This salad is one of the very first recipes I ever posted on Budget Bytes. Like, way back when I was still taking photos with my pre-smart-phone era phone. Yikes! Because this Sesame Cucumber Salad is still one of my favorite dishes and my favorite way to use up all those delicious and inexpensive summer cucumbers, I had to repost it and give it the proper attention it needs. So, if this Sesame Cucumber recipe is new to you, I hope it becomes one of your go-to fav’s as it has for me. It will serve you well!
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Do I Have to Use Rice Vinegar?
I strongly urge you not to substitute the rice vinegar in this recipe. Rice vinegar has a uniquely mild flavor and acidity that is just perfect for this recipe. While people have substituted the rice vinegar with white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, I find them both a bit too strong for this recipe. Also, be mindful not to use “seasoned” rice vinegar, which has other ingredients added and tastes quite different.
Where Do You Find Rice Vinegar?
Rice vinegar is fairly inexpensive, can be found in the Asian section of most major grocery stores, and will stay good in your pantry for just about forever. If you make Budget Bytes recipes on the regular, I promise it will get used again! In fact, here is a direct link to all the recipes on my website that use Rice Vinegar.
What is Toasted Sesame Oil?
The other key ingredient in this cucumber salad is toasted sesame oil. Unlike regular sesame oil, toasted sesame oil has a very strong nutty flavor and a little bit can really add a LOT of flavor to any dish. You can find toasted sesame oil in the international aisle of most major grocery stores, or Asian grocery stores. It may not say “toasted” on the label, but you’ll know it is toasted by the deep walnut color. Untoasted sesame oil is a light straw color, like canola oil.
How Long Does This Salad Last?
This salad does get kind of limp in the refrigerator fairly quickly, but it’s still insanely good once the cucumbers soften. They’re almost like pickled cucumber slices at that point. They’ve been marinating in the spicy-sweet vinegar solution and are just totally delicious! I enjoy this salad for about 2-3 days after making it (if I don’t eat it all sooner). If you like your cucumbers to stay crunchy, try cutting them into chunks instead of thin slices.
What To Serve with Sesame Cucumber Salad
This super fresh side dish goes with so many main dishes. Here are a few ideas: Easy Orange Chicken, Teriyaki Meatball Bowls or Teriyaki Chicken, One Pot Teriyaki Chicken and Rice, Sesame Chicken, or Honey Garlic Chicken.
Sesame Cucumber Salad
Servings 6Ingredients
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar ($0.70)
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 2 large cucumbers ($1.38)
- 3 green onions ($0.13)
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts ($0.12)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, crushed red pepper, and salt. Set the dressing aside.
- Peel and slice the cucumber using your favorite method (see photos below for my technique). Place the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl.
- Chop the peanuts into smaller pieces. Slice the green onions.
- Add the peanuts, green onions, and dressing to the sliced cucumbers. Stir to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat. Give the salad a brief stir before serving to redistribute the dressing and flavors.
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Nutrition
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Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Sesame Cucumber Salad – Step by Step Photos
Start by making the dressing. In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 cup rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp salt. Set the dressing aside.
Here is the toasted sesame oil and rice vinegar that I used. The sesame oil is from Aldi and the rice vinegar is from Kroger.
Peel and slice two large cucumbers however you like. I like to remove strips of the peel to create a cool striped effect once they’re sliced. If you don’t like cucumber seeds, you can slice the cucumber lengthwise before slicing into rounds and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds in the center.
I prefer thin slices so that there is more surface area to come into contact with the dressing. The thinner slices will become soft and wobbly after storing them in the dressing, but I kind of like that, too. If you prefer them to stay crunchy longer, you’ll want to do thicker slices.
Roughly chop 1/4 cup peanuts and slice 3 green onions.
Place the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl, add the sliced green onion and chopped peanuts, then pour the dressing over top.
Finally, stir it all up and you’re ready to eat! Serve it immediately or refrigerate for later.
The flavors do get really good as it sits in the fridge, although the cucumbers get softer (some people don’t like that–I kind of do!). Either way, this Thai Cucumber Salad is super refreshing and delicious. It always has been and always will be my favorite!
Any suggestions for replacing the red pepper flakes? I avoid hot seasonings.
Thanks.
This was exactly what I was looking for in a cucumber salad.. perfect!
I added the peanuts just before serving to keep the crunch.. served with bok choi fried in a little olive oil, then added oyster sauce. Also served with dumplings (Laoban ‘Ginger Chicken Dumplings’). These dumplings take 10 minutes (frozen).. I will be making this cucumber salad again, as it was delicious!
