Thai Cucumber Salad – A Refreshing and Flavorful Side Dish

Bymomma lew
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Crunchy Thai cucumber salad is the perfect balance of crisp, refreshing, and fresh ingredients that will brighten up any meal. 

With crunchy cucumbers, a sweet-tangy dressing, and a hint of spice, it’s a quick and easy salad recipe that pairs beautifully with your favorite Thai dishes or grilled meats. 

This refreshing salad isn’t just delicious—it’s also light, healthy, and so simple to make. 

Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or just need a flavorful way to use up cucumbers, this great side dish recipe is a winner. 

What is Thai salad dressing made of?

The dressing is a perfect blend of bold flavors, made with ingredients like rice wine vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes, balanced with a touch of salt.

Thai Cucumber Salad Ingredients
Print This Recipe Card

Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to suit your taste. For a mild version, use less spice, or skip it altogether.

Thinly slice English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers which have thin skins and fewer, smaller seeds, making them ideal for salads.  If using regular cucumbers, peel and remove the seeds for the best texture.  

Just before serving top the salad with crushed peanuts or cashews to maintain their crunch. The sesame oil brings a rich nuttiness, while the tangy vinegar and hint of spice make it irresistible. 

Allow the cucumbers to marinate in the dressing for at least 15 minutes to absorb all the flavors, and garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro, fresh mint or sliced green onions for a final touch.

Serve chilled for the ultimate refreshing Thai side dish, pairing perfectly with grilled meats, stir-fries, or spicy curries for a complete meal.  

Thai Cucumber Salad

How long does Thai cucumber salad last?

Thai cucumber salad is best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The cucumbers may release extra liquid over time, so you might need to drain them before serving.

Can I add other vegetables to this salad?

Definitely! Thinly sliced carrots, red bell peppers, or shredded cabbage make great additions for added color and crunch.

Thai Cucumber Salad

Amazon Disclosure

[amazon table=”63747″]

If you love refreshing, crisp flavors, be sure to check out our collection summer side dish recipes!

Bowl of Thai cucumber salad with sliced cucumbers, green onions, and red pepper flakes.

Thai Cucumber Salad

Cool, crisp, and full of flavor! This Thai cucumber salad is the refreshing dish you’ve been craving!
4.76 from 29 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Thai
Keyword: thai cucumber salad, Thai cucumber salad recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 3 cups
Author: momma lew

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 large cucumbers peeled and sliced
  • 3 green onions diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Instructions

  • To start, peel and slice your cucumbers long wise.
  • Scoop out of the seeds and then slice the cucumbers.
  • Place the cucumbers in a bowl. 
  • In a small bowl, make your dressing.
  • The Sesame Oil adds so much flavor, even though you just need a little bit.
  • Mix together vinegar, sugar, oil, red pepper flakes and salt.
  • Pour the dressing over the cucumbers.
  • Garnish with sliced green onions and peanuts.
  • Toss everything together.
  • Marinate for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

Video

Reesa Lewandowski is the creator of Momma Lew, a New Jersey-based food blog where she shares easy, family-friendly recipes inspired by everyday life. A mom of two teenagers and a self-taught cook and baker, Reesa has spent over a decade developing simple, approachable meals—from quick weeknight dinners to festive desserts—all tested in her own kitchen. Her recipes focus on comfort food with a modern twist, seasonal favorites, and stress-free baking. Drawing inspiration from her Jersey roots, Reesa’s goal is to help busy families enjoy delicious meals without the fuss.

Similar Posts

173 Comments

    1. I made this….Reminded me of the salad at Japanese restaurant. Very good. Had no peanuts , still amazing.

      Reply
  10. Pingback: Saffron Rd Giveaway - Here We Go Again...Ready?

  16. 5 stars
    The Chicken Pad Thai looks delicious but I’m kind of hesitant on the cucumber salad. It’s beautiful, but cucumbers hate me. I love the way they smell and they’re wonderful in facial products 🙂 Thanks for the recipe, I’ll see if some of my siblings eat cucumbers & then make it for them!

    Reply

  17. Sounds like I would make a pig out of myself! This a a must save recipe for me! This will be awesome this summer when we have plenty of fresh cucumbers!

    Reply

  22. 5 stars
    I was going to say something about so many special items to buy to make this……… SURPRISE out of everything listed the only thing I didn’t have was the ” sesame oil”

    This looks so good and I am going to make it

    Reply

  28. mmm that sounds really good and refreshing. I like new ways to eat cucumbers instead of just dipping them in salad dressing.

