Summer side dishes don’t get any easier or more flavorful than this Thai Cucumber Salad. It’s so fresh and light, and ridiculously easy to make. And that spicy Thai dressing will make your tastebuds sing!
This salad is fabulous paired with main dishes like grilled pork chops or Peruvian Chicken. And it rounds out other Thai-inspired meals such as Thai Peanut Chicken nicely. It also makes a great addition to any summer gatherings or backyard parties.
Everyone will be asking you for the recipe, guaranteed!
Reader’s Thoughts
“Refreshing and delicious! I think chopped peanuts would be a good sub if you don’t have sesame seeds. I used only 1 T of fish sauce because I wasn’t sure if I would like it.” — Vicki
I grow my own cucumbers every summer and I am always looking for delicious ways to use them. I love the fresh crunch they bring to recipes like Greek Chicken Salad and Shrimp and Cucumber Salad. But this recipe has long been a favorite for the whole family.
I first created it for another publication way back in 2013 and it was love at first bite. But it’s been a while since I’ve made it and I thought it was ripe for an update.
It was love at first bite all over again!
Why you’ll love this Thai Cucumber Salad
- Quick and easy: It’s ready in under 10 minutes!
- Light and fresh: Fresh cucumbers and fresh herbs make this a perfect summer side dish.
- Bold flavor: You really can’t beat Thai food for that punch of umami.
- Easy pairings: It’s wonderful with any sort of grilled meats, and it rounds out other Asian or Thai dishes nicely.
- Sugar-free: Most Thai dishes add at least a little bit of sugar, but I find that this salad doesn’t need it at all.
- Make ahead: It’s a wonderful side dish to bring to summer picnics or barbecues.
- Low carb: It has less than 8 grams of carbs per serving, so it’s a great recipe for keto or low carb diets.
Ingredient Notes
- Cucumbers: I recommend getting cucumbers that are fresh and firm, and not too thick in diameter.
- Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice lends a bright, fresh flavor to this dish
- Fish sauce: Fish sauce is one of the ingredients that gives this salad its Thai flavor.
- Tamari: I prefer this stronger, gluten-free version of soy sauce, but you can use regular soy sauce as well.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic offers the best flavor, but you can use garlic powder in a pinch.
- Sesame oil: If you can, get toasted sesame oil for better flavor. You could use another oil like avocado if you prefer.
- Garnish: Fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.
- Seasonings: Red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
Overview: How to Make This Recipe
- Make the dressing: Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
- Prep the cucumbers: Slice the cucumbers thinly and transfer to a large bowl. Add the green onion.
- Dress the salad: Toss the cucumbers with the dressing just before serving and sprinkle with chopped cilantro and sesame seeds.
Tips for Success
Don’t add the dressing until you are ready to serve. Fish sauce is quite salty and will draw the moisture out of the cucumbers, so that you end up with a pool at the bottom of the salad bowl. If you toss just prior to serving, the cucumber will stay nice and fresh instead of soggy.
If you plan on serving this at a party, keep the cucumbers and dressing separate until you get there. Don’t add any additional salt and pepper until you toss the cucumbers in the dressing and taste it.
You can easily toast sesame seeds in a pan on the stove. Just add them to a dry skillet over medium heat and stir very frequently, until they are golden brown. Remove and let cool in the pan, continuing to stir occasionally as they cool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cucumbers are low carb, low calorie, and low fat. But they also offer plenty of nutrition in the way of antioxidants and vitamins. They are a great choice for healthy diets.
Yes, cucumbers are a wonderful low carb vegetable for the keto diet. A whole medium cucumber has only 6 grams of carbs and 1.4 grams of fiber. So you can use it liberally in salads and for snacking!
This keto Thai cucumber salad recipe has 7.9g of carbs and 1.8g of fiber per serving. If you count net carbs, that comes to 6.1 grams per serving.
More low carb salads you’ll love
Thai Cucumber Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce, use Red Boat brand for Paleo
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
- 2 tsp tamari, or soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salad:
- 1 lb (453.59 g) cucumbers
- 1 medium green onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup (4 g) fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 2 tbsp (16.23 g) toasted sesame seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce, sesame oil, tamari, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- Slice the cucumbers into 1/4 inch thick slices using a sharp knife or a mandolin slicer. Transfer to a bowl and add the green onion.
- Add dressing just before serving and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and sesame seeds.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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I paired this with last nights salmon (served cold). It was so delicious and the perfect lunch on a hot summers day!
So fresh and flavorful! Love this cucumber salad!
This looks so refreshing! Can’t wait to make it.
Love how simple and delicious this is!
So refreshing and flavorful, thanks for sharing this recipe!
Cucumber salad is the best! I cant wait to try this recipe!!
I eat ALOT of cucumber salads during the summer – what a great recipe!!
This will be a new favorite. Delicious! Thank you
Carolyn: I have both toasted sesame oil, and regular untoasted sesame oil (which I use to make homemade mayo). I am tempted to use the toasted sesame oil in this recipe, but I am wondering if you did not use toasted oil for a reason?
it would be fine.
This is a great salad! Very similar to a recipe my daughter-in-law, who is Chinese, shared with me – only she never uses a recipe. She doesn’t use fish sauce and so I don’t either and it is good – just don’t leave out the sesame oil!
I love cucumbers but have a fish and shellfish allergy. What could I use as a substitute for the fish sauce?
Hmmm, not sure there is anything out there like fish sauce so just skip it!
These look beautiful! My daughter introduced me to the spiralizer, and we love it! Haven’t thought of using cucumber, though.
I love the spiralized cucumbers in your salad!
These cucumbers look amazing! I’ve been thinking about getting a spiralizer and between this and your zucchini lasagna I might be sold!
Wow! That looks like a work of refreshing art. Perfect!
Blessings, Catherine
What is your vegetable spiralizer of choice? There are several kinds on the market and I can’t decide which kind to invest in. Thanks.
I have this one (it’s linked in the blog post too!). http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007Y9WHQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0007Y9WHQ&linkCode=as2&tag=aldaidrabfo05-20