This is an *awesome* potluck dish – it’s light and fresh, with tons of visual interest (I love peeling my cucumbers in stripes, too), and friendly to a wide range of dietary needs! I just packed the dressing and peanuts separately, each in their own container. (That being said, I’ve also happily noshed on it a couple of days after the fact, when it’s had a chance to absorb the dressing. The flavors really do merge beautifully!)
Such a good recipe. Bright, refreshing salad with a zing. So healthy and light too. I add cooked shrimp to make it a high protein meal.
Made these and they are great. I put everything in a zip top bag and got out all the air when closing. This allows everything to full marinate. They get better the longer they marinate. Going to have to try with some other veggies.
We love it! Easy, fresh, delicious and low calorie:) Thanks for the recipe.
This was okay. I made two batches and the second batch I chopped up the cucumbers into quarters and added more red pepper flakes and sesame oil. Would make again with my modifications but it’s not something I’m dying to bring to the potluck… and I LOVE cucumbers
Love! I’ve made this multiple times now. Love it!
soo good! made exactly as written
Easy, crunchy, salty-sweet with a tiny kick — perfect. (I add extra sesame oil because I love the stuff) Thank you!
Is this the same as or similar to the Cold Cucumber Soba Salad back from around 2016? It looks fairly similar but the bookmark I have doesn’t work anymore :(
No, that’s a different one, but I will email you a pdf of that recipe. :)
I’ve been trying recipes from budget bytes for YEARS and they’re always amazing! I love how simple this recipe is, and I agree that I like it better after it has sat for a bit.
Gets finished in one meal; no leftovers. We love it.
Delicious and so fast for a big flavor burst. Will make again!
I’m so ready to try just about all these recipes. Just give me time. LOL
I made this recipe for dinner tonight and tomorrow,and it’s delicious. I could eat the whole bowl.
Thank you for this quick pickle recipe, Beth!
I make this salad with Persian cucumbers slices cut
1/4-1/2 inch thick. I skip the peanuts and green onions and just add more cucumber slices to marinate. They stay crispy in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. My family enjoys these cukes with your bibimbap beef bowls recipe, in salads, or as a crunchy fresh side dish to grilled meats.
So healthy, delicious, and quick to make!
This looks delicious. I’ll have to try it out. I love cucumbers.
Just made this and it is spectacular!
Has anyone made this without the sugar or with less sugar? Curious how it would turn out as I prefer to stay away from added sugars when possible.
I made black bean noodles/jjajangmyeon and used this cucumber salad as a topping for it, it was amazing!! Perfect pairing. I make this salad all the time just as a snack, thank you :))
Any thoughts on a substitute for the peanuts? One in our family has a peanut/tree nut allergy.
I’d probably just add in a bunch of sesame seeds. :) You won’t get as much crunch, but you’ll still get some great texture and a nutty flavor.
Two weeks ago I took a break from my work and went online to relax and browse the net. I found this interesting BudgetBytes.com site and scrolled the recipes. I saw so many I knew I’d be trying, including this one. I had to get back to work but my mind kept thinking about this cucumber salad recipe! For several days I planned to make it for myself because I had all the ingredients! Uh-oh…I forgot where I saw it! I searched all over…did I save it? No. Did I join the site? No. Ok, I’ll look through my browser pages, I know I didn’t delete it! Oh, wow! I have 378 open windows! Hahaha! I had to open almost every page and at around the 243rd window SUCCESS! I found it!
As soon as I saw this Asian Cucumber Salad recipe again, I knew I would love it! It looked so easy to make, I could take it to potlucks (no Mayo) and with those exciting flavors, I definitely knew everyone would rave about it! I love it when I’m right!
Well I made it earlier (with no changes) this evening to go along with a stir fry I made yesterday. I couldn’t stop eating it! Haha!! It’s perfection!
I put away the cold stir fry and finished my bowl of Asian Cucumber Salad. I didn’t feel too bad eating this as my main dish…my only dish because I cut the recipe in half for today cuz I just had 2 Persian cukes. Mmmm! It’s 5 1/2 hours later and I’m still thinking about it! I still feel full and satisfied! Oh Lordy, I’m going to make it again in 2 days when my cousin comes over. Oh, I can’t wait to make a full batch! What will I serve with this? I’m treating it like it’s my main dish…so what meat side dish do I make? Another veggie too? Oh boy, its almost 1:00am, I need to get to bed! I’ll be dreaming of this Asian Cuke Salad for sure. Darn, I have to brush my teeth! I’ll just sit here for a few more minutes. Thank you, thank you for including this recipe!
