Thai Cucumber Salad

Refreshing and cool, my Thai cucumber salad is an easy and healthy side that's absolutely packed with Thai-inspired flavor. Brimming with thinly sliced cucumbers, red onion, crushed peanuts, fresh mint and cilantro, all dressed in a light, tangy lime dressing, this scrumptious recipe is the perfect partner to a Thai-style meal!

A cucumber salad with a Thai-style twist

As a gal who utterly loves the complex flavors found in Thai cuisine, it's no surprise that I love to play around and experiment with lots of Southeast Asian-inspired recipes in my own kitchen.

Whether it's my savory lemongrass pork, my juicy lemongrass chicken, my creamy coconut chicken soup, my spicy coconut curry shrimp, my succulent banh mi, or my pork meatballs with ginger and lemongrass, Southeast Asian-inspired meals are hands down some of my favorites to partake in.

What I love about Thai cuisine is that it boasts all of my favorite flavor profiles: sweet, sour, spicy, salty and bitter. Those together, in the right amounts, create such depth of flavor that each bite of a Thai dish is a delicious surprise that awakens the palate.

Which brings me to my latest creation with a Thai-inspired twist, this cool Thai cucumber salad! So refreshing and so bright and tangy, this mouthwatering salad is fantastic to enjoy on its own, or paired with any scrumptious Thai-style dish.

Quick and easy, this recipe is sure to become a new favorite way to enjoy crisp cucumbers, all dressed up with lots of irresistible flavor and lots of crunch!

My recipe for Thai cucumber salad

What I love about this Thai cucumber salad is that I can bring some of my favorite Thai flavors such as lime, mint, peanuts, and a touch of salty/funky fish sauce to the party.

For me, Persian cucumbers are the gold standard when it comes to salad (or any other preparation, for that matter), because they are very thin-skinned, sweet, crunchy, and have virtually no seeds. They're perfect for slicing thinly into this salad.

I also create more flavor by adding in thinly sliced red onion, lots of mint leaves and fresh cilantro, some crushed peanuts for warm, nutty flavor (classically used in Thai cuisine), and perhaps some thinly sliced red chilis (or even red pepper flakes), if a bit of spiciness is desired.

But the Thai-style dressing is what ties everything together here, and creates lots of fresh, bright, complex flavor, with just a few ingredients...

I love to use fresh lime juice and zest, and add to that a touch of brown sugar, a splash of earthy fish sauce (a must in Thai cuisine), a little avocado oil, and a pinch of salt.

This dressing is a thin, light, natural-style dressing, not overly heavy or oily, just meant to flavor those salad ingredients and bring them all together with lots of tangy Thai flavor.

Here's a sneak peek at how I make my Thai cucumber salad recipe:

(Or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I prepare my lime dressing by adding all of the ingredients to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
2. I simply shake the jar until all the ingredients are very well blended, and set it aside. If making the salad ahead, I wait to dress it just before serving to keep things crisp.
3. Next, I add my sliced cucumbers and my sliced red onion to a large bowl, add some of the dressing (adding more as needed) and a pinch of salt, and toss to coat. I add in half of my fresh mint and cilantro, and gently toss once more to combine.
4. Then, I spoon the Thai cucumber salad into my serving bowl or platter, and scatter over top the rest of my mint and cilantro, some optional red chili slices or pepper flakes (if desired), and those delicious crushed peanuts.
5. I serve the Thai cucumber salad immediately, nice and cold, with any remaining lime dressing on the side.

Recipe

Thai Cucumber Salad

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

Cool and deliciously refreshing, this Thai cucumber salad is brimming with mint, crushed peanuts, red onion and a bright lime dressing!

Category: Salad
Cuisine: Thai-American

Yield: Serves 6

Nutrition info: 160 calories (per serving)

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 (heaping) teaspoon lime zest
• 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons)
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons avocado oil (¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons)
• 1 ½ pounds Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• ½ cup mint leaves, left whole or torn
• ½ cup cilantro leaves, left whole or roughly chopped
• ½ cup dry-roasted, salted peanuts, roughly crushed/chopped
• 1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced, or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes (optional)

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Prepare the lime dressing by adding the lime zest, lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, salt and avocado oil to a jar with a lid, and shake the dressing ingredients up very well for a few moments to combine. (This is a thin-style dressing, and not meant to be thick or oily.) Set aside.
3. Next, add the sliced Persian cucumbers and the sliced red onion to a large bowl, and if serving the salad immediately, then drizzle in some of the lime dressing (start with about half, and add more as needed), plus a pinch or two of salt, and toss to coat things. (If prepping for later, don't add the dressing until just before you're ready to serve and enjoy, then proceed with the rest of the steps below.)
4. Add in about half of the mint leaves and cilantro (about ¼ cup of each), and gently toss with the dressed cucumbers and red onion.
5. Then, spoon the Thai cucumber salad into a serving bowl, and scatter over top the rest of the mint and cilantro, the optional sliced red chilis or red pepper flakes (for added kick, if desired), plus the crushed/chopped peanuts.
6. Serve immediately while cool or chilled, perhaps with any remaining lime dressing you may have on the side.

Tips & Tidbits for my Thai cucumber salad recipe:

• Persian cucumbers for thin skin and fewer seeds: While you can certainly use English cucumbers or classic cucumbers here, nothing quite compares to Persian cucumbers. I use them exclusively when preparing cucumber dishes, as their skin is extremely delicate and thin, with no peeling needed. They're also very crisp and crunchy, and have virtually no seeds, so opt for them if possible.
• Lime and fish sauce for lots of zingy, savory, and “funky” flavor: This Thai-style dressing is made with lots of fresh lime juice for lots of bright and tangy flavor. It also has a generous spoonful of fish sauce, which brings natural saltiness and that delicious “funk” so classic in Thai cuisine. You can find fish sauce in the Asian section of the market, where soy sauce, chili sauce and curry paste are typically found. But whatever you do, don't skip the fish sauce—it makes all the difference in flavor!
• Lots of cilantro and mint for those fresh notes: I'm using an abundant amount of mint and cilantro here, as they are staple toppers in Thai cuisine. Mint is wonderfully cooling and fresh, and lends a really distinct and delicious flavor to this cucumber salad. The cilantro brings vibrant, green notes. They're both really meant to be tasted, and very “forward.”
• Dress the chilled salad just before serving to keep crispness: While you can prep this salad a day ahead to a point (see recipe steps), hold off on dressing the salad until ready to serve. This will help keep the cucumbers and onions fresh and crisp, rather than becoming softened in the lime juice dressing.
• What to serve Thai cucumber salad with: I really love this salad on its own, but also love to make a complete meal out of it by serving with chicken, broiled salmon, shrimp, and/or rice. You can even pair it with grilled steak or pork chops.

Craving more cool and fresh recipes like this one? Check out my classic Cucumber Salad recipe, my Pork Lettuce Wraps, Zucchini Salad, Thai Chicken Satay Salad, Loaded Hummus, or even my recipe for Bok Choy Salad!