Thai Cucumber Salad
This simple Thai Cucumber Salad recipe is the perfect quick addition to your weeknight Asian recipes. A refreshing vegetable side dish with crisp cucumbers tossed in a sweet and savory dressing with red onions, peanuts and cilantro.
Side dish recipes are hard, yeah?
You go all out and have fun with the main entree, and then all the sudden you realize – WHOOPS! You need a side to serve, too!
I love quick and easy side dish recipes that help you maximize your weeknight dinner without taking over your attention. Just because a veggie side dish is simple doesn’t mean it has to be boring.
These quick and easy thai cucumbers are the perfect addition to your weeknight Asian recipes. Refreshing and flavorful, this no cook recipe has a sweet and savory dressing that the whole family will love!
This Thai Cucumber Salad Recipe is amazing when paired with these Thai Turkey Zucchini Meatballs, Thai Peanut Chicken Satay Skewers or these Korean Bulgogi Beef Bowls! And don’t forget the Thai Mango Sticky Rice!
How do you make Thai Cucumber Salad?
Making homemade thai cucumber salad is so easy! With just a few ingredients and a few minutes, you can have an easy side dish that tastes just like what you get at a restaurant!
- Slice your onions into thin layers and place them in a bowl of cold water to soak while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. This will help mellow out the onion flavor so it won’t be so sharp.
- Slice the cucumbers.
- If using Persian cucumbers, you do not have to seed them or peel them.
- If you use English cucumbers you will need to remove the seeds so your salad doesn’t become watery. You do not have to peel them because English cucumbers are usually not treated with wax.
- If you choose to use garden variety of cucumbers, you will need to seed them, and if you purchase them from a grocers you will need to peel them if they have been treated with wax.
- Mince the cilantro and peanuts.
- Combine the cucumbers, cilantro, and onions in a large bowl.
- Make the dressing by whisking together the ingredients.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
- Top with the peanuts right before serving.
Thai Cucumber Salad Tips
Persian style cucumbers are the best for this recipe because they are so crunchy and don’t have as much water content as other varieties do. You can substitute other varieties of cucumbers here, but you may need to seed/peel the cucumbers.
Can Thai Cucumber Salad be prepped ahead of time?
Yes! You can definitely make the thai cucumbers ahead of time. In fact this recipe tastes even better when it has had some time to sit, so making it up to a day in advance is a great idea.
Simply follow the recipe directions, omitting the peanuts and store in the fridge for up to a day ahead. When you are ready to serve, top with the crushed peanuts and enjoy.
How Your Kids Can Help in the Kitchen:
- Kids aged 1-3 can help you measure everything, plus stir together the dressing ingredients.
- Kids aged 4-6 can help do everything above, plus help you slice the cucumbers and crush the peanuts.
- Kids aged 7-10+ can help do everything above.
*Please note that these recommendations are generalized, and to please use your personal discretion with your child’s skill level. And always, always supervise! Read more about how to have your children help you in the kitchen.
Find other kid friendly vegetable recipes to add to your meal plan.
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Thai Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
Cucumbers
- ½ red onion sliced very thinly
- 4 persian cucumbers sliced thinly
- ⅓ cup packed chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup salted peanuts
- ¼ tsp salt
Dressing:
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 TBSP fish sauce
- 1 garlic clove minced
Instructions
- Place the onions in a small bowl of cold water to sit for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
- In a large bowl, combine the drained red onions, cucumbers, cilantro and pepper. Set aside.
- Make the dressing by whisking together the rice vinegar, sugar, fish sauce, and garlic until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
- When ready to serve, top with the crushed peanuts.
So yummy! My kids loved this and asked for seconds! The combo of cilantro and peanuts was perfect! Thanks for another great recipe!
My kids love getting into the kitchen and I like having ideas of dishes that they can make with a little help. We’ve made this kind of salad before, but the crunch of the peanuts really takes it up a notch!
I am not a huge fan of cucumber salads, but put a Thai twist to it and I’ll most likely eat it 😀
I never thought to add peanuts to a cucumber salad but they really pack so much more flavor and texture to this dish! Thanks for the idea!
Such a beautiful dish. I love Asian cucumber salad. Your recipe is so super doable. I will be trying it soon.
Absolutely delicious!! I love this flavor combination so much. The peanuts make a great contrast of textures which I love.