Daikon Cucumber Apple Salad with Togarashi Dressing

This daikon cucumber apple salad is tossed in a bold togarashi dressing with sesame and fish sauce. A crunchy, no-cook Asian style salad ready in 15 minutes.

The Crunchy, No-Cook Asian Salad, You Never Knew You Needed

This daikon cucumber salad is one of those recipes that surprises you. It looks simple — and it is — but the combination of crisp daikon, cool cucumber, and sweet red apple tossed in a punchy togarashi dressing delivers a flavour hit that is way bigger than the ingredient list suggests.

It is bright, fresh, and has just the right amount of heat to keep things interesting. A genuinely addictive cucumber and apple salad that is ready in 15 minutes with zero cooking required.

What makes this salad so special is the way the three hero ingredients play off each other. The daikon brings a cool, peppery crunch. The cucumber adds freshness and a clean, watery bite.

The apple introduces a subtle sweetness that balances the heat of the togarashi dressing beautifully.

Toasted sesame seeds and spring onion round everything out, adding nuttiness and a gentle sharpness that ties it all together.

If you love bold Asian style salads, this one belongs in your regular rotation alongside our Gochujang Chicken Salad with Noodles and Tofu and Korean Cucumber Kimchi.

The best part is that there is genuinely nothing to cook here. Chop, toss, and serve. Whether you need a fast weeknight side, something fresh to cut through a rich main, or a raw salad that actually has personality, this cucumber and radish salad delivers every single time.

It is the kind of dish you throw together when you need something good on the table quickly and it never lets you down.

Togarashi: The Japanese Spice Blend That Sets This Dressing Apart

Togarashi is the secret weapon in this dressing.

Shichimi togarashi is a Japanese seven-spice blend typically made from red chilli, sansho pepper, roasted orange peel, black and white sesame seeds, hemp seeds, and nori.

The flavour is warm and complex — chilli heat upfront, citrusy brightness from the orange peel, and a numbing, almost tingly quality from the sansho pepper that is completely unlike any other spice blend.

In this dressing, it works in harmony with rice vinegar, fish sauce, and sesame oil to create something that is deeply savoury, slightly sweet, and just the right amount of spicy.

You will find togarashi in the Asian aisle of most major supermarkets.

For more Asian-inspired dressings that pack serious flavour, have a look at our Wafu Dressing and Vietnamese Salad Dressing.

Recipe Overview

Flavour/Texture: Crunchy, fresh, and boldly flavoured. Cool daikon and cucumber meet sweet red apple, all coated in a warm, complex togarashi dressing with a gentle heat and umami depth from fish sauce and sesame. Each bite is crisp, juicy, and layered with flavour.

Ease: This is as easy as salads get — peel, chop, mix, done. No cooking, no complicated techniques, no special equipment beyond a knife. It is a perfect beginner recipe and a reliable go-to for anyone who needs something fast and impressive.

Time: You are looking at 15 minutes from start to finish. Most of that is the chopping. Once the vegetables are prepped, the dressing comes together in under a minute. It is genuinely one of the quickest, most flavourful sides you can put on the table.

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Daikon Cucumber Apple Salad

Daikon: A large white Japanese radish with a mild, slightly peppery flavour and satisfying firm crunch. Look for one that feels heavy and solid for its size with smooth, unblemished skin — avoid any that feel spongy or hollow as they are past their best.

Cucumber: One medium cucumber. A Lebanese or telegraph cucumber both work well here. Look for firm cucumbers with no soft spots or wrinkling.

Softness means they are old and will release too much water into the salad. There is no need to deseed for this recipe as the chunks are substantial enough to hold their texture.

Red Apple: Use a variety with a firm texture — Pink Lady, Fuji, or Gala all work well. Avoid soft, floury apples like Red Delicious as they will turn mushy.

Cut just before tossing to prevent browning, or place cut apple in a bowl of salt water. Be sure to pat dry before adding dressing, as otherwise the salad will be wet.

