This easy Asian Carrot Cucumber Salad is simple to make in 15 minutes and is a great side dish for any meal!
Cucumber salads have always been some of my favorite side dishes. Alain and I have been making different versions for 20+ years: his are more German/Swiss-style cucumber salads, while mine always lean toward Asian-style cucumber salads. No surprise there: he's Swiss-American; I'm Filipino-American.
And after my recent travels to Thailand, I just can't stop recreating all that delicious Thai food I enjoyed in Bangkok and Phuket! This Asian Carrot Cucumber Salad recipe is inspired by the authentic Thai cucumber salad recipe I got to enjoy in Thailand.
Jump to:
🌟 Why this recipe works
This simple salad is one of my favorite easy recipes. If you've had the Chinese cucumber salad Din Tai Fung recipe at the restaurant, this is similar -- but better! I've simplified this crunchy salad recipe even further.
- You just need two main ingredients -- crunchy carrots and crisp cucumber -- plus ingredients to make the sauce.
- It's really a super simple recipe with very simple steps. Anyone can make this!
- This is a great make-ahead salad: simply prep the crunchy veggies and make the sauce, then store each separately in the fridge. Combine when you're ready to serve!
- It's the perfect side dish to complete any meal. Or, enjoy it as a quick, healthy, delicious lunch.
- This is also the perfect summer salad to enjoy on a hot summer day!
🛒 Ingredient notes
Vegetables - This simple salad calls for sliced cucumbers and julienned (or matchstick) carrots. For the cucumbers, I love using English cucumbers since they have fewer seeds and are pretty hearty. But you can use Asian cucumber, baby cucumber -- really, any cucumber will do!
For the carrots, I prefer julienned carrots or matchstick carrots. But you can also shred carrots, use grated carrots -- it's up to you!
Sauce - You'll need soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, vegetable oil, and sesame seeds to make the teriyaki-style salad dressing. If you want, you can also add a splash of fish sauce and/or oyster sauce to add even more depth of flavor.
✅ Step-by-step instructions
The full instructions are in the recipe card below. Here's a quick visual step-by-step of how to make this Asian salad.
- Place the chopped veggies in a large bowl.
- In a separate large bowl or medium bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients.
- Pour the sauce over the vegetables. Serve immediately.
Optional: Season with a little kosher salt. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, chopped fresh cilantro, or more sesame seeds.
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
This salad is best enjoyed soon after it's made. However, you can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to two days. After that, it starts to get soggy from the sauce.
Yes! To make this ahead of time: chop the veggies and store them separately in an airtight container. Then whisk together the sauce ingredients and store separately in another airtight container (I love mason jars for storing sauces). When you are ready to serve the salad, combine everything together in a large bowl.
This is a a great way to enjoy a low carb salad! This recipe has only 8 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
🍽 Serving ideas
This cucumber carrot salad is a flavorful snack on its own. But it's also an amazing side dish that goes well with so many main courses!
It pairs perfectly with Thai food. Try one of these Thai recipes:
- Beef Pad Thai
- Thai Peanut Curry
- Beef Pad See Ew
- Thai Coconut Chicken
- Thai Shrimp Basil
Serve this along with Filipino food such as:
In the mood for Chinese food? Enjoy this salad with these better-than-take-out Chinese recipes:
But don't limit yourself to Asian-inspired meals. This cucumber salad is also delicious served with Spanish recipes, Italian recipes, Japanese recipes, Korean recipes... it's so versatile!
Optional add-ins: red onion, red pepper flakes, green onions, chopped cilantro, chopped fresh mint.
🍷 🥂 Wine pairings
Like many Thai food recipes, this simple side dish pairs beautifully with a bright, crisp, refreshing white wine. Serve this with a dry to off-dry Riesling, a Gewürztraminer, or a Grüner Veltliner. I also enjoy this Asian salad with Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio wines, as well as almost any sparkling wine.
🍳 Kitchen tools and equipment
Ready to make this recipe? You don't need any fancy or specialty kitchen equipment to make this salad. You just need:
- Cutting board and knife to cut the veggies.
- Mixing bowl (any medium-sized bowl will work) and a whisk. Or if you prefer more of a paste, you can blend the sauce ingredients in a food processor.
- Salad bowl for serving.
That's it!
More Asian recipes
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Carrot Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 5 Mini cucumbers (Persian cucumbers), sliced
- 1 cup julienned or matchstick carrots
For the sauce
- 2½ Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large serving bowl, add the cucumber and carrots. Set aside.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients: vegetable oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, sesame seeds, salt, and pepper. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
- Pour the sauce over the cucumber and carrots, then toss with a wooden spoon or tongs to fully coat the vegetables with the sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
Leave a Reply