Good tasting, light side dish. Too much liquid though.
I was looking for a simple salad to accompany a Thai dish, and this was perfect. Thank you! Not only refreshing in the summer but also in the winter when you’re craving a good salad. I used an English cucumber which usually equates two regular cucumbers and also has a thinner skin which is nice when not peeling. Thank you for the recipe; it’s definitely a keeper!
Sorry, meant to give it 5 stars.
Tastes just like what you would get at a Japanese restuarant. Anytime my cucumber are about to go bad I make this. Just simply perfect!
Great flavor and kept well in the fridge for a few days. Felt like there was too much liquid to cucumber ratio though so I’ll double the amount of cucumbers next time.
I put more sugar- equal to the amount of rice vinegar. I like sweet too.
I’ve made this twice in one week! The whole family loves it!
I made this for the first time today and it is very good! I felt the dressing needed a bit more oomph, so I added a pinch of powdered ginger. The powdered ginger added a nice pop of flavor.
I have made this many, many times over the past year or so. This dish is amazing! My boyfriend said last night that it’s one of his favorite things I make. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!!
I’ve made this twice. The first time I left the heat out of it to make it kid friendly. It was pretty good. The second time I made it as written. Omg. I wanted to bathe in this dressing. IT. WAS. SO. GOOD.
This recipe is pretty good, but do you have any recommendations to dial back the sour acidity of the rice vinegar? Or to emphasize the sweet? My household doesn’t do sour very well and the rice vinegar was overpowering for us and made it difficult to eat the quantities that I made.
use the seasoned rice vinegar; mild and sweet
So good! Great way to use up excess garden cucumbers!
I’m assuming tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Is that correct>
Yes you are correct.
Excellent recipe! I liked the sesame oil a lot. The peanuts gave it a nice crunch. I will definitely make this again.
I first had this salad at a little hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant, and I immediately went to find a similar recipe so I could eat it whenever I wanted, not just when we had the money to eat out.
I use a single English cucumber (very little seeds/guts, but always cost a bit more even in summer), red onion instead of green, sliced very thin and quartered. I also add a bit (okay, a lot) of chopped fresh cilantro to brighten it up even further. Not recommended if you hate cilantro, of course ;) I also use half cayenne pepper, half crushed red pepper flakes for a bit of extra kick in the dressing.
I also keep the dressing separate until I’m ready to eat, because I’m one of those people who prefers a crisp, crunchy salad. Dump it on to taste just before serving- the flavors of the dressing will meld nicely in the fridge, just make sure to shake it well before serving lest the ingredients separate and your first bowl is nothing but sesame oil and pepper flakes, the last purely rice vinegar and sugar.
I love this recipe, and have adapted it to fit my personal tastes. I very much recommend it and have already shared with several friends and family members, none of whom have a single bad thing to say about the ease of preparation or the flavor. 5/5, highly recommend.
Will definitely be making this! If anyone likes spicy I highly recommend Korean Oi Muchim – it’s a spicy cold cucumber salad similar to this.
Oooooh! We have cucumbers growing in the back yard. We’ll have to try this then. Also, I see that Aldi has toasted sesame oil. We still have some ordinary sesame oil to use up. I’m looking forward to buying the toasted sesame oil when it’s gone.
Ordinary sesame oil and toasted sesame oil are VERY different things–which Beth explained above. The toasted oil is more of a condiment, and often sprinkled sparingly on Asian dishes, like noodles or soups, for a boost of roasted sesame flavor at the end of cooking as heat destroys its flavor. The ordinary sort is nice for salad dressings or frying, but bland flavored. I can’t think of a single recipe where I would substitute one for the other
This is a staple at my house. I make it on purpose (bibimbap, gojuchang mushrooms), or as a side for just about any asian-inspired meals, and just because. Love it.
Sub Thai chili oil a few drops in place of the red pepper flakes to kick up the heat yum! Went great with enchiladas!
I’m guessing the peanuts should be unsalted but I only have salted. Should I leave out the added salt?
Yes you can.
Great recipe! I only difference I made was cut the cucumber a little thicker and added fresh chopped Thai chili pepper.
Wow, this sounds like a great version! I lived in San Francisco from 2000-2014. It was there that I first sampled Thai food, fell in love with it and ate it a lot! I liked it so much that I learned to make a few of my families favorites. Thanks for sharing! I look forward to trying this recipe!
This recipe is on point! Thanks so much. It’s my favorite!! I swapped the green onion for red; mostly for the color contrast.
