Crunchy Thai Peanut Salad (Printable Version)

A fresh, crunchy Thai-inspired salad with cabbage, carrots, edamame, and tangy peanut dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
02 - 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
03 - 1 cup shredded carrots
04 - 1 cup shelled edamame, cooked and cooled
05 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
06 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
07 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

→ Peanut Dressing

08 - 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
09 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
10 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
12 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
13 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
14 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed to thin dressing

→ Toppings

17 - 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
18 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
19 - Lime wedges, for serving

# Steps to Follow:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded green and purple cabbage, shredded carrots, cooked edamame, thinly sliced red bell pepper, scallions, and chopped cilantro.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce or tamari, rice vinegar, lime juice, maple syrup, toasted sesame oil, grated ginger, and minced garlic. Gradually add water to achieve a pourable consistency.
03 - Pour peanut dressing over the combined vegetables and toss thoroughly to coat evenly.
04 - Transfer salad to a serving platter or individual bowls. Garnish with roasted peanuts, optional toasted sesame seeds, and additional cilantro as desired.
05 - Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for added zest.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together in 20 minutes, which means you can make it on a Tuesday night without ceremony or stress.
  • The dressing is so good you'll find yourself drizzling it on other salads all week.
  • It's the kind of dish that tastes even better the next day when all the flavors get to know each other.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than 15 minutes before serving unless you're okay with softer cabbage—once it sits, it surrenders its crunch slowly and then all at once.
  • The dressing thickens when it gets cold, so if you're making it ahead, you might need to add a splash more water before tossing.
03 -
  • Make extra dressing and keep it in a jar in your refrigerator—you'll find yourself drizzling it on grain bowls, roasted vegetables, and sandwiches all week.
  • If you need to eat this tomorrow, store the vegetables and dressing separately and assemble just before eating, which keeps everything in its prime.
Go Back