This Thai Cucumber Salad is so easy to make! Bold flavored, Asian inspired ingredients come together to make a light, crunchy and delicious salad.
Fresh vegetables and a delicious Asian inspired dressing make up this easy Thai Cucumber Salad. Healthy, simple and flavor packed, this salad is more than just a side dish!
Refreshing cucumber, bold red onion, crunchy peanuts, spicy thai chilies and herbaceous cilantro are mixed with a homemade Thai dressing that really packs a punch and makes this salad anything but boring!
Thai flavor
If I had to pick one Asian cuisine over another, Thai would win every. single. time. Simple ingredients, bold flavors, it’s the best of the best! I adore Thai food and because I love it so much, I always try my hand at making and learning more about the great flavors the cuisine has to offer. Which is how this recipe came to life!
Ingredients
Keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card for FULL ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!
Salad
- Cucumbers – I used English cucumbers, sliced 1/4″ thin.
- Onion – Red onion, halved and sliced 1/4″ thin.
- Peanuts – I used roasted peanuts, crushed.
- Cilantro – Freshly chopped!
- Thai Chilies – Sliced thin. *These are optional for a little added spice!
Dressing
- Sesame Oil – You can use either toasted or regular!
- Lime Juice – I used freshly squeezed!
- Fish Sauce – This really adds to the flavor of the salad.
- Garlic – Fresh is best! Minced.
- Sugar – Plain ol’ granulated!
- Salt – To taste.
How to make Thai cucumber salad
- Combine Ingredients: Add the salad ingredients to a large salad bowl, reserving 1 tbsp of the crushed peanuts.
- Make Dressing: Whisk the dressing ingredients together until the sugar dissolves. Pour the dressing into the salad bowl and toss well to coat.
- Garnish & Serve: Garnish with the reserved peanuts and serve immediately.
Make it in advance
You can make this salad the night before and let it sit in the fridge overnight allowing the cucumber to soak up all of that delicious dressing. I wouldn’t recommend making this salad too far in advance because the cucumbers could become soggy – you still want that nice, crisp crunch!
Additions
Looking for more oomph? Want to use up some of those forgotten ingredients in your fridge? This salad can be amplified by adding a few different ingredients. Try these out for some inspiration:
- Broccoli
- Grated Papaya
- Corn
- Bean sprouts
- Snap Peas
- Bell pepper
- Crispy Wontons
- Chickpeas/ beans
- Apple
- Pear
What to serve with your salad
This salad is a great option to serve as is for a light meal, snack or even a healthy lunch! If you want to make it a full dinner, I would recommend pairing this dish with my Baked Thai Salmon or Crockpot Thai Chicken – to really add to the Thai inspired flavors!
In reality, you can really serve this awesome salad with anything your heart desires, it’s THAT good!
Leftovers
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Looking for more great salad recipes? Try these!
- Chickpea Tomato Salad
- Macaroni Salad with Prosciutto
- Mushroom Arugula Warm Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Caprese Salad
- Tabbouleh Salad
- Easy Panzanella Salad
- Cobb Salad
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Thai Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 English cucumbers sliced 1/4" thin
- ½ red onion halved and sliced 1/4" thin
- ⅓ cup peanuts crushed, roasted
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1-2 Thai chilies sliced thin, optional
Dressing
- 2 tsp sesame oil toasted or regular
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 ½ tbsp sugar granulated
- ¼ tsp salt or to taste
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: Add the salad ingredients to a large salad bowl, reserving 1 tbsp of the crushed peanuts.
- Make Dressing: Whisk the dressing ingredients together until the sugar dissolves. Pour the dressing into the salad bowl and toss well to coat.
- Garnish & Serve: Garnish with the reserved peanuts and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
easy and addictive. I made it to use up some cucumbers i had on hand it was so good I’m going to go buy more to make it again. easy, healthy, delish
Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I’ve made this Thai Salad several times and it is wonderful,. It’s crisp and refreshing with a hint of heat. All the things I like!
I just love this recipe. I’ve made it several times. It makes for an amazing side dish with Korean teriyaki and coconut rice! Absolutely yum, yum, yum!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi! Could honey be used in place of granulated sugar? Trying to steer clear of refined sugars 🙂
For sure!
Where can I find a Thai chai? I’ve never heard of them before?
Do you mean Thai Chilies? You can usually find them in Asian markets, but my local grocery store usually carries them too.
Yes Thai chilies. Haha. Thank you. I’ll look for them.