Daikon and Cucumber Sunomono Salad

By
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka is a food writer and Japanese cookbook author.
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Updated on 11/28/21
Daikon and Cucumber Sunomono (Japanese Vinegar Salad)

 The Spruce

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Japanese cuisine has many different types of salads, but one of the most traditional is known as sunomono, which is a salad simply seasoned with rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. While the salad can be made with almost any type of vegetable, one of the most common ingredients is cucumber. In general, sunomono is best made with Japanese cucumber; however, substitutions may include Persian cucumber, baby cucumbers or English cucumbers.

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Ingredients

  • 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced crosswise

  • 1 small piece daikon radish, peeled and sliced crosswise into 1/2- to 1/4-inch rounds

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 5 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Daikon and Cucumber Sunomono (Japanese Vinegar Salad) Ingredients
    The Spruce

  2. Put cucumber and daikon slices in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. Allow the vegetables to sweat for about 5 to 10 minutes. You'll notice excess liquid form at the bottom of the bowl.

    Put cucumber and daikon slices in bowl
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  3. Wash off the daikon and cucumber slices, then drain through a strainer.

    Wash off the slices
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  4. Lightly squeeze the vegetables to remove any excess liquid and put into a clean bowl.

    Lightly squeeze the vegetables
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  5. In a separate small bowl, mix rice vinegar and sugar together until incorporated well.

    Mix rice vinegar
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  6. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumber and daikon slices. Allow the flavors to meld by setting aside for about 15 minutes.

    Pour vinegar over cucumber
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  7. Spoon into individual dishes or a large bowl and serve.

    Spoon into dishes
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  8. Alternatively, chill the salad for 30 minutes or until cold.

  9. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • This recipe for spicy, tangy and sweet daikon and cucumber sunomono salad is quite traditional since Japanese daikon radish is often used in sunomono as the main ingredient. 
  • Sunomono salad is often served as a side dish or one of many okazu dishes in a typical Japanese meal. It may also be served as an appetizer. You can plate the salad onto individual dishes or serve it in a large bowl "family style.”
  • While sunomono may be served immediately, it's best to chill it first for a very refreshing dish. This recipe may be made ahead, up to a day before, and chilled in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
49 Calories
0g Fat
11g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 49
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 542mg 24%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 15mg 74%
Calcium 23mg 2%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 316mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)