Cucumber Sunomono
Thin cucumber slices in a sweet-tart rice vinegar dressing.
Ingredients
- 2 Cucumber
- 3 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Japanese light soy sauce (usukuchi)
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sesame seeds (optional)
- 3 g Dried wakame (optional)
Method
- Slice the cucumbers paper-thin, toss with the salt, and rest 5 minutes. Squeeze out the water.
- Whisk the rice vinegar, sugar, and light soy until the sugar dissolves. Rehydrate the wakame in water if using.
- Toss the cucumber (and wakame) with the dressing.
- Divide into small bowls and finish with sesame seeds. Serve cold.
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About Cucumber Sunomono
Cucumber sunomono is a Japanese vinegared salad — su means vinegar, mono means thing — served in small portions as a light, sharp counterpoint within a larger meal. It belongs to a broader family of Japanese sunomono, and the cucumber version, often called kyuri no sunomono, is among the most common. Thin cucumber slices are dressed in a sweet-tart rice vinegar dressing, sometimes with rehydrated wakame seaweed, and served cold in little bowls as an appetizer or side.
The flavor is clean and delicate, the mellow acidity of rice vinegar balanced by a touch of sugar and rounded out with a savory note of usukuchi light soy, which seasons without darkening the dish. Salting and squeezing the paper-thin cucumber first is essential here — it draws out water so the slices go pleasantly limp and drink up the dressing instead of diluting it, and the wakame adds a briny, slippery contrast. A scatter of toasted sesame seeds finishes it with quiet nuttiness. It is meant to be eaten cold and in modest amounts, refreshing the palate alongside grilled fish, rice, or a heavier main.
Cucumber Sunomono: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Cucumber Sunomono?
A serving has about 45 calories — 1.4g protein, 9.1g carbs, 0.8g fat, 0.9g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Cucumber Sunomono gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Japanese light soy sauce (usukuchi). You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
How long does Cucumber Sunomono take to make?
About 12 minutes start to finish, but only around 5 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Cucumber Sunomono?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out sesame seeds, dried wakame — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Cucumber Sunomono make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.