Chinese Egg, Tomato and Cucumber Salad Recipe
A simple salad with egg, tomato and cucumber is a Chinese answer to a quick, homemade dish from whatever you have in the fridge. It uses familiar ingredients, but the dressing with soy sauce, vinegar and sesame gives it a completely different character than a classic egg salad. Perfect for a light dinner, breakfast or as a side to rice.
In many homes in northern China, this kind of salad appears in summer next to a bowl of rice as a quick, cooling side. It’s somewhere between a salad and a light appetizer, and it’s easy to scale up for larger family gatherings.
This salad combines everyday ingredients with a Chinese-style dressing, giving a completely new flavor profile to a classic egg and vegetable combination. It’s quick, light and uses pantry staples like soy sauce and vinegar.
Why this version works
- A precise cooking time for the eggs gives you creamy but fully set yolks without a gray ring.
- The dressing is balanced thanks to the ratio of soy sauce, vinegar and a touch of sugar.
- Mixing in two stages (first the vegetables, then the eggs) protects the eggs from getting crushed.
Chef's tips
Do not overmix the salad so the eggs and tomatoes keep their shape. If your soy sauce is very salty, add it gradually and taste as you go. For extra aroma, lightly toast the sesame oil by warming it gently before adding to the dressing, but do not let it smoke.
How to serve
Serve slightly chilled, as a light dinner, breakfast or brunch dish. It pairs well with steamed rice, congee or simple toasted bread. You can also serve it as part of a larger table of Chinese-inspired side dishes.
Watch out for
- Don’t salt the vegetables separately – the saltiness of the soy sauce is enough and also limits how much juice the tomatoes release.
- Don’t mix too vigorously: once the eggs start to break apart, switch to gentle lifting motions from the bottom.
- Different soy sauces vary in saltiness – add it gradually, tasting after each splash.
Substitutions
- You can replace rice vinegar with apple cider vinegar; it has a mild acidity and pairs well with tomatoes.
- Instead of chives, use finely chopped scallions or flat-leaf parsley for freshness.
- If you don’t like raw garlic, omit it or add a pinch of garlic granules for a gentler aroma.
Ingredients
- eggs - 3 pieces
- tomato medium, ripe - 2 pieces
- fresh cucumber long - 0.5 pieces
- chives or spring onion chopped - 2 tablespoons
- soy sauce - 1.5 tablespoons
- rice vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- sesame oil - 0.5 teaspoons
- sugar - 0.5 teaspoons
- vegetable oil e.g. rapeseed - 1 teaspoon
- garlic (optional) finely chopped, for a sharper taste - 0.5 clove
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Place the eggs in a pot, cover completely with cold water and heat over medium until boiling. Once the water boils, cook for 8–9 minutes, until the whites are fully set and the yolks are uniformly yellow with no gray ring.
- Immediately run the cooked eggs under plenty of cold water or transfer them to a bowl of ice water and leave until completely cooled. The shells should peel off easily in large pieces, and the eggs should no longer feel hot in your hands while peeling.
- Peel the eggs and cut them into quarters or large cubes so they hold their shape, then set aside. Wash the tomatoes, remove the tough cores and cut into bite‑size cubes or wedges; if the skins are very tough, you can briefly blanch and peel them.
- Wash the cucumber and, if needed, peel part of the skin (especially if it’s thick or bitter), then slice into half‑moons or quarter‑moons. Finely slice the chives or scallions into thin rings.
- In a small bowl, combine the light soy sauce, rice or apple cider vinegar, sugar, sesame oil and vegetable oil. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and the dressing is uniform; when you taste it, it should be distinctly tangy, lightly salty and gently sweet.
- If using garlic, press half a clove through a garlic press or mince very finely and add it to the dressing, then mix again. If the flavor seems too intense, add 1–2 tablespoons of water so the dressing just lightly coats the ingredients instead of dominating them.
- Put the tomatoes and cucumber into a large bowl, pour over half of the dressing and toss very gently until the vegetables are lightly coated. Do not salt at this stage – the soy sauce will provide enough salt and will help limit the amount of juice released by the tomatoes.
- Add the egg pieces and pour in the remaining dressing. Mix very carefully, lifting from the bottom with a spoon or spatula so the eggs don’t crumble – the finished salad should have clearly visible, large chunks of egg.
- Sprinkle the salad with the chopped chives and season with freshly ground black pepper. Taste and, if needed, add a few drops of soy sauce or vinegar if it lacks saltiness or acidity – the flavor should be bright but not overly salty.
- Let the salad sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes, until the tomatoes release a bit of juice and the flavors meld. Serve while the cucumber is still crisp and the dressing slightly thinned and glossy on the surface of the ingredients.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This is one of those “fridge-cleaning” recipes that still feels special thanks to the fragrant dressing. It’s a great way to use up a couple of eggs and a lonely cucumber or tomato while bringing a bit of Chinese home-cooking style to the table.