Agree about the red onions, I think it gives it a little more kick and flavor as well and just looking pretty (plus my husband isn’t a fan of green onions lol). I use about a quarter of a large one, very thinly sliced and quartered.
This is one of my favorites! It’s especially delicious in the summer when cucumbers are everywhere. People will love it at a potluck because it is something different.
I absolutely love this salad. It’s a keeper for me. Thank you.
You’re so welcome Catalina!
This evening, I made the Thai Cucumber Salad for dinner. So delicious. This will be a new favorite salad for me.
Happy to hear it Glenda!
This is THE BEST!! Served it along with yellow curry chicken. My friend love it too. We were happy campers. The perfect meal. Thanks for sharing.
Oh that’s a great pairing! I’ll have to try that Cindy.
Amazing! This is delicious! I subbed in an equal amount of Splenda for the sugar (I have to watch my sugar) and it was still totally awesome! Thank you!
Happy to hear it Norah!
I have not made this yet however i plan to this weekend! I only have sesame oil in my pantry. I was wondering if i should go out and look for TOASTED sesame oil or do you ‘toast” the oil yourself? Or can i just use as is?
Personally, I would go out and try to get the toasted sesame oil. It has a really strong nutty flavor that makes a big difference in this dish. Untoasted sesame oil (which has a light, straw color) has a very mild sesame flavor and won’t give you that flavor punch that toasted sesame oil does. :)
Oh my word!! This is the best cucumber salad I’ve ever had!! My family ate it all, then went and bought more cucumbers and demanded I go back in the kitchen!!
That’s a good sign! Thanks Cyn!
This salad is absolutely amazing. SOooooo delicious. Followed the directions exactly. Will definitely make again.
Thanks Catalina!
Wow – this is absolutely delicious! Didn’t have peanuts so used cashews. I will be making this again and again and again! So simple, thank you for the recipe!
That’s a great swap! Glad you liked it!
Very good as is! I did add a few drops of fish sauce, a few drops of lime, and some chopped coriander to try and push the Thai flavours a bit. Make in the morning and you’ve also got a great refreshing snack to help get you through these scorching summer days.
We have a bumper crop of cucumbers so experimenting with recipes and this has been the best! Total keeper! And after reading the other reviews I feel comfortable adding some protein like shrimp or thin sliced beef. Yummm! Thank you!
Great recipe. I used brown sugar instead of granulated, and didn’t have green onions so used thinly sliced sweet onions instead. So delicious. Thanks for this recipe!
can you make this without sugar?
I don’t suggest it. The sugar is important for balancing the flavors.
Try a sugar free sweetener like Monkfruit or whatever your preference is. Just remember to adjust your amount with ratios. Kari
This is so good! Do you have any recommendations of protein to add or recipes to combine this with to make it into a fuller meal for a lunch?
I think it would be great with Sticky Soy Ginger Glazed Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Orange Chicken, Sesame Tempeh, or Sushi Bowls with Sriracha Mayo. :)
We always use this recipe along chicken satay or pad Thai.
Oh yes great pairings!
Wow! This is so tasty and refreshing. It’s going to be my go to salad for Summer. I changed nothing and it’s wonderful. My daughter added more red pepper flakes to hers which brings the heat, but the recipe is well balanced on it’s own.
Just wanted to let you know that https://www.salonfood.com/thai-cucumber-salad/ has posted your recipe with screenshots from your website (the links aren’t clickable so I’m assuming that’s what they’ve done). They did write “source: budgetbytes.com” at the bottom but it doesn’t look like a legit sharing of your work. I came to their site via an image on Pinterest.
Thank you!
Delicious! I also halved the sugar and it was perfect.
I want to eat this all summer long. This is insanely good. I think you can adjust the sugar to your liking, but THANK YOU BETH for this recipe. Can’t believe I am just discovering it now. If you don’t already love cucumbers, this will make you a believer.
So good! I cut the sugar by 1/2 T, used 2 green onions, and added some chopped fresh mint.
I added dill, feta and tomatoes because I was envisioning two different salads and thought what the heck. It came out great!
So good! And a perfect snack!
If I am making this the night before a work luncheon, do you recommend not mixing it u til the morning or will it hold okay overnight? Thank you!
It will definitely get juicier overnight, so I would probably just slice the vegetables and leave the dressing separate, then combine then before the luncheon.
