Anti Inflammatory Asian Sesame Cucumber Salad
Cool, crisp, and loaded with bold flavor, this cucumber salad is the kind of dish that disappears fast at the table. Salting the cucumbers first and pressing out the excess liquid is a small but essential step — it keeps the slices perfectly snappy instead of watery, so the dressing clings to every piece. That dressing is where the magic happens: toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, coconut aminos, fresh ginger, and garlic come together into something deeply savory with just a hint of heat from the red pepper flakes. Coconut aminos stand in for soy sauce here, bringing that umami depth without the inflammatory downsides of conventional soy. A drizzle of honey rounds everything out with a gentle sweetness that balances the tang and spice beautifully. Finished with toasted sesame seeds and fresh scallion greens, it's as pretty as it is satisfying. This one serves four and comes together in minutes, making it an easy win for weeknight dinners or anything you're bringing to a gathering.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 2 english cucumbers (about 1 ½ lb total), thinly sliced
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp honey
Ingredient noteAdded sugar is limited on an anti-inflammatory diet. This recipe contains about 1.8 g of added sugar per serving, which is likely acceptable for many following the diet. If you prefer to always avoid honey, please tap it and change its rating to Red.
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
For serving
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- 3 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
Instructions
- 1
Place the sliced cucumbers in a large mixing bowl and toss with the kosher salt. Let stand for 10 minutes, then transfer to a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels and press firmly to remove as much liquid as possible. Return the cucumbers to the bowl.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, coconut aminos, honey, grated ginger, grated garlic, and red pepper flakes until the honey is fully dissolved and the dressing is uniform.
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