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Cucumber, Tomato, and Green Bean Salad

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ThaiCucumber Tomato and Green Bean Salad Recipe
Photograph by Dylan + Jeni, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk

This refreshing summer side is a mash-up of two variations of the sour-salty-sweet Thai salad som tam: the most famous version made with shredded green papaya and another Thai favorite version made with cucumbers. This streamlined version skips the traditional process of pounding the ingredients in a clay mortar and wooden pestle; instead, you cut and chop the ingredients more thinly and finely, then use your hand to mix and squeeze them just until lightly wilted—the way this salad is supposed to be. Serve this as part of cookbook author Leela Punyaratabandhu’s summery menu for Grilled Pork Shoulder Steaks With Green Pepper Relish, Khao Niao (Thai Sticky Rice), Cantaloupe with Spicy Bacon-Cashew Crumble, Grilled Scallops With Peach Sweet Chili Sauce, and Lime-Lemongrass Slushies. 

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What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 - 6 Servings

Ingredients

1 lb. Persian or English cucumbers, halved lengthwise, sliced on a steep diagonal ¼" thick
6 oz. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
4 oz. green beans, trimmed, sliced ona steep diagonal into ⅛"-thick strips
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Fresno chile, seeds removed, finely chopped
¾ cup unsalted roasted peanuts, divided
3 Tbsp. (or more) fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. (or more) light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. (or more) fish sauce (such as Megachef, Squid, or Three Crabs)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, garlic, and chile in a large bowl. Finely chop ½ cup peanuts to the size of lentils and add to bowl.

    Step 2

    Whisk lime juice, brown sugar, and fish sauce in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved.

    Step 3

    Pour dressing over vegetables and toss with your hands, gently squeezing as you go, until well coated and vegetables have wilted slightly, about 30 seconds. Taste salad and season with more lime juice, brown sugar, or fish sauce if needed. Salad should be equal parts sour and salty, with sweet close behind.

    Step 4

    Transfer salad to a platter. Coarsely chop remaining ¼ cup peanuts and scatter over salad.

TagsSaladThaiSoutheast AsianAsianCucumberVegetableTomatoGreen BeanBean and LegumeCherry TomatoGrape TomatoPeanutNutFresno ChileChileSummerQuickEasyWeeknight MealsSideDairy FreeGluten FreeDinnerBon Appétit

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