home cooking, see the complete Japanese cooking guide.