I made this salad for a luncheon featuring Thai food and it was delicious and well received by everyone. I went to Asian market looking for “toasted” sesame oil and even though they must have had at least a dozen brands none of them said toasted so I just used regular and it worked out fine. I had to make the salad almost.3 hours early because the luncheon was an hour away and it did get watered down. Not sure how to resolve this in the future but will research it because I will be making it for my family who all love cucumbers. Loved it ( before it got watered down.)
What I’ve found that helps with the excess water release of the cucumber is to salt the cucumber prior to mixing and then to pat them dry with paper towels prior to mixing. It sweats the cucumbers and makes the finishing salad or leftover salad much less watery.
I would like to try this salad can i use regular vinegar.
I think you might mean white vinegar when you say “regular”, and if so, white vinegar is MUCH stronger than rice vinegar, so it will definitely change the flavor. I suggest getting rice vinegar if at all possible.
This was absolutely delicious! Made it as a side to Thai lettuce wraps and coconut rice. Thanks for a great recipe!
“chopped peanuts”…roasted peanuts, salted peanuts, raw peanuts..what kind of peanuts?
Any of the above. :)
This is so delicious! We have made it with zucchini instead of the cucumber and it was just as good. Thanks for such a great recipe!
So fresh and yummy. Takes a minute or 2 ti make. I reduced the sugar a little, ans I would use less onion next time. The dressing is light and delicious.
Delicious, simple, and healthy. Substituted stevia for the sugar and added shrimp to make it a main course. Sharing this genius recipe with all my friends!
My family LOVED this. My husband took it to work and one of his coworkers that doesn’t like cucumbers even loved it. Thank you. Your site is one of my favourites.
Just made this and had to sample…yum!
What other oil can i use instead o sesame?
You really need toasted sesame oil for this recipe. It has a unique and robust flavor that is unlike any other variety and it adds a lot to the salad.
This is a delicious dish. It reminds me of my grandmother’s marinated cucumbers, which were just vinegar and sugar. These are a great twist on those. Thanks!
We LOVE this salad! Where could I find the nutritional information for it? Thanks!
If you Google “recipe nutrition calculator” you can find several online calculators that allow you to enter ingredients and get nutritional information. I don’t find these calculators reliable or accurate, which is why I do not provide the information.
OMG I could eat as a meal!!!
Enjoyed this salad. I did omit the peanuts, and forgot the green onion at store so I used a sweet onion, chopped pretty fine. Will definitely make this again. Huge hit with the family!
By any chance, does anyone know the calorie count for this ?
-thank you
This was very delicious, I am using this as a salad dressing, for a diet I am going on. I have one question, is it realistic to double the recipes and use as an everyday dressing with out having to make it everyday? Just to be more efficient
Sure, the dressing itself should hold up just fine in the fridge. :) I think that’s what you meant, right?
Love this. Have eaten many variations. I live in Silicon Valley where we’re blessed with many nationalities and fusuions. I understand the comment about REAL Thai ingredients. I’m going to follow your link. We Americans are very lazy cooks as far as getting fresh ingredients they way other nationalities do. Kudos to the original recipe and all the comments. My iteration, I used chives instead of green onions. Many thanks to all.
Used for a summer baby shower with pad Thai and summer rolls. A very big hit.
Does anyone now the calories on this is and the serving size. Thank you
I am amazed at all of these recipes. I cannot wait to try them! I have made the Pasta with spinach and it was so good I’m making it again tomorrow but the best part is how EASY you make them!!! Thank you 😁
My husband and I love going to a local Thai place and have been looking for a recipe to duplicate their cucumber salad…this recipe goes above and beyond in taste! I dare say it tastes better than the restaurant’s cucumber salad. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! Absolutely loved it! This one is definitely a keeper.
Do you use the whole onion? Or just the green part? Sounds and looks delicious :)
I use mostly just the green, and where it begins to transition from green to white. You can certainly use the white parts if you like a stronger onion flavor. I’ve done it before. :)
Sounds delicious. Do you use salted or unsalted peanuts?
I prefer unsalted for this just so the salt doesn’t overtake the whole dish, but you could definitely use salted in a pinch. :)
More chinese than thai…
Thai very seldom use vinegar as a sour agent (Except when they cook Thai chinese) but use lime/tamarind
Most of Thai salad have garlic and fish sauce in it, absent here. And they will use more fresh chilies than chilies flakes for this salad.
Your recipe is definitively tasty and good but it is NOT Thai (misleading title).
You can check https://youtu.be/W1Vn5-Hl4fo if you want to see what a real Thai cucumber salad is.
It may sound negative but I am just voicing the truth. As I have mentioned, still a great recipe (but more chinese).
