Description
This Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad is a refreshing and easy-to-make side dish featuring thinly sliced cucumbers and shallots pickled briefly in a tangy rice vinegar dressing. Perfect for a light appetizer or accompaniment, it combines crisp cucumbers with subtle sweetness and a touch of black sesame seeds for extra flavor and texture.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 2 cups English or mini cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
Pickling Liquid
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup filtered water
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Garnish
- 1-2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare Cucumbers: Place the thinly sliced cucumbers in a medium-sized bowl, ensuring they are evenly spread out to allow the pickling liquid to coat them well.
- Make Pickling Mix: In a separate bowl, combine the rice vinegar, filtered water, granulated sugar, fine sea salt, and thinly sliced shallots. Stir the mixture thoroughly until the sugar and salt dissolve completely.
- Pickle Cucumbers: Pour the prepared pickling liquid with shallots over the cucumbers, mixing gently to ensure even coverage. Allow the cucumbers to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to start the pickling process, or chill the bowl in the fridge for at least one hour if you prefer a colder salad.
- Serve: Just before serving, sprinkle the salad with black sesame seeds to add a nutty flavor and crunchy texture. Toss lightly and enjoy your quick, fresh pickled cucumber salad.
Notes
- For a stronger pickled flavor, let the cucumbers marinate longer in the refrigerator, up to overnight.
- You can substitute white vinegar or apple cider vinegar if rice vinegar is unavailable, though the flavor will vary slightly.
- Use a mandoline slicer for evenly thin cucumber and shallot slices.
- Black sesame seeds can be toasted lightly for extra nuttiness before sprinkling.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and consume within 3 days for best freshness.
