A vibrant, fresh Thai crunch salad with juicy vegetables, fragrant herbs, and a silky peanut-lime dressing. Ready in 25 minutes, it works beautifully as a satisfying lunch or a light supper, and it’s easy to adapt for vegan or gluten-free diets.
Ingredients
For the salad
- Green cabbage — 300 g (10.6 oz), thinly shredded
- Red cabbage — 200 g (7 oz), thinly shredded
- Carrot — 150 g (5.3 oz), cut into matchsticks
- Cucumber — 1, cut into thin half-moons
- Red bell pepper — 1, cut into thin strips
- Edamame, shelled — 150 g (5.3 oz), cooked or thawed
- Green onions — 3, sliced
- Cilantro — 20 g (about 1/2 cup leaves), roughly chopped
- Mint — 10 g (about 1/4 cup leaves), roughly chopped
- Roasted unsalted peanuts — 60 g (2.1 oz), roughly chopped
- Sesame seeds — 1 tbsp, for serving (optional)
- Crispy noodles or rice crackers — 40 g (1.4 oz) (optional)
For the peanut dressing
- Peanut butter — 4 tbsp
- Soy sauce — 3 tbsp
- Rice vinegar — 2 tbsp
- Lime juice — 2 tbsp
- Honey or maple syrup — 1 1/2 tbsp
- Sesame oil — 1 tbsp
- Water — 3 tbsp (or more, to reach the desired consistency)
- Garlic — 1 clove, finely grated
- Ginger — 1 tsp, grated
- Sriracha — 1 tsp (optional)
- Fish sauce — 1/2 tsp (optional)
Step-by-step recipe
- Prepare the vegetables: shred both cabbages very finely, cut the carrot into matchsticks, slice the cucumber into half-moons, cut the pepper into thin strips, and slice the green onions into rounds. Roughly chop the herbs.
- If using frozen edamame, blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water, then quickly chill in ice water and drain well.
- Make the dressing: whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and sriracha. Add fish sauce if using.
- Gradually whisk in the water until the dressing is smooth, pourable, and still creamy. Taste and adjust the balance of salt, acidity, and heat.
- In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrot, cucumber, pepper, edamame, green onions, and herbs. Add half of the peanuts.
- Pour over the dressing and toss thoroughly so every strand and leaf is lightly coated.
- Serve immediately, topped with the remaining peanuts, sesame seeds, and crispy noodles or rice crackers if using.
Serving and storage
Serve the salad right after dressing it to keep the vegetables at their crispiest. For a more substantial meal, add a protein such as baked tofu, chicken breast, shrimp, or thinly sliced grilled beef.
Storage: if you’re making it ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss everything together just before serving. The chopped salad components will stay fresh for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator, and the dressing will keep for 4 to 5 days.
Nutritional information per serving
| Calories | 380 kcal |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Carbohydrates | 31 g |
| Fiber | 7 g |
| Sugar | 11 g |
| Sodium | 780 mg |
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Tips and variations
- Gluten-free: swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos. Use gluten-free crispy toppings.
- Nut-free: replace the peanut butter with tahini or sunflower seed butter, and finish with toasted seeds instead of peanuts.
- Heat: adjust the sriracha to taste, or add a pinch of chile flakes.
- Dressing consistency: for a looser dressing, add 1 to 2 tbsp more water; for a thicker one, add a little more peanut butter.
- Vegetable swaps: try Napa cabbage, radishes, celery, mango, or pineapple for a touch of sweetness.
- Protein: add baked tofu, grilled chicken, shrimp, or a scoop of quinoa for a more balanced plate.
- Make-ahead prep: store chopped vegetables in a container lined with a paper towel to help them stay crisp.
Frequently asked questions
What can I use instead of peanut butter?
Tahini or sunflower seed butter will give a similar creaminess; if needed, add a pinch of sugar and a little soy sauce to round out the flavor.
How do I make the salad fully vegan?
Leave out the fish sauce and use a vegan sweetener such as maple syrup or agave. The rest of the ingredients are plant-based.
Can I make the salad ahead of time?
Yes. Prep the vegetables and keep them separate from the dressing and crispy toppings. Toss everything together just before serving so the salad keeps its crunch.
Which proteins work best?
Baked tofu, grilled chicken, sautéed shrimp, or marinated steak all pair especially well with the peanut dressing.