Great recipe – fast, easy, tasty. Will definitely make this again.
I haven’t reviewed this yet!?!? I am back again to make my weekly batch of this salad, and it’s my husband’s turn to make dressing. Sometimes, I make it as is, sometimes no peanuts, sometimes I add 2 carrots sliced. I use either rice vinegar or apple cider to change it up since we eat it so often. This recipe is perfect as is, or you can play with it a bit. Either way, my husband and I get on kicks with this salad, and we eat about 5 cucumbers in a week (between the two of us). Love these cucumbers!
Funny how most of you commented with what you must of thought was a compliment, One Problem… Most of you said how you “CHANGED” this amazing “Recipe”!!!!
Thank you, This was delicious! My family and I enjoyed it for 4 days, and I received a request for more from my daughter and her friends! The way you explain your recipes.. The pictures? The Tips? Step by Step, I found it very helpful! My Family and I are looking forward to trying more of these delicious recipes.. ❤️ 👩🍳 👨🏻🍳 🥒 ❤️
It’s crazy to me that these Women have the Nerve to tell you how good
Love this salad. I think the red pepper flakes can be skipped. It’s good either way.
Wow! I just made a version of this (no peanuts, not enough cukes so added grated carrots) in a BOWL with rice and your slow cooker sesame beef and it was amazing! Loads of flavour and texture. I loved it and my kids hoovered it up too. Friday night saviour – Thank you!
How long does this last in the fridge when mixed with the dressing? And how long does the dressing last on its own if I plan on not dressing the cucumbers until it’s time to eat?
The dressing is good for about 5-7 days on its own. When dressed, the salad just gets softer each day, so how long it lasts really depends on what your tolerance is for that sort of thing. I like it best within 3-4 days.
Stella,
you could try using lime juice instead of vinegar.
Also, I sometimes add a tiny bit of fresh Peppermint and usually omit the peanuts.
Stella,
you could try using lime juice instead of vinegar.
Also, I sometimes add a tiny bit of fresh Peppermint and usually omit the peanuts.
This recipe is amazing. We get a ton of cucumbers in our CSA box, and I made a big batch of this salad this week. It kept well in the fridge and tasted fresh each time.
I used a Tablespoon of Agave instead of the 2 T of sugar and it was perfect, not too sweet.
Delish. Thank you
Quick, easy, refreshing and absolutely delicious!
Thank you for this recipe!!
Salad is very good , but I think I will use a little less sugar to make less sweet.
I just finished making this and I like it. Although, I did replace the sugar with splenda. I will make this again; as I love cucumbers. I wish I had the calories and size of a serving as I am counting calories. Thanks
I added some shredded carrots too. Delicious!
This is the best way I have ever had cucumbers! Thank You.
Superb I like recipe.
This was SO good! I didn’t have green onion, so I added onion powder to the dressing. I also tossed in some shredded carrots for color (because I didn’t have the onions)
Thanks for sharing!
I’m allergic to rice products. So, what is the best alternatives to rice vinager?
Maybe champagne vinegar? You definitely want a vinegar that is very mild for this one. Plain white vinegar is very harsh. You might be able to use it, but you’d probably need to alter the rest of the ingredients to compensate and it’s too difficult to guess at that without testing it.
Made this for dinner tonight and it came out great! Thank you for sharing!
I made this for the Bibimbap recipe and it was delicious with it and by itself.
This is a wonderful recipe! I had to substitute honey for the sugar due to inflammation.
What is “toasted” about the sesame oil?
The oil is pressed from seeds that are toasted first. It gives it a super strong nutty flavor than regular sesame seed oil.
I tried the recipe as-is. And then – referring to the Moosewood Cookbook recipe I normally use for Spicy Cucumber Salad – I tried adding some Black Pepper, Chopped Ginger Root, and 1 Tbs. of Kimlan Soy Sauce, and it was even better! I don’t have Red Pepper Flakes, and instead I used Chili Garlic Paste/Sauce. The salt may not be necessary if you choose to add some Soy Sauce.
Can’t wait to make!
This is DELISH!! An easy way to get your veggies. Thank you for this great recipe.
Amazing!!
Delicious! Definitely a keeper! Thanks
Stellar recipe. Easy, delicious, healthy, cheap! My husband and I make this often as quick side dish. Thank you for everything you do, Beth. Your recipes have carried me since 2010.. through college as a broke kid now into my adulthood married with a job. I always come back. I just can’t quit you! :)
Delicious! Who knew cucumbers could be so good.
