This is a light and refreshing Thai cucumber and shrimp salad I love to serve as a side to noodles or rice. It’s the perfect balance of spicy and salty!

Thai cucumber salad

Poutine and a smoked meat sandwich on Saturday night (pub food for hockey), and fried zucchini sticks with pasta a la vodka on Sunday at our favorite cozy Italian restaurant made me feel a little thick around the waist by Monday morning.

Luckily, I rarely let myself eat greasy foods for more than two days in a row not only because I don’t like to feel out of shape, but also because my body has come to crave light rather than heavy. It’s the difference between sitting on the couch all day eating Cheetos versus going for a long walk and drinking a cup of tea. I prefer the latter one.

In the previous post, spicy mango apple salad, I mentioned that not all Thai dishes are complicated to make, and this statement holds true for this shrimp and cucumber salad as well. These quick and healthy salads are excellent diet weapons to have in your recipe box because they take little time to make and taste so good. This shrimp and cucumber salad is low in fat and calories and did you know that hot chilis speed up metabolism and burn fat?

The ideal diet weapon!

Ingredient for Thai cucumber salad

Spicy food also makes me feel full faster and gives me loads of energy. There’s nothing better than to walk away from a meal feeling like you have filled your body and mind with good and nutritious foods.

Something happens when you do this on a regular basis; you begin to see food as blocks of yummy vitamins there to fuel and care for your body.

Each ingredient used in a recipe now has a purpose other than just tasting good.

ingredients closeup

Whenever I make this shrimp and cucumber salad I think anti aging (shrimp) and fat burning (chilis), and the fact that I can eat lots of it without worrying too much about calorie intake is always a plus. You can pour this salad over rice and it would be enough to keep you full for a few hours.

This salad can also keep in the fridge overnight, though I would suggest keeping the tomato slices separate from the salad as they will water down the flavors.

This Thai cucumber salad pairs well with a spicy mango apple saladFrench onion soup with miso or a quick omurice (Japanese omelet with fried rice)

tossed salad

Thai cucumber and shrimp salad

id you like this Thai Cucumber and Shrimp Salad Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

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Thai shrimp and cucumber salad

Thai Cucumber and Shrimp Salad

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  • Author: Caroline Phelps
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 3 minutes
  • Total Time: 13 minutes
  • Yield: 2 sides 1x
  • Category: Salads
  • Method: Boiling
  • Cuisine: Thai
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Description

A traditional Thai cucumber and shrimp salad.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 raw jumbo shrimp (peeled, deveined, and cut in half lengthwise)
  • 1 cup cucumber (chopped bite size)
  • 2 shallots (finely sliced)
  • 1 small tomato (chopped bite size)
  • 2 leaves lettuce (shredded by hand (optional))
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

For the dressing:

  • 2 Thai chili
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey

Instructions

  1. Bring a small pot of water to boil and cook the shrimp for 3 minutes.
  2. Drain and pat the shrimp dry with paper towel. Refrigerate to cool.
  3. Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl.
  4. Put all the ingredients for the salad in a bowl, including the shrimp and pour the dressing over.
  5. Toss well and serve cold.

Notes

This salad is best eaten fresh. For storing, refrigerate in an airtight container. It will will keep for 2 days.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 128
  • Sugar: 9 g
  • Sodium: 1510.9 mg
  • Fat: 1.5 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
  • Carbohydrates: 13.6 g
  • Fiber: 2.6 g
  • Protein: 16.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 114 mg
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Caroline Caron Phelps

Meet The Author: Caroline Phelps

Caroline Caron-Phelps is a recipe creator, food blogger, and photographer. She showcases delicious, authentic Asian recipes, especially Japanese, Korean, and Chinese, with beautiful photography, easy-to-follow instructions, videos, and practical recipe variations. Caroline has been featured on Bon Appetit, Shape Magazine, Self, Today Show, and more.

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Questions and Reviews

    1. Thai chilis can be found in specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods (that’s where I get mine). You should be able to find fish sauce at any Asian supermarkets like the Oriental Market -> 3324 Transcontinental Dr
      Metairie, LA 70006