    Reply

  32. 4 stars
    First I have to say this recipe looks so good! I’m going to try it for sure. Thanks! I’d like to try the Lemongrass Basil Chicken. That looks tasty as well!

    Reply

  40. What a great meal. I enjoy a refreshing cucumber salad with my meals and this one paired well. I also love a quick healthy meal.

    Reply

  46. I dont think we have that Saffron Road in our local grocery store – but I’ll check next time. However, we do have cucumbers (haha and I am going to make your yummy salad asap!

    Reply

  52. This sounds so delicious – I’m a huge fan of cucumber salad and really crave it sometimes. We make it with lots of vinegar and salt, a little guilty pleasure haha x

    Reply

  62. These Saffron Road dinners look delicious. I love to snack on cucumbers. I will have to give this recipe a try.

    Reply

  63. This Thai Cucumber salad looks so delicious and easy to make. I will have to get the ingredients I need to make some this week.

    Reply

  64. This cucumber salad looks so yummy. I have been trying to find healthy recipes to make. I am going to make this tomorrow.

    Reply

  75. 4 stars
    What a fantastic pairing! I’m not a huge fan of cucumbers but when Thai anything is involved…this may just be my ticket! Thank you!

    Reply

  79. I think this salad sounds delicious! I love the other cucumber salad, but the addition of thai spice and peanuts sound awesome!

    Reply

  83. The salad looks so good and seems simple to make, I hope mine comes out as good as the picture. I will look for the Saffron Road pad thai because my son loves pad thai!

    Reply

  84. I’ve had cucumber salad before when we’ve been out to thai restaurants. Looks super easy to make. I liked it with the spicy peanut dressing we had. Very tasty!

    Reply

  96. I always love going to a good restaurant and getting a cucumber salad. They’re so good and refreshing. I’ve only tried to make my own a few times, so I’m happy to try this!

    Reply

  102. Yummo! The cucumber salad sounds like a most amazing and refreshing side to any of these dishes!! Id love to try the Tikka Masala!!

    Reply

  116. I visited the Saffron Road Food’s website and I would love to try several of the Korean inspired dishes such as the Beef Bulgogi and the Vegetable Bibimbop with Brown Rice.

    Reply

  123. I like trying ethnic foods. I don’t like many fish. I would be willing to try theirs. I would like to try the crispy samosas with vegetables entree.

    Reply

  127. This looks really good. I love cucumbers, especially in the summer. Wonder if it would be okay with almonds or something besides peanuts?

    Reply

  139. 5 stars
    I love Chicken Tikka Masala so I’d love to try their frozen entree of it. Thank you for the delicious recipe for the Thai Cucumber Salad. Yum!

    Reply

  143. The recipe looks easy to follow, and I think I will try it for my family, although I do not personally like cucumbers. 😀

    Reply

  145. I had a similar cucumber salad at the Food and Wine festival at Epcot, but it was Korean and had Korean chili and did not have peanuts. It was so good I made it the next weekend at home and have made it several times since. I am definitely going to try it Thai style next time and add the peanuts.

    Reply

  146. I would love to try the Crispy Samosas with Vegetables! Samosas are one of my favorites and I could eat them every day.

    Reply

  152. 5 stars
    I would definitely would love to try the Thai Cucumber Salad. I think it is a great plate, of which it’s on my menu later in the week.

    Reply
  155. Pingback: Avocado Lime Popsicles - A Grande Life

  156. This sounds great, and I am going to try it. However, your photos clearly do not match your directions. The photos show whole sliced cucumbers without the seeds removed.

    Reply

  157. I scrolled thru at least 30 comments. Not one of you had even tried it. I did and it was amazing. Why comment on a recipe you haven’t tried? I look at comments to see if most people like it, and some changes they thought would help. PLEASE!!!

    Reply

  158. Just made this and even before it’s had a chance to marinate, the cucumber is so yummy! I only had a smidgin of Rice Vinegar left so made up for it with white wine vinegar. I didn’t have green onions so just very thinly sliced a little sweet yellow onion. Also added slivered carrots. I can see how this recipe can be. We versatile.

    Reply

  164. I think side dishes are just as important as the main meal! This side dish is absolutely good for us and very tasty! YUM 😋

    Reply
  167. Pingback: Easy Side Dish Recipes for Quick and Delicious Meals
  168. Pingback: Buffalo Chicken Pasta – Creamy, Cheesy, and Packed with Flavor
  169. Pingback: California Roll Cucumber Salad: An Easy, No-Roll Sushi-Inspired Side

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating