This simple and delicious Vietnamese cucumber salad is one of my favorite sides salads to serve. Its uses a spicy and sour green chili dressing and is loaded with herbs like cilantro and fresh mint.
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I was inspired to create this recipe from a similar dish I had while traveling in Vietnam. At a little restaurant overlooking a beautiful rice patty we were served a simple appetizer of thinly sliced cucumbers with fresh lime wedges and a dipping sauce made of pounded green chili and sea salt. For some reason it was one of the memorable dishes I had on that trip.
Typically I serve this dish as a side salad to add a little texture to a stir fry, such as this Vietnamese ginger chicken or lemongrass fried rice.
Key Ingredients
- Persian Cucumbers (or english cucumbers)
- Green Thai Chili
- Sea Salt
- Lime Juice
- Roasted Peanuts
- Fried Shallots
Full ingredient list below.
In my recipe I use a mortar and pestle to pound the green chili and sea salt into paste. This is a very traditional way of making a paste like this and really does influence the flavor. By hand pounding the chili it releases so much more flavor then mincing.
Variations
I don't find this recipe to be overwhelmingly spicy, however if you really don't like spice you can skip the green chili and use a dressing made of lime, rice vinegar, and fish sauce instead.
Some other recipe variations could include adding red onions, tomato, or lettuce greens. Or even adding some protein like cooked shrimp or fried tofu to make it more of a meal. I prefer to keep it simple though because I usually serve it as a side.
Top Tip
The crunchy elements are super important to this dish. Not only do the cucumbers add crunch but so do the roasted peanuts and fried shallots. In my opinion these make the salad. Some other ways to add crunch to salads are fried lentils, crunchy chow mein, or breadcrumbs.
Other cucumber salads
Looking for some other cucumber salads? Try these,
Recipe
Vietnamese Cucumber Salad with Green Chili Dressing
Nutrition
Ingredients
- 3 Persian cucumbers, (or 1 english cucumber, stripe peeled and thinly sliced)
- ½ cup cilantro, (roughly chopped)
- ½ cup fresh mint, (roughly chopped)
- ½ cup roasted peanuts, (crushed or chopped, plus some for serving)
- 1 Thai green pepper, (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 lime, (juiced)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- fried shallots, (for topping)
Instructions
- In a mortar and pestle, add the Thai pepper and sea salt and smash until a rough paste forms. Or mince very finely on a cutting board and smash with the side of a knife.
- In a large bowl, add the sliced cucumber, cilantro, mint, peanuts, lime, fish sauce, and the green chili paste. Toss until well dressed. Serve with fried shallots and more peanuts.
Video
Notes
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Food Safety
- Cook meat to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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