Thai Cucumber Salad
on Jan 11, 2019, Updated Jul 14, 2023
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Bright, vibrant flavors, exciting textures, and the play of sweet and sour and salty in an easy cucumber salad recipe.
This crunchy cucumber salad has amazing vibrant flavor, a crisp bite, and comes together in about 15 minutes. It features crunchy cucumbers, enhanced with just a bit of citrus, soy sauce, and a few other Thai ingredients. It is a great addition to any Thai meal, but don’t hesitate to pair it with other simply-cooked dishes like grilled salmon, or a pan-seared rib-eye steak.
Lots of us are crazy about Thai food, with those bright flavors, exciting textures, and the play of sweet and sour and salty. Pad Thai is probably the most famous Thai dish for those of us in the U.S., but there is a world of other recipes to explore. Lemongrass, chilies, coconut milk — these ingredients are now popping up in supermarkets all over the country, and it’s so much fun to work them into your home cooking.
Table of Contents
This simple Thai Cucumber Salad features crunchy cucumbers, a vibrant dressing, and crunchy peanuts as a garnish.
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Ingredients
- Cucumber – Seedless or English cucumbers are almost but not quite seedless; you’ll still want to scrape out the seeds from the middle. Or use regular garden cucumbers, and be sure to scrape out the seeds, which are larger and less palatable.
- Jalapeño – Adds some nice heat.
- Shallots – a little bit of oniony bite
- Soy sauce – A punch of saltiness.
- Lime juice – Fresh. Always fresh.
- Sugar – Adds a tiny bit of sweetness to balance the acidity and heat.
- Cilantro – Skip it if you hate it, but it adds a great fresh note.
- Salted cocktail peanuts – Adds crunch to the salad.
Variations and Substitutions
- If you want to bump up the flavor even further, substitute fish sauce for half of the soy sauce. It will add a layer of pungency to the dish and even more authentic Thai flavor.
- Cilantro (sometimes also called Chinese parsley) is an herb people usually love or hate — few people feel “meh” about it. If it’s not your thing or someone at the table doesn’t like it, serve it on the side and let people add it to their own salads as they wish.
How to Make Thai Cucumber Salad
- Prepare the vegetables: Peel, de-seed, and slice the cucumbers. Mince the jalapeño.
- Make the salad: In a large bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Add in the cucumber.
- Serve: Top with cilantro and peanuts, and serve.
Make Ahead And Leftovers
This is best made shortly before serving, though leftovers can be refrigerated for a couple of days. The cucumbers will lose some of their crunch, but they will become even more flavorful. If possible, add the peanuts just before serving.
What to Serve With Thai Cucumber Salad
More Cucumber Salad Recipes
- Vietnamese Cucumber Salad
- Japanese Cucumber Salad
- Vegan Cucumber Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Tomato, Avocado, and Cucumber Salad
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Thai Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 2 seedless cucumber
- 1 jalapeño
- 2 teaspoons minced shallots
- 3 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup salted cocktail peanuts (lightly crushed)
Instructions
- Peel the cumbers, slice them in half lengthwise, and remove any seeds with a teaspoon. Slice the cucumber into very thin slices crosswise using a sharp knife or a mandolin. Trim the jalapeño, slice lengthwise, remove the seeds, and finely mince.
- In a large bowl, combine the jalapeño, shallots, soy sauce, lime juice, and sugar and stir to combine. Add in the cucumber and toss to combine. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl or platter, top with the cilantro and the peanuts, and serve.
Notes
- If you want to bump up the flavor even further, substitute fish sauce for half of the soy sauce. It will add a layer of pungency to the dish, and even more authentic Thai flavor.
- This is best made shortly before serving, though leftovers can be refrigerated for a couple of days. The cucumbers will lose some of their crunch, but they will become even more flavorful. If possible, add the peanuts just before serving.
