Thai Cucumber Salad
Crisp cucumbers and red onion are marinated in a sweet and sour vinaigrette. Garnished with fresh cilantro and chopped peanuts, this restaurant-quality Thai cucumber salad is crazy delicious!
Today’s Thai cucumber salad is probably one of the easiest salads I’ve ever made. Sliced cucumbers and red onion are quickly marinated in a sweet and sour dressing consisting of rice vinegar, sugar, chili garlic sauce, and kosher salt. When it’s ready to serve, the salad is garnished with fresh cilantro and chopped peanuts. This crisp, fresh salad offers the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy and pairs beautifully with dishes like chicken satay, beef bulgogi, or coconut rice.
Seedless cucumbers, also known as English or hothouse cucumbers, work well in this salad. Standard, garden variety cucumbers often contain seeds that are bitter tasting with a tough, chewy texture. If you opt for regular cucumbers for today’s salad, just deseed them. No matter the cucumber variety you use, leave the peel on. Cucumber peel is a surprisingly good source of lutein, a beneficial antioxidant essential to eye health.
When shopping for cucumbers, look for ones that have a vibrant, deep green color. Avoid those that are pale green, yellowing, or have patches of discoloration. The skin should be fairly smooth and free of cuts and soft spots. Skin that is wrinkled is a sign of dehydration and age. Cucumbers should be very firm and feel heavy for their size. A cucumber that feels heavy for its size indicates that it has a high water content, which is essential for a crisp bite.
I like to make this salad about an hour ahead of serving. This allows just the right amount of time for all the amazing flavors to blend. You will notice the longer the salad sits, the “crunch factor” of the cucumbers will soften. Refrigerate any leftovers and for the best quality, use within a day.
To your health,
Darlene
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THAI CUCUMBER SALAD
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: about 2/3 cup
Prep: 15 minutes
Ready: 20 minutes (add 1 hour if marinating)
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (such as Huy Fong Foods Chili Garlic Sauce)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups sliced seedless cucumbers (about 2 large cucumbers)
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 cup lightly salted peanuts, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Add vinegar, sugar, chili garlic sauce, and salt to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Seal jar and shake until sugar dissolves.
Place cucumbers and onion in bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. When ready to serve, place cucumber salad in a bowl and garnish with cilantro and peanuts.
Nutrition Information per Serving
69 Calories, 3 g Total fat, 0 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 179 mg Sodium, 10 g Total carbohydrate, 1 g Dietary fiber, 7 g Total sugars, 6 g Added sugars, 2 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 20 mg (2%) Calcium, 0.4 mg (2%) Iron, 160 mg (4%) Potassium
© 2025 RECIPES MADE HEALTHY BY DARLENE ZIMMERMAN, MS, RD LLC
