This sliced cucumber and avocado salad uses seedless Kirby cucumbers marinated in a tangy, flavorful lime and rice vinegar dressing. The star is really the crispy shallot peanut topping, which gives the dish a Southeast Asian twist. The whole gluten-free, dairy-free salad takes only 15 minutes and can be made ahead!

sliced fresh cucumber and avocado salad in a bowl with peanut topping and spoon

I’ve always been a vegetable lover, even as a kid. One of my early food memories is of picking fresh cucumbers in my aunt Vivian’s garden during the summer. I’d bring the haul home to my mother and she’d prepare them sliced in a very simple mix of white vinegar, salt and olive oil.

Even though the recipe could not have been simpler, I always inhaled the bowl—to the extent that my mother worried about whether eating 4 cucumbers in one sitting might be a bad idea. Since then I’ve tried many different ways of making cucumber salad with avocado (my second favorite green ingredient) and this version with peanut-lime dressing might be the most addictive yet.

ingredients on a sheet pan - avocado cucumber shallot lime peanuts mint
sliced fresh cucumber in a mixing bowl undressed

In my most recent cookbook CARBIVORE there’s a recipe for Peanut-Lime Slaw that I was surprised became a fan favorite. There’s no picture with the recipe, which usually means nobody makes it. But I think I had people at Peanut-Lime.

The dressing for this sliced cucumber salad, which is a mixture of rice wine vinegar and lime juice, was inspired by this recipe. It has all the brightness and punchy acidity of my favorite Southeast Asian dishes (like Tom Yum Salad). And then the crunch of the peanuts adds a salty bite and bit of texture to the cucumbers, which as they marinate, get softer and less crunchy.

Cucumber Avocado Salad: Step by Step

sliced fresh cucumber in a bowl with hand holding lime
Thinly slice the cucumbers and add the lime, vinegar and salt.
dressed fresh cucumber in a bowl with vinegar
Set aside to marinate while you make the topping.
crispy pan fried shallots for southeast asian dressing
Pan fry the shallots until golden brown and crispy.
peanuts and crispy shallots in a skillet
Stir in the peanuts during the last minute of cooking.
hand adding avocado to cucumber salad
When ready to serve, add the avocado and herbs.
marinated cucumbers and avocado in a bowl
Transfer to a platter and top with the peanut-shallot crunch

In this cucumber avocado salad I went one step further with the addition of fresh mint and crispy shallots (another common topping in Thai and Vietnamese cold salads). They get added on top of the marinated sliced cucumber and avocado, and then flavor the dressing even further.

You can use any herbs you like if mint isn’t your thing—cilantro and Thai (or regular) basil work well. A tablespoon or two of fish sauce would also be a welcome addition if you want it to taste more like an authentic Southeast Asian dish. I kept my version vegetarian in addition to gluten-free and dairy-free.

spoon holding peanut shallot topping over cucumber avocado salad
overhead of the best cucumber salad in a bowl with spoon
platter of cucumber avocado salad with peanut lime vinegar dressing

Finally, to make your picnic or BBQ prep easy, the cucumbers can be pre-dressed earlier in the day. And the peanut shallot topping can be made at least a day ahead. Just add the avocado and mint when you’re ready to serve and assemble.

Read on for what is truly the best cucumber avocado salad! And if you need another accompaniment for your BBQ, try this crispy tofu salad with lemon poppy dressing.

With health and hedonism,

Phoebe

bowl of cucumber and avocado salad with a spoon

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Cucumber Avocado Salad with Peanut Lime Dressing

This sliced cucumber and avocado salad uses seedless Kirby cucumbers marinated in a tangy, flavorful lime and rice vinegar dressing. The star is really the crispy shallot peanut topping, which gives the dish a Southeast Asian twist. The whole gluten-free dairy-free salad takes only 15 minutes and can be made ahead!

Optional additions include chili flakes (or other pepper for spice!), cilantro or Thai basil and a tablespoon or two of fish sauce if you want it to taste more like an authentic Southeast Asian dish. I kept this dish vegetarian in addition to gluten-free and dairy-free.

Course Salad
Cuisine American
Diet Diabetic, Gluten Free, Kosher, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword dairy-free
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 4
Author Phoebe Lapine

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Persian Kirby or Chinese cucumbers
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice from 1 to 2 limes
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 4 shallots thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup peanuts roughly chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes optional
  • ¼ cup olive oil or avocado oil
  • 2 avocados diced
  • 1/4 cup roughly chopped mint leaves

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, toss the cucumbers with the lime juice, vinegar and sea salt. Allow to sit at room temperature, tossing every 5 minutes or so, until you’ve finished the other elements. Alternatively, the cucumber salad can be made up to 8 hours in advance and kept in the fridge.
  • In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots in an even layer and pan-fry until golden brown, redistributing occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes. During the last minute, stir in the peanuts and red chili flakes, if using. Remove the peanut shallot crunch to a bowl and season lightly with salt.
  • When you’re ready to serve, add the avocado and mint to the mixing bowl with the cucumbers and toss to combine. Transfer the cucumber avocado salad to a serving platter or bowl and top with the peanut-shallot crunch.

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