Easy Thai Cucumber Salad Recipe with peanuts

Thai Cucumber Salad is a healthy, crispy appetizer or refreshing side dish for your favorite Asian dishes. Fresh cucumbers, carrots, and bell peppers combine with juicy oranges and red pepper flakes that balance the sweet-spicy and bold flavors perfectly. Toss with a Thai dressing that accents all the flavors then garnish with cilantro and a few peanuts for that added crunch.

Easy Asian Dinner Recipes

My husband and I love going to the neighborhood's best Thai restaurant at least once a month. Every time we visit, they serve a complimentary salad that we love and we're always analyzing it to try and figure out all the ingredients. This spicy cucumber salad recipe is as close as I have come so far in delivering the same cooling but slightly spicy flavor of the salad.

Chinese and Thai food are two of the most popular foods in the U.S. and the simple ingredients and great flavors of Thai dishes make the recipes easy to make at home. Favorites such as Asian Lettuce Wraps, Pork Tenderloin Stir Fry, and Baked Honey Chicken are perfect examples for quick and easy dinners.

What is Thai Cucumber Salad

In Thai cuisine, this cucumber salad is often called Yum Tang Gwa. It is a refreshing, crispy, delicious salad comprised of fresh cucumbers and onion and usually mixed with cilantro and peanuts in a spicy-sweet dressing. It is often served at Thai restaurants with grilled meat or spicy dishes such as Red Curry with Beef or Shrimp Panang Curry.

Health Benefits of Crunchy Thai Cucumber Salad

You'll be amazed at how refreshing and delicious this salad is, balancing the sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavors of Thai ingredients perfectly. Plus it delivers on healthy too!

Cucumbers - contain water for a great hydration boost as well as Vitamins K, C, and A and important antioxidants. Check out more about cucumber's benefits on Healthy.com.

Carrots - a low-calorie vegetable providing vitamins A, K & C, minerals, important antioxidants, potassium, and fiber.

Oranges - have an abundance of Vitamin C, which helps boost the immune system, fiber, calcium, folic acid, and potassium. More orange nutritional information can be found on WebMD.

Red Bell Peppers - contain vitamins A & C, minerals, and antioxidants that support the immune system and eye health.

Peanuts - are rich in protein, fat (mostly good cholesterol-lowering fat), fiber, Vitamin E, and magnesium.

Ingredients

For the cucumber salad:

Here's what you need to make this easy Thai cucumber salad recipe. The exact measurements are in the printable recipe card below.

• Cucumbers - are the refreshing, cooling base of this cool cucumber salad. Use organic cucumbers, either English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers, and make sure they are fresh crisp cucumbers to make the best salad.
• Oranges - add a citrusy, juicy tang
• Carrots - add an extra dose of nutrients, color, and crunch
• Red Bell Peppers - add sweetness and vibrant color
• Cilantro - a characteristic Thai flavor with its herby essence
• Shallot - for both an onion and garlic flavor boost
• Green Onions - adds a subtle onion flavor without detracting from the salad
• Peanuts - add a wonderful nutty flavor with plenty of crunch
• Red Chile Flakes - add a little bit of a spicy kick

For the Asian dressing:

• Fish Sauce - adds a pungent, umami taste
• Soy Sauce - a milder salty flavor with a hint of sweetness
• Sugar - gives a sweet edge
• Garlic - strong spicy flavor perfect for salads
• Cayenne Pepper - adds a little bit of heat

How to Make This Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe

1. Cut up cucumbers, either cucumber slices or cubes can be used, and place in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, carrots, red bell pepper, shallot, green onion, orange, half the cilantro, and red pepper flakes, all except for the peanuts.
2. For the delicious dressing, whisk fish sauce, minced garlic, soy sauce, cayenne pepper, and sugar in a small bowl.
3. Pour about half of the dressing on the salad.
4. Toss the salad then top with remaining fresh cilantro and peanuts.

Serve this crisp, cool crunchy cucumber salad in small bowls with the remaining salad dressing on the side. It is the perfect side dish for hot summer days and pairs perfectly with most Asian-flavored main dishes. It also works great as an appetizer or by itself as a snack. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips

Always use fresh ingredients for the best flavor.

Use organic cucumbers, the English variety is more tender and has smaller seeds, as these cucumbers allow you to leave on the peels and deliver a much higher nutritional value. They are also free from the wax coating they put on most regular cucumbers.

Look for organic peppers and carrots as well for a healthier salad.

For a crispier salad, you can quarter the cucumbers and remove the seeds with a spoon.

Variations

• Extra Fresh Vegetables - like edamame, cabbage, and shredded carrots.
• Fresh herbs - try adding Thai sweet basil or mint with or without the cilantro.
• More spice - try a small amount of minced Thai red chile.
• Nuts - replace the crunchy peanuts with either sunflower seeds or pepitas. This is a great option for those with a peanut allergy.
• Red Onions - a small red onion, thinly sliced, adds another flavor dimension
• Avocado - add cubes for a creamy cucumber salad
• Garnish - sprinkle sesame seeds on the finished salad

How to Store

Mix as much dressing and vegetables together as you intend to eat at one meal. Store the remaining dressing and vegetables in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. The dressing will keep about 2 weeks and the vegetables about 3-4 days.

More Asian Recipe Favorites

Baked Honey Garlic Chicken

Baked Asian Salmon

Copycat PF Changs Mongolian Beef

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This post has been updated with step-by-step instructions, new photos, and more helpful information. It was first published on June 24, 2015.