An easy and refreshing low carb cucumber salad (Thai) that takes mere minutes to prepare. This low carb recipe is sugar-free and one of my favorites.
You know that delicious little cucumber salad you get at the Thai restaurant? The one that’s a little sweet, a little tart, a little salty, and oh so refreshing? The one you know is full of sugar but you eat anyway because it’s just so darn good? Yeah, THAT one!
Well, I have a great copy-cat recipe for that yummy Thai low carb cucumber salad and it’s so darn easy you won’t believe it.
I’m not claiming that this is an authentic Thai recipe for sweet and sour cucumber salad, but it’s super tasty and very healthy. It’s also low carb and sugar free!
Like Thai coconut chicken soup (Tom Kha Gai), this low carb cucumber salad is a recipe that can vary as much as the individuals who make it, and I’ve found that no two restaurants serve it the same way. Here are some of the variations I have seen while eating out…
- cucumbers served floating in the dressing
- carrots and cucumbers together in the salad
- cucumbers and tomato wedges
- cilantro or no cilantro in the sauce
- garnished with green onions
- garnished with Thai red chiles
- garnished with peanuts
The dressing is light and tangy-sweet. It’s just as good on a crisp, green salad or angel slaw as it is with the cucumbers. The cucumbers can be spiralized into noodles or simply sliced and cut into half moons or quarters. I used my hand held spiral cutter for the cucumber noodles pictured, but also have tri-blade Spiralizer which I use more often because I can get different sized noodles and ribbons.
I use Red Boat Fish Sauce because it is gluten-free and produced in small batches using traditional methods — it’s also my favorite. Three Crabs brand is also a good fish sauce but I don’t know if it is gluten-free. In a pinch, the Thai Kitchen fish sauce from the grocery store (in the Asian section) is fine and is available in a much smaller bottle.
You can find toasted sesame oil in the Asian section of the grocery store or at Trader Joe’s. If you are allergic to peanuts or don’t eat them, substitute toasted or black sesame seeds. If you aren’t following a low carb diet, you can replace the low carb sweetener with sugar or honey to taste.
Low Carb Cucumber Salad (Thai) is 4 net carbs per generous serving!
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- 16 ounces English cucumber peeled (about 1 large cucumber)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup Sukrin Melis (Sukrin Icing Sugar or Swerve Confectioners) or your favorite sweetener to taste
- 1 tablespoon Red Boat Fish Sauce, or your favorite
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 ounce crushed peanuts or 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Thai red chiles thinly sliced
- carrots thinly sliced or grated
- purple cabbage thinly sliced for color
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Preparation: Peel the cucumber and spiralize into noodles or slice and cut into 1/2 rounds or quarters. Slice the scallion, chop the cilantro, and slice any of the additional toppings if using. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
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Dressing: Add all of the ingredients for the dressing to a small bowl and stir to dissolve the sweetener. Taste. It should be sweet, sour, and salty and balanced to your taste buds. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
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Mix: Assemble the salad just a few minutes before serving by tossing the ingredients with the dressing.
I made this wonderful salad 3 days ago, used chopped no salt dry roasted peanuts. 2 year old grand daughter finished off the cucumbers, had to add more lol. It is wonderful the next day, The carrots softened up, I added hot sauce for hubby the day after, he loved it!!!!
I like how you tweaked the recipe, Rosalie. I’ll have to try it with hot sauce or at least red pepper flakes! So happy your 2 year old granddaughter liked the cukes! Thanks for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed the recipe. Have a great weekend. -Kim
I love this at Thai restaurants. Can’t wait to try.
Hi Kim. Just wanted to let you know, my family LOVES this recipe. I am required by my DH to keep this in the fridge at all times. LOL. Perfect mix if salty, sweet and Asian inspiration. I have actually used this dressing mix with MCT to make a regular salad dressing. Thank you so much for sharing.
Yay! Jody, thanks so much for letting me know! I think you’re the first person who has left feedback on this recipe. This salad is so refreshing and I’m thrilled that your family loves it. I like how you made it into a salad dressing. I’ll have to try that. Thanks for the idea, comment and kind words. Have a great day! -Kim
This looks very refreshing! Love that you’ve made it without sugar! 🙂 I have a lot of cucumbers in the garden….will need to give this a try!
Thanks Kathy! I bet your garden is just beautiful. Have a nice week. -Kim
Ahh, this looks like a real refreshing summer salad- and the spiralized cucumber noodles looks like a novel idea- I’ve seen zucchini noodles before, but not cucmber noodles!
Thanks so much Fran! -Kim