No Chopping Daikon Salad Inspired by Bikkuri Donkey

I work full-time in Japan, so I’m always looking for ways to make fresh vegetables feel effortless. This no chopping recipe is one I make often because all you need is a julienne peeler. There’s no knife work, and in just a few minutes you have a crisp, refreshing salad that pairs with almost any Japanese meal.

I recently went to Bikkuri Donkey for the first time in a while, and I was reminded how much I love their signature salad. The vegetables were incredibly crisp, but what really stood out was the dressing. It was so delicious that I came home and recreated it. If you’re looking for easy Japanese radish recipes or new daikon recipes, this copycat version is definitely worth trying.

Japanese Mustard Is the Secret to the Dressing

The ingredient that gives this Japanese daikon salad its signature flavor is Japanese mustard. It adds a subtle kick and balances the richness of the mayonnaise without overpowering the fresh vegetables. If you can’t find Japanese mustard, horseradish or wasabi both make excellent substitutes.

Another trick is soaking the shredded vegetables in ice water for about five minutes before serving. It makes the daikon, cucumber, and carrot incredibly crisp, giving this Japanese radish salad the same refreshing texture that inspired this recipe for daikon radish salad.

Ingredients (1 serving)

Vegetables

• Daikon radish: about 1 cup, julienned
• Cucumber: about ¼ cup, julienned
• Carrot: about ⅛ cup, julienned

Dressing

• Mayonnaise: 4 tbsp
• Soy sauce: ½ tsp
• Japanese mustard: ½ tsp
• Sugar: 1 tsp

Optional Toppings

• White sesame seeds: ½ tsp
• 1 cherry tomato

Instructions

1. Using a julienne peeler, shred the daikon, cucumber, and carrot into thin strips. Place the vegetables in a bowl of ice water and let them soak for about 5 minutes until crisp.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the mayonnaise, soy sauce, Japanese mustard, and sugar until smooth. If you don’t have Japanese mustard, use horseradish or wasabi instead.
3. Drain the vegetables thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer, shaking off as much water as possible.
4. Arrange the vegetables in a serving bowl, drizzle the dressing over the top, and garnish with the white sesame seeds and cherry tomato if desired. Serve immediately.

Daikon Salad (No Chopping Recipe!)

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 1

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

Vegetables

• Daikon radish: about 1 cup julienned
• Cucumber: about ¼ cup julienned
• Carrot: about ⅛ cup julienned

Dressing

• Mayonnaise: 4 tbsp
• Soy sauce: ½ tsp
• Japanese mustard: ½ tsp
• Sugar: 1 tsp

Optional Toppings

• White sesame seeds: ½ tsp
• 1 cherry tomato

Method

 

1. Using a julienne peeler, shred the daikon, cucumber, and carrot into thin strips. Place the vegetables in a bowl of ice water and let them soak for about 5 minutes until crisp.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the mayonnaise, soy sauce, Japanese mustard, and sugar until smooth. If you don’t have Japanese mustard, use horseradish or wasabi instead.
3. Drain the vegetables thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer, shaking off as much water as possible.
4. Arrange the vegetables in a serving bowl, drizzle the dressing over the top, and garnish with the white sesame seeds and cherry tomato if desired. Serve immediately.