Cooling Cucumber and Pineapple Herb Salad with Lime-Peanut Crunch

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 4 min

Additional 15 min

Total 34 min

Ingredients

1 large English cucumber (about 1 lb / 450 g), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups (225 g) fresh pineapple, small dice
1 small carrot (about 2 1/2 oz / 70 g), peeled into thin ribbons
6 radishes, thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup loosely packed mixed herbs (cilantro, mint, Thai basil), torn
1/3 cup (45 g) roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lime juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) fish sauce (or soy sauce for a vegetarian option)
1 1/2 tsp (7 ml) honey
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil
1 tsp finely grated lime zest
1 small red chili (Thai bird or Fresno), thinly sliced, or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. If your peanuts are raw, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly golden, 3–4 minutes, then cool. If already roasted, skip to the next step.
2. Whisk the dressing: in a small bowl combine lime juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce, honey, neutral oil, lime zest, and chili. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine cucumber, pineapple, carrot ribbons, radishes, and scallions.
4. Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Add the torn herbs and most of the peanuts and toss again.
5. Taste and adjust with more lime juice or a pinch of salt if needed. Scatter remaining peanuts on top and serve immediately (or chill 10–15 minutes for extra crispness).