I’m glad you gave this recipe another shot on the blog. In life we repeat recipes so why not do it on the blog with either more info or a new twist? One of my friends loves cucumber salad and always orders it whenever we eat out at Thai places. They would love this one!
Harry Bowden
Great flavor, easy recipe. Love it!
Could you sub red onion and cashews?
Red onion would be really good with this. Cashews would be alright, but I like the bold taste of the peanuts better. :)
Had the Thai cucumber salad last night at a friend’s house. YUM! I had three helpings..must make it for our fridge today. We have cucumbers …
Really really good! I spiralized the cucumbers, and added spiralized carrots. I didn’t have peanuts, so I used sesame seeds and it turned out great. super light and delicious.
This was delicious! I didn’t have quite enough rice vinegar so I used what I had and then used a little white wine vinegar. I’ll definitely make again. So tasty and pretty healthy too.
One of my favorite odd combinations of foods is Cucumber and Soy Sauce–sound weird but tastes great. It might be a great riff on this recipe
I happened upon a clearance area with toasted sesame oil after having this recipe on my To Eat list for quite a while. It must have been a sign. I’m devouring this (happily by myself because my family is weird and doesn’t like cucumbers) as I type. It is a little sweet but I like it!
I am gaga over this salad!! I’ve just made it the second time this week and will be making a large batch for a July 4th party this weekend. :-)
OMG!!!!!!!! This is AMAZING!!!!!! Eating it right now and I am soooooo thrilled with how delish this is!!!! Words can’t even describe how yum this is and how well all the flavors come together!!! Love!!!
Enjoy enjoy enjoy!
Fantastic addition to a meal. I used 1 large English cucumber and followed the rest of the recipe. This will be a regular with this years harvest Thank you!
Definitely going to try this this week! Just wanted to say that where I live 2 large cucumbers cost $2 each, this is the sale price! on regular cukes at the regular grocery store. Organic go for $3.49 each. Sometimes I can find 2 for $3 at Superstore, which is amazing here – but still double what you paid!
I was looking for a cuke salad to go with thai chicken, this looks simple and perfect. Thanks!
in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Hi! This looks good.
If you can join a little vinegar and chili more points, it will taste good to the extreme.
Wow! What a great recipe. Easy to source ingredients, quick preparation time, and it tastes great. Thank you!
Delicious and very refreshing in this summer heat! I left out the sesame oil and peanuts due to dd’s allergies but still so amazing.
Nice recipe but something I do that really elevates this dish is nix the green onion and sugar, substitute Splenda or Agave syrup, toss in some fresh Julienne mint and basil and substitute peanuts for toasted sesame seeds and a dash of lime juice. Yummy.
I just found this recipe and immediately went to the grocery store to buy the ingredients! It was delicious! I just eyeballed the measurements and I also added garlic (which was a little overpowering but I love garlic so it was still great). I was worried that I wouldn’t like the peanuts but I tried it before and after adding them and it’s definitely better with them! The peanuts add a deeper flavor to balance out the acidity of the vinegar. I’ve saved this recipe and will definitely make it again!
This salad recipe looks so yummy that I just had to feature it in my “Sensational Summer Salads” roundup! Come check it out when you have a chance :) xo http://dreamingofleaving.com/2016/05/10/sensational-summer-salads/
Hi! This looks good. I have a question though. In the ingredients list, you list Toasted Sesame Oil but in the pictures you show plain sesame oil. Is the toasted really necessary? It is much more expensive than the regular sesame oil and I’d rather not buy the $10 toasted bottle. Thanks!
Yes, toasted is quite necessary. Even though my bottle doesn’t say “toasted”, that is definitely toasted sesame oil. You can tell the difference by the color. Untoasted sesame oil will be a light color, similar to vegetable or canola oil, while toasted sesame oil is a dark amber color. Toasted sesame oil has a much stronger sesame flavor, which you really need for this recipe. :) If you can find an Asian store, you can probably find a small bottle for less than $10. Even at most larger grocery chains you can get a small bottle for less than $5. While it is much more expensive than plain sesame oil, you only need a very small amount to give a huge flavor boost.
I made this tonight to go along with a vegetable stir fry, and it was delicious! Looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow! :)
I just made this tonight for the first time and it was so amazingly fresh after some exhausting yard work! I know this will be a summer staple at my house :)
I was wondering if maybe some crushed mint would be weird? Just to make it even more refreshing than it already is (and because I’m growing it in my new garden right now and trying to come up with more uses for it haha)
I say go for it! Fresh mint is so incredible. If you want to just test it, try adding a bit to just one bowl first. That way the batch won’t be ruined if you don’t like it. :)
Hello! Was just wondering if anyone has tried this recipe without the sugar? That’s a lot of sugar for a diabetic. I guess it’s too acidy if no sweetener is used?
