Crab Sunomono (Japanese Crab Cucumber Salad)

Our Japanese crab cucumber salad, or crab sunomono, is the perfect mix of tangy, sweet, and savoury. In just 15 minutes, you’ll have a flavourful Japanese side dish that’s lip-smacking, delicious and ideal for any occasion.

Why You’ll Love Crab Sunomono

Looking for a light and refreshing side dish to complement your meal? 

Our crab sunomono adds a delightful twist to the classic sunomono recipe by combining crisp cucumbers, briny wakame, and meaty imitation crab in a vinegary dressing. The result is a dish that’s both refreshing and unique. 

You might think this combination sounds unusual, but trust me, the flavours blend beautifully!

Most Japanese side dishes are served on small individual plates alongside the main course. This crab cucumber salad is great to prepare in advance, take what you need, and store any leftovers in the fridge. It’s the perfect addition to your weekday side dish menu.

For another popular Japanese crab salad, try our spicy and creamy Mango Kani salad. 

What’s The Difference Between Sunomono And Other Japanese Salads?

Sunomono is a light and refreshing Japanese salad made with thinly sliced vegetables or seafood tossed in a tangy vinegar dressing. The dressing, usually a mix of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, gives it that perfect balance of sweet and sour. 

The key difference between sunomono and other Japanese salads lies in the dressing and preparation time. 

The word “Su” (酢) means vinegar, and “mono” (物) refers to items, so sunomono translates to “vinegared things.” Unlike other pickled or vinegared dishes, sunomono usually involves quick marinating or pickling, resulting in a light, tangy flavour that enhances the fresh ingredients.

Ingredients

These are the ingredients you need for Japanese crab cucumber salad:

Dried wakame seaweed: Wakame seaweed is a type of edible seaweed with a mild, slightly sweet and salty flavour. You can purchase dried wakame at local Asian grocery stores. They come in packets of dried small pieces or longer strips. Once rehydrated, you can cut to size if required. Rehydrated wakame provides a slight briny taste and contrasting soft texture, enhancing the dish.

Cucumbers: Choose a cucumber variety that has thin skin and less seeds. I typically use Persian cucumbers because we don’t have access to Japanese cucumbers. If there are a lot of seeds, remove the seeds to avoid excess liquid in the salad.

Imitation crab: Also known as kani in Japanese, imitation crab is a product that mimics real crab flesh. They can be found in your frozen section of the supermarket or Asian grocery store. Be sure to purchase Japanese crab sticks that you can shred into long strips. Surimi chunks or flakes do not work as well. 

Toasted sesame seed: Adds a nutty flavour and a bit of texture to the salad.

Rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce: The dressing’s base for sweet, tangy, and umami notes.

Variations and Substitutions

Cucumber options: You can substitute Persian cucumbers with continental or English cucumbers. If there are a lot of seeds, remove the seeds to avoid excess liquid in the salad.

Imitation crab stick alternative: Of course you can use real crab meat in place of imitation crab sticks! However, it is more costly and not readily available. Alternatively you can use cooked shrimp in place of imitation crab sticks.  

Dried wakame seaweed: If you can’t find dried wakame, you can skip it but definitely worth seeking out if you can! It is a great pantry staple. I use it in miso soups, udon noodle soups or try our refreshing wakame salad. 

Vegan option: Omit imitation crab stick from recipe or substitute with strips of tofu skin or thinly sliced hard tofu.

Gluten free option: If you need a gluten free salad, use tamari instead of soy sauce.

Instructions

Step by step instructions for how to make Japanese crab cucumber salad:

Rehydrate dried wakame according to packaging. I normally add hot water and let it soak for about 5 minutes. Wakame seaweed will turn a lighter green and is soft and tender once ready to use. 

Wash and thinly slice cucumbers using mandoline or knife. 

In a bowl, add sliced cucumbers and sprinkle with salt. Leave for 5 minutes to extract the moisture from cucumbers. Squeeze salted cucumbers to remove excess water.

Whilst soaking wakame and salting cucumbers, defrost the crab sticks and remove the wrappers. With your fingers, gently pull the strands of crab sticks apart.

In a small bowl, mix dressing ingredients – rice vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce until sugar dissolves.

In a mixing bowl, add sliced cucumbers, wakame and crab. Toss together with dressing.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds to serve.

Great Mains for This Salad

What to serve with Japanese cucumber salad? 

This crab sunomono recipe is incredibly simple to prepare, requiring only a few ingredients and minimal effort. It will pair well with fish recipes, seafood mains, rice or noodle dishes. 

These recipes such as sukiyaki beef udon, tonkatsu japanese breaded pork cutlet or easy homemade tuna avocado rolls would make for an excellent meal!

Add sides like Burdock Root Salad or Pickled Cabbage Tsukemono for a complete meal. 

Frequently Asked Questions