This tasty Wasabi Cucumber Sesame Salad is simple and a great way to use that supply of summer cucumbers.

Easy Wasabi Cucumber Sesame Salad Recipe | shewearsmanyhats.com

The first cucumbers of this growing season were harvested here last week, with more on the way. Fresh, crunchy cucumbers are always a welcome sign of good summer eats, although I was ready to try something new with the trusty vegetable. I wandered the grocery produce section trying to decide what to pair with the cucumber that wouldn’t be so boring. My brain was blank. I was totally blocked, with no prepared list on hand.

But…I did have some apps in my purse. Apps that I had never used. Apps that I thought I just had to have. Apps with so much promise crammed in that tiny little square. So right there, I thought I’d finally try one of those many apps to see if there were any unique cucumber options.

The Epicurious app came to the rescue. I was able to type in “cucumber” in the ingredients search, and up popped a slew of tempting cucumber options, right there on Aisle 2. Totally nifty. And it was easy to use the first time. I felt so high-tech. Surely people were watching, amazed at my fancy shopping list. It felt like I was driving a new car.

(Speaking of driving, here’s a handy tip: don’t text or scroll through apps and steer a grocery cart at the same time. It doesn’t bode well for the peaches, stacked so carefully atop one another.)

So, with a plethora of cucumber options at my fingertips, I scrolled and scrolled, and landed most surely on Cucumbers with Wasabi and Rice Vinegar. Done. Searched and discovered in less than 30 seconds.

Easy Wasabi Cucumber Sesame Salad Recipe | shewearsmanyhats.com

This Wasabi Cucumber Sesame Salad recipe is almost as easy as the search, and certainly worth the effort. Zesty and spicy, and with the addition of toasted sesame seeds, nutty too. Cucumber is sliced thin, so you’ll need a mandoline, a blade attachment on a food processor, or a finely skilled knife-person. (Yes, that’s my new term, knife-person.)

For the wasabi, I used prepared wasabi. You can find it in a tube, packaged in a small box at most groceries. Of course, you can always mix your own wasabi. Mix the wasabi with a few other ingredients. Toss it all together to coat well, and that’s it. Almost as easy as an app. Enjoy!

Easy Wasabi Cucumber Sesame Salad Recipe | shewearsmanyhats.com

Wasabi Cucumber Sesame Salad Recipe

Easy Wasabi Cucumber Sesame Salad Recipe | shewearsmanyhats.com

Wasabi Cucumber Sesame Salad Recipe

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

A super simple salad that is crunchy, zesty and spicy, and with the addition of toasted sesame seeds, a little nutty too.

Ingredients

  • 3 medium sized cucumbers, sliced thin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons prepared wasabi
  • 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

  1. In a colander spread sliced cucumbers out and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let stand and drain for about 15 minutes. Gently squeeze out any excess water and add to bowl.
  2. While cucumbers are draining, toast sesame seeds in dry pan over medium, until browned, stir/toss occasionally. About 5 minutes.
  3. Mix together vinegar, wasabi, soy sauce and sugar.
  4. Toss cucumber, sesame seeds and wasabi mixture until combined well.

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Originally published June 5, 2011.