Spring Onion (Scallion): One stalk adds a gentle, fresh sharpness without overpowering the other flavours. Look for spring onions with bright green tops and firm white bases — wilted or yellowing tops are a sign of age. Use both the white and green parts.

Roasted Sesame Seeds: White sesame seeds add nutty warmth and a little textural crunch. Buy them pre-roasted at Asian grocery stores or supermarkets. If you only have raw, toast them in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly golden and fragrant.

Sesame Oil: Sesame oil has a rich, nutty depth and a little goes a long way. Find it in the Asian section of any supermarket. Can use either Korean, Japanese or Chinese sesame oil.

Togarashi: Easy enough to find in Asian aisles of your supermarket. Just get a small bottle to start as the large packets tend to take a long time to finish off if this is not an ingredient you’re familiar with. Otherwise, you can always sprinkle some on any of your Asian dishes, especially bowl type meals.

Rice Vinegar: Mild and slightly sweet, it is essential for balancing the heat of the togarashi and the richness of the sesame oil. Do not substitute with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar — both are too sharp and will throw the dressing out of balance. Rice vinegar is inexpensive and widely available.

Fish Sauce: Adds umami depth and a background saltiness that pulls the whole dressing together. Use a good quality Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce. If you enjoy dressings built on fish sauce, our Fish Sauce Lime Vinaigrette and Tamarind Nam Jim Dressing are worth a look.

Sugar: Just one tablespoon to balance the acidity of the vinegar and the heat of the togarashi. Plain white sugar works perfectly. Honey or palm sugar are good alternatives if you want a slightly more complex sweetness.

Salt and Pepper: Season to taste at the end. The fish sauce is already salty so go lightly so taste before adding any salt.

Variations And Substitutions

Vegan version: Replace fish sauce with soy sauce or tamari. The dressing will be slightly less complex but still very good. This makes the salad fully vegan and pairs well with our other Vegan Salad Recipes.

Gluten free: This recipe is naturally gluten free as written. Check your togarashi label if you are highly sensitive — some blends are processed in facilities that handle gluten.

No togarashi? Substitute with a pinch of chilli flakes, gochugaru, cayenne pepper or even Aleppo pepper. Won’t be quite the same, but these peppers will give it the heat it needs.

Adjust the heat: Togarashi varies in spice level by brand. Start with half a tablespoon if you are heat-sensitive and taste before adding more.

Apple substitutes: Asian pear (nashi) is a beautiful swap, similar sweetness and crunch with a more delicate flavour. Green apple works if you prefer more tartness.

Add protein: Pan-fried tofu, poached chicken, or cooked prawns turn this into a more substantial meal. It works particularly well as a base for grilled fish — check our Sides for Fish for pairing ideas.

Make it nuttier: Easy enough to do with a variety of nuts to select from, such as peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, or even macadamias.

How To Make Daikon Cucumber Apple Salad

Peel daikon and cucumber.

Roughly cut daikon, cucumber and apple in small chunks around the same size of 1.5–2cm.

Chop scallion (spring onion).

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.

Serve.

How to Make This Salad Perfectly [Expert Tips]

Cut everything to the same size: This is not just about looks — uniform chunks mean every bite has a balanced mix of daikon, cucumber, and apple with dressing coating each piece evenly. Aim for roughly 1.5–2cm pieces throughout.

Add the apple last and toss quickly: Apple begins to oxidise (turn brown) once cut and exposed to air. Toss it in the dressing immediately after cutting, or place in salt water first to slow the browning.

Taste the dressing before tossing: Togarashi and fish sauce both vary by brand in terms of saltiness and heat. Mix the dressing, taste it, and adjust before adding the vegetables. It should be punchy, balanced, and slightly sweet.

Serve immediately: This is a raw salad with high water content vegetables. Once dressed, the daikon and cucumber will start releasing moisture, and the salad will become watery. Dress and serve straight away for the best texture.

Season carefully: The fish sauce brings significant saltiness. Taste before adding any extra salt as you may not need it at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

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