An easy, refreshing low-carb Thai cucumber salad that takes only minutes to prepare. This sugar-free recipe is light, flavorful, and one of my favorites for a quick side dish.
Remember the little cucumber salad some Thai restaurants serve—slightly sweet, tangy, salty, and incredibly refreshing? It’s often loaded with sugar, but its bright flavor makes it irresistible. This is a simple copycat version of that classic Thai cucumber salad, adapted to be sugar-free and low carb.
This isn’t intended as an authentic traditional Thai recipe, but it captures the same balance of flavors in a healthier format. It’s low in carbs, sugar-free, and ready in minutes.
Like many Thai dishes, this cucumber salad varies widely from place to place. Popular variations you might see include:
- cucumbers served floating in the dressing
- mixes of carrots with cucumbers
- cucumber combined with tomato wedges
- differing amounts of cilantro or omitting it entirely
- garnishes of green onion
- a touch of Thai red chiles for heat
- a sprinkle of crushed peanuts for texture
The dressing is light, tangy, and subtly sweet—excellent on cucumbers or on a crisp green salad or slaw. Cucumbers can be spiralized into noodles, thinly sliced into half moons, or quartered. For the photos I used a handheld spiral cutter to make cucumber noodles, but sliced cucumbers work just as well.
I recommend using a good fish sauce for authentic umami; choose one that fits your dietary needs. Toasted sesame oil adds depth; if you need to avoid peanuts, swap crushed peanuts for sesame seeds. If you aren’t following a low-carb diet, a traditional sweetener like sugar or honey can replace the low-carb sweetener to taste.
Low Carb Cucumber Salad (Thai) — about 4 net carbs per generous serving
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Sugar-Free Low Carb Cucumber Salad (Thai) for a Ketogenic Diet
Ingredients
- 16 ounces English cucumber peeled (about 1 large cucumber)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
Dressing
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup low carb powdered sweetener or your preferred sweetener to taste
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or your preferred brand
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ounce crushed peanuts or 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Optional Toppings
- Thai red chiles thinly sliced
- carrots thinly sliced or grated
- purple cabbage thinly sliced for color
Instructions
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Preparation: Peel the cucumber, then spiralize into noodles or slice into ½-inch rounds or quarters. Slice the scallions, chop the cilantro, and prepare any optional toppings. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
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Dressing: Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and stir until the sweetener dissolves. Taste and adjust so the dressing is balanced—sweet, sour, and salty to your preference. Refrigerate until needed.
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Mix: Toss the cucumbers, scallions, and cilantro with the dressing a few minutes before serving. Top with crushed peanuts or sesame seeds and any optional vegetables or chiles.
Notes
Calories from Fat 45