Easy 15-min. Kewpie Mayo Cucumber Salad

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Easy 15-min. Kewpie Mayo Cucumber Salad

Crunchy chilled cucumbers tossed in a light, tangy, and savory dressing with a hint of spice! This easy 15-minute kewpie mayo cucumber salad is made with minimal ingredients. Great as a vegetable side dish for meals or barbecues.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Asian

Servings

Calories per serving 65 kcal

Ingredients

1 lb Persian cucumbers aka Mini Cucumbers (or English cucumber) chilled
2 teaspoon salt to salt the cucumbers
1 teaspoon sesame seeds optional garnish

Dressing

4 tablespoons Japanese mayo aka Kewpie mayo (or regular mayonnaise)
1 green onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar / white vinegar
2 teaspoon white granulated sugar or cane sugar / honey
2 teaspoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
½ teaspoon gochugaru or red pepper flakes (optional for spice)

Instructions

Trim and remove the cucumber ends. Then thinly slice cucumbers into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Transfer them to a large mixing bowl and massage the salt into the cucumbers. Rest for 10 minutes for the salt to pull out excess water from the cucumbers to make them crunchier.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl or cup, combine the dressing ingredients as listed above until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Next rinse with cold running water at least 5-6 times to remove the excess salt or they will be very salty. Strain and shake out the excess water. Pat them dry with paper towels. Then transfer to a clean large bowl.
Mix the dressing into the sliced cucumbers and transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy immediately.

Notes

Storage

Leftovers can last up to 1 to 2 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and can be enjoyed cold. Please note the cucumbers will naturally taste saltier with time, so it's best to enjoy immediately or same day.
Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing kewpie mayo cucumber salad as it will become soggy.

Is the dressing supposed to be thick and creamy?

No, the dressing is supposed to be light and runny enough to evenly coat the cucumbers without it feeling too heavy in taste.

Can I make this in advance?

You can make this up to 1 day in advance at most but store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend preparing it any earlier, as the cucumbers tend to become overly salty over time. To save time, you can prepare the dressing in advance. Then, on the day you plan to serve it, simply prep the cucumbers and toss them with the pre-made dressing.

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