Name: Crunchy Thai Salad Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter; 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar; 2 Tbsp avocado oil (or olive oil); 2 Tbsp honey; 2 Tbsp rice vinegar; 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice; 1 Tbsp soy sauce; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp grated fresh ginger; 3/4 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves; 16 oz bag coleslaw mix with carrots (the kind without dressing); 1/2 cup grated carrots (1 large carrot); 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin bite sized strips; 2 cups sliced & halved English cucumber (1 large cucumber); 2 green onions, sliced; 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (loosely packed); 1/3 cup roasted salted peanuts (for garnish)

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This crunchy Thai salad recipe is packed with healthy veggies, and the delicious peanut dressing takes it to the next level. Every bite is absolutely bursting with flavor and texture!

It starts with a crispy coleslaw mix, so it’s quick to toss together. Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients in the dressing, it really is super easy!

crunchy thai salad recipe with a bowl of peanut dressing in the background

This recipe is inspired by the Thai salad recipe I found in Once Upon a Chef Cookbook. Jennifer says it’s a copycat of the salad at California Pizza Kitchen, but I’ve never tried it there, so I don’t know how close it is.

I do know that it’s an amazing salad with so much flavor! I served it for a ladies’ book club, and it was a hit with everyone.

I’ve made it three more times since then, so I guess you could say that I’m obsessed with it. The variety of crunchy vegetables makes it so colorful, and of course it’s packed with nutrients.

Don’t even get me started on the dressing. I LOVE peanut butter, so it’s my new favorite. So, so good! I’ve been know to eat the whole thing myself over the course of a few days.

How to make Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing

PREP – Wash all the vegetables. Chop the cilantro, red pepper, cucumbers, and green onion. Grate the carrots and ginger. Juice the lime. Mince the cloves.
CREAMY PEANUT DRESSING – Whisk together the peanut butter, sugar, oil, honey, rice vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, red pepper flakes, and chopped cilantro. Chill until ready to serve. It can be made a day or two ahead of time.
SALAD – Dump the bag of coleslaw into a large serving bowl. Add the rest of the vegetables and toss together with salad tongs.
SERVE – You can either stir in the dressing and peanuts, but I prefer to let people add their own dressing so everyone gets the amount they like.

peanut dressing being poured over crunchy thai salad

Leftover salad can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days. The cucumbers tend to make the salad get soggy, so if you remove and store them separately, it will last up to 5 days.

You can store the dressing in the refrigerator for up to two weeks in an airtight container. I like to use a mason jar with a plastic lid.

What vegetables are in a Thai salad?

Thai salad usually starts with shredded cabbage or other greens. Cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, snap peas, and radishes are also commonly used. But like most salad, you can customize it to your own needs!

Unique vegetables like jicama, fresh bean sprouts, and kohlrabi, can be added for interest. Don’t be afraid to get creative.

PRO TIPS & VARIATIONS:

Make sure you remove the cilantro stems, especially for the dressing.
Instead of coleslaw mix, you can use 7-8 cups of shredded green cabbage. You could also use all or part mixed greens.
Fish sauce added to the dressing adds even more delicious Asian flavor.
Feel free to add additional veggies like bean sprouts, red cabbage, red onion, sugar snap peas, radishes, or edamame.
For even more crunch, you can add sesame seeds, fried rice noodles, or crunchy wonton strips.
To make it more filling, add your favorite protein. I’ve tried it with shredded rotisserie chicken, but steak strips would also be a tasty option.

MORE SALAD RECIPES:

Yield: 6 servings

Crunchy Thai Salad Recipe

Colorful, crunchy cabbage salad topped with an out of this world peanut butter dressing. Perfect for lunch or dinner!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

Dressing ingredients:

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp avocado oil (or olive oil)
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Salad ingredients:

16 oz bag coleslaw mix with carrots (the kind without dressing)
1/2 cup grated carrots (1 large carrot)
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin bite sized strips
2 cups sliced & halved English cucumber (1 large cucumber)
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (loosely packed)
1/3 cup roasted salted peanuts (for garnish)

Instructions

For the dressing, juice the lime, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and chop the cilantro. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Chill until ready to serve.
For the salad, wash all of the vegetables. Grate the carrot and chop the pepper, cucumber, green onions, and cilantro.
Pour the coleslaw mix into a large bowl. Add the grated carrot, sliced pepper, cucumber, green onions, and cilantro. Toss until well combined.
I like to let people add their own dressing and peanuts, but you can toss everything together right before serving if you prefer.

Notes

-You can store the salad in the refrigerator for a couple of days, longer if you store the cucumbers in a separate container. If you have already mixed in the dressing, it's best eaten the same day.
-Dressing can be stored for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. It does thicken as it chills, so let it sit at room temp for a few minutes and give it a good whisk before serving.

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Crunchy Thai Salad Recipe with Peanut Dressing