Japanese Avocado Salad with Cucumber is a recipe that incorporates one of the most popular ways to enjoy avocados in Japan. The salty and spicy flavor of wasabi soy sauce blends perfectly with the creamy taste of avocado.
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What is Japanese Avocado Salad?
Japanese Avocado Salad is a dish consisting of diced avocados and other vegetables or ingredients, all tossed with wasabi soy sauce. In Japan, it is common to enjoy avocado with wasabi soy sauce, which is known as the most popular way to eat avocado due to its excellent pairing.
While salads typically involve dressing, this dish doesn't require any. Avocado naturally contains plenty of oil, so simply tossing it with soy sauce mixed with wasabi makes it delicious.
For added texture, the recipe includes cucumbers along with avocado. Enjoy this classic Japanese way of eating avocado; it is sure to exceed your expectations.
Avocado in Japanese cuisine
Some readers may not feel very familiar with avocado in Japanese cuisine. Indeed, avocados are not native to Japan, and about 99% are still imported.
However, that doesn't mean avocados are unfamiliar in Japan at all. They are quite popular and can be found in almost every grocery store across the country.
Due to this popularity, avocados are incorporated into various dishes on dining tables and in restaurants in Japan. However, when eaten alone or in salads, they are almost always served with wasabi soy sauce. Mayonnaise and regular soy sauce are also commonly used as seasonings, but the use of other condiments is not as widely observed.
Why wasabi soy sauce is used?
So, why is wasabi soy sauce used for eating avocado in Japan? There is a reason behind this.
To begin with, wasabi soy sauce is a mixture of soy sauce and wasabi, commonly used in Japanese households as a condiment for sushi and sashimi (raw fish). Avocado is rich in oil like fatty fish used in sushi, and it evokes a flavor and texture reminiscent of otoro (fatty tuna) for Japanese people when paired with soy sauce and wasabi. Since otoro is one of the most popular sushi toppings in Japan, this pairing has naturally gained acceptance. This is the reason wasabi soy sauce is used with avocado and why you encounter sushi creations using avocado at sushi restaurants.
If you aren't fond of wasabi, it is fine not to use it. Simply using soy sauce is delicious enough, so be sure to try this Japanese eating style with this recipe.
Customizing your avocado salad
You can incorporate a variety of ingredients into Japanese avocado salad.
In this recipe, I used cucumber to add texture, but it is also common in Japan to combine avocado with mild onions, tomatoes, tofu, or kanikama (imitation crab sticks). Basically, any ingredient works well as long as it doesn't overpower the flavor of the avocado. Once you have tried this recipe, feel free to experiment with your favorite ingredients.
📋Step-by-step recipe
Ingredients
- 1 avocado
- 2 Japanese or Persian cucumbers (If using Persian cucumbers, increase the quantity by about 1.5 times.)
- - ¼ tsp salt (for the cucumbers)
- 1 tsp wasabi
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
🕒 Total: 10 mins
Step 1
Remove skin and pit from avocado, then dice it into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2
Slice cucumber into thin rounds. Sprinkle salt over the slices and massage them. Arrange the slices so that they overlap as little as possible, and let them sit for about 5 minutes. Then, squeeze them by hand to remove any moisture.
Step 3
Mix soy sauce and wasabi well in a bowl. Then, add avocado and cucumber pieces, and toss everything together.
To Store
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Recipe card
Japanese Avocado Salad with Cucumber
Ingredients
- 1 avocado
- 2 Japanese or Persian cucumbers (If using Persian cucumbers, increase the quantity by about 1.5 times.)
- - ¼ tsp salt (for the cucumbers)
- 1 tsp wasabi
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
- Remove skin and pit from avocado, then dice it into bite-sized pieces.
- Slice cucumber into thin rounds. Sprinkle salt over the slices and massage them. Arrange the slices so that they overlap as little as possible, and let them sit for about 5 minutes. Then, squeeze them by hand to remove any moisture.
- Mix soy sauce and wasabi well in a bowl. Then, add avocado and cucumber pieces, and toss everything together.
Notes
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
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