Yes, you definitely need the sugar to balance the vinegar in the dressing.
Splenda works just as well – or whichever sweetener substitute you use.
I had this by itself, then over cold leftover coconut jasmine rice (also from your recipes). Tropical paradise in your mouth!
Delicious!!!
These pickles are a favorite in my home. I found this recipe a few years back and it’s in the fridge at least once a month. My toddler loves her homemade “chickles”.
Made this to go with the hoisin stir fry bowls. Big hit with the family. So tasty!
Made this as a snack tonight, so simple, so tasty. It will be especially nice on a hot summer night. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
They will love it! It’s so yummy ; ).
This is delicious. My new go-to whenever I have cucumbers. Super easy and with ingredients that I keep on hand (rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, red pepper flakes, peanuts). I didn’t have green onions but around 1/4 of a red onion made a great sub. Thank you, Beth!
Loved this! Super easy snack to make that lasts a whole week after you make it! This really made my afternoons more exciting.
I love cucumber salads. This one is very tasty. I make a Japanese style salad that is similar, but no peanuts. This is better. Yum
I loved this! Can’t wait to make it with yummier cucumbers as they come in-season in the summer. I think this is going to be a great ‘different’ side to bring to summer bbqs
This one sounds amazing. I need to try it. Although I wonder if you need to add something to it, like pasta or rice.
Also I was reading an article about home delivery groceries and that it is cheaper to order home than to buy your groceries in a store. Is this something you know more about?
I would normally serve this as a side to something like grilled meats, sesame chicken, or a stir fry. I don’t know anything about home delivery groceries, but it’s hard to imagine that it would actually be cheaper! I’ll have to see if I can find any info on it.
I order some groceries from walmart.com. In addition to saving the trip it does work out to be cheaper because the website offers larger sizes than are available in the store (so, cheaper price per oz), as well as some items that are not available in store at all (particularly the “natural” versions that I prefer). Shipping is free with a $50 order. Usual items on my list are rice, peanuts, peanut butter, dog treats, mayo, cornmeal, flour, ramen, etc.
Last night when my boyfriend and I decided to make Caribbean fried cod fritters for dinner, I remembered seeing you’d posted this on facebook a few days ago and it sounded like the PERFECT side to a hot, fried summer dinner.
GOSH this was tasty! We had everything on hand except the cucumbers and peanuts. It was a great side dish, but would also make a good snack or light lunch on its own. It’s kept really well in the fridge, so I can see myself making it a lot this summer just so I always have a crisp, cold, delicious snack on hand.
I’ve tossed this with pasta to make a pasta salad.
YUM! This was a hit. I made it with the Thai Pork Salad as well. Just the right amount of heat.
Made this last night with the hoisin sir fry bowls and it was a perfect side for an unexpectedly hot spring evening. I love the sweet and tangy and so so simple.
Outstanding as-is but of course I had to play with the recipe slightly. I doubled the amount of vinaigrette and added a couple teaspoons of “Rooster Sauce” (Huy Fong Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce). I also julienne-cut an orange bell pepper that was starting to go soft just to get rid of it
Good recipe, Beth! This stuff is great anytime but especially good with hot weather approaching.
Have not tried this as yet however, cucumbers are one of our favorites. Going shopping today.
Wow, I got to try this one….I have my own that I do with cucumbers and cherry tomatoes with Italian Dressing.
yes, please!
This looks delicious! I love cucumbers—lots of times I just slice them and eat them! I am so excited to get the garden going and have yummy fresh produce to make this!
I’m wondering if marinating an inch of crushed lemongrass in the dressing would bring the flavor into the salad after it’s removed, just before dressing the salad.
I make a feta-cucumber salad, with cherry tomatoes when I have them. The dressing is just lemon juice, olive oil, and a little bit of salt and pepper. I find simple salads like this are easy ways to get a little more vegetables on the dinner table.
I was looking through some of your older recipes last year and stumbled across this one. Unfortunately, if I make it again, I will need to seek professional help – it’s so addictive!!
Huh, it looks good, but is sesame seed oil really used in Thai cooking? I lived there a few months and don’t remember encountering it.
This is so easy and looks really tasty!
I usually make a cucumber salad with just vinegar and salt. I peel the whole cucumber and cut it into “cubes” (more like triangles),