Simple Honey Cucumber Salad

I’ve been making this honey cucumber salad on repeat lately, and it’s become my go-to side dish for just about everything. The combination of crisp cucumbers and sweet honey with a kick of chili garlic sauce creates the most addictive sweet-spicy-savory flavor that I can’t get enough of. Trust me, once you try this easy recipe, you’ll understand why I always keep extra cucumbers in my fridge now!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 140-180
• Protein: 3-4 g
• Fat: 7-9 g
• Carbohydrates: 22-27 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 2 large cucumbers (sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds)
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp raw honey
• 3 tsp chili garlic sauce
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1/8 tsp ground white pepper

Step 1: Prepare and Salt the Cucumbers

• 2 large cucumbers, sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt

Slice the cucumbers into 1/8-inch thick rounds and place them in a large bowl.

Sprinkle with sea salt and toss gently to coat evenly.

Let sit for 5-10 minutes—this draws out excess moisture from the cucumbers, which prevents a watery salad and concentrates their flavor.

I find that this step is crucial for getting that crisp, refreshing texture rather than a soggy result.

Step 2: Rinse and Dry the Cucumbers

• salted cucumbers from Step 1

After the 5-10 minutes have passed, rinse the cucumbers thoroughly under cold water to remove the excess salt.

Pat them completely dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.

Removing all surface moisture is essential—any remaining water will dilute the dressing and make the salad less flavorful.

Step 3: Make the Dressing

• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp raw honey
• 3 tsp chili garlic sauce
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1/8 tsp ground white pepper

In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, raw honey, chili garlic sauce, minced garlic, rice vinegar, and ground white pepper.

Stir until the honey is fully dissolved and the dressing is smooth and well combined.

I like to taste the dressing at this point to check the balance—if it needs more sweetness, add a bit more honey; for more heat, add another teaspoon of chili sauce.

Step 4: Combine and Finish

• dried cucumbers from Step 2
• dressing from Step 3
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Pour the dressing over the dried cucumbers and toss gently but thoroughly to coat every slice evenly.

Add the toasted sesame seeds and stir once more to distribute them throughout the salad.

Serve immediately while the cucumbers are still crisp, or let it rest for a few minutes at room temperature to allow the flavors to meld slightly.

Simple Honey Cucumber Salad

Delicious Simple Honey Cucumber Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 160

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the salad:

• 2 large cucumbers (sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds)
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp raw honey
• 3 tsp chili garlic sauce
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1/8 tsp ground white pepper

Method

 

1. Slice the cucumbers into 1/8-inch thick rounds and place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt and toss gently to coat evenly. Let sit for 5-10 minutes—this draws out excess moisture from the cucumbers, which prevents a watery salad and concentrates their flavor. I find that this step is crucial for getting that crisp, refreshing texture rather than a soggy result.
2. After the 5-10 minutes have passed, rinse the cucumbers thoroughly under cold water to remove the excess salt. Pat them completely dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Removing all surface moisture is essential—any remaining water will dilute the dressing and make the salad less flavorful.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, raw honey, chili garlic sauce, minced garlic, rice vinegar, and ground white pepper. Stir until the honey is fully dissolved and the dressing is smooth and well combined. I like to taste the dressing at this point to check the balance—if it needs more sweetness, add a bit more honey; for more heat, add another teaspoon of chili sauce.
4. Pour the dressing over the dried cucumbers and toss gently but thoroughly to coat every slice evenly. Add the toasted sesame seeds and stir once more to distribute them throughout the salad. Serve immediately while the cucumbers are still crisp, or let it rest for a few minutes at room temperature to allow the flavors to meld slightly.