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This crisp and refreshing cucumber and carrot salad is outstanding—and so simple! With just 6 ingredients, you can have it whipped up in no time. It’s great as a side to your favorite Asian-inspired dishes, or even as a topper to some!
Table of Contents
I’m a sucker for quick-pickled veggies, and that’s what inspired this salad. I’m always whipping up a hasty salad like this to throw on top of a healthy rice bowl with salmon or these hoisin chicken lettuce wraps. They’re also a nice side dish for my easy miso salmon. It’s pretty versatile! And best of all, it’s quick. Just 6 ingredients and a few minutes or marinating while you prepare your meal is all you need.
If you love this cucumber salad, I highly suggest you try this smashed cucumber salad with chili oil (so good!) or my Greek cucumber tomato salad.
Why You’ll Love This Cucumber and Carrot Salad
- It’s an easy way to kick up a dish—The deep flavor of sesame and the tanginess of the rice vinegar create such a yummy crunch with this one. You’ll want to spoon this over every Asian-inspired dish you make! A lot of other recipes call for ginger and garlic, and are tossed in a more complex salad dressing or vinaigrette. This salad is more of a riff on the quick-pickled idea.
- You can enjoy it on its own—Whether you need a quick snack or want to add a protein to it for a nourishing lunch, this flavorful salad delivers. It’s wonderful with smoked salmon!
Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cucumbers—I tend to use mini cucumbers, but larger cucumbers will work.
- Rice vinegar—This gives the right amount of sweetness and tang. You could use white wine vinegar in a pinch, or freshly squeezed lime juice for a punch of citrus.
- Sesame oil—You can use regular sesame oil for a more neutral flavor, or toasted sesame oil for a deeper, nuttier flavor. If you like a little kick, use a hot sesame oil.
Recipe Modifications
If you like things spicy, you can add some heat by including a teaspoon or two of chili sauce, like sambal oelek or Sriracha.
Cucumber and Carrot Salad: Step-By-Step
Step 1. Dice the cucumber into bite-sized chunks and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2. Julienne or shred the carrots. I like to use a julienne peeler for this, but you can also easily grate them to shreds with a cheese grater. Transfer to the same mixing bowl as the cucumbers.
Step 3. Drizzle the rice vinegar and sesame oil over the cucumbers and carrots, and give it all a good toss to coat. Let sit for at least 15 minutes while you prepare other parts of your meal.
Step 4. Before serving, garnish with thinly sliced scallions and sesame seeds. If you like cilantro, you can add some of that as well.
How to Serve This Salad
This is a great addition to a salmon bowl or a high-protein canned tuna bowl, and it’s delicious served over some grilled mahi mahi or grilled tuna steak. You could also use it as a topping for shrimp tacos! Possibilities are endless.
Storing Leftovers?
This cucumber and carrot salad can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
The salad won’t get soggy prior to serving fresh since the marinating time is so short. Leftovers will get soggier over time but I’ve found this salas remains crunchy for at least 2 days in the fridge. You can always pour out excess liquids from the container as time goes on.
You can cut your veggies in various ways! The cucumbers can be thinly sliced into rounds or diced into bite-sized chunks as shown here. The carrots can be shredded through a cheese grater or peeled into thin strips with a julienne peeler.
More Delicious Side Salads to Make…
If you try this Cucumber and Carrot Salad, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Asian Cucumber and Carrot Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups diced cucumber, About 4 mini cucumbers or 2 regular cucumbers
- 2 very large carrots or 4 regular-sized carrots, julienned or grated
- 2 TBSP rice vinegar
- 2 TBSP sesame oil
- 1-2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Dice the cucumber into bite-sized chunks and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Julienne or shred the carrots. I like to use a julienne peeler for this, but you can also easily grate them to shreds with a cheese grater. Transfer to the same mixing bowl as the cucumbers.
- Drizzle the rice vinegar and sesame oil over the cucumbers and carrots, and give it all a good toss to coat. Let sit for at least 15 minutes while you prepare other parts of your meal.
- Before serving, garnish with thinly sliced scallions and sesame seeds.
