A good salad has to have a delicious dressing, tons of crunch, and be filling. This Thai Crunch salad with peanut dressing is fresh and colorful, healthy, & full of fun textures! If you love a no-lettuce salad, this ones especially for you!

Thai crunch salad with peanut butter dressing.

Delicious Thai Inspired Crunch Salad with Creamy Peanut Dressing

There is a super famous salad from California Pizza Kitchen that I know so many people (including myself) are obsessed with. We don’t have locations in Seattle, so I love making this easy, at-home take.

This salad is more similar to a slaw than a traditional salad with mixed greens or lettuce. Crispy coleslaw mix is combined with green onions, slivered almonds or peanuts, cilantro (I like to also add Thai Basil), bean sprouts, edamame, and the most delicious, creamy peanut sesame dressing. However, this salad is so customizable, so you can even add things like bell pepper, pickled onions, etc. My Thai crunch salad is naturally vegan and packs in some plant-based protein with edamame, but you can also add in your favorite protein – think grilled salmon, grilled or shredded chicken, or even tofu or tempeh.

Love mason jar salads? I do! They’re great for meal prep. You can add the dressing to the bottom of the jar, followed by your protein of choice, the cabbage, other veggies, leaving the herbs for the top. When you’re ready to eat, pour the jar onto a plate for the perfect on-the-go lunch or dinner!

Why you’ll love this recipe

It comes together in under 15 minutes!
Makes a great main course meal, lunch, dinner, or side!
You can add your favorite protein (chicken, tofu, etc) to make a satisfying, high protein option.
Full of color, which is great for gut-health!
A delicious way to pack in lots of antioxidant-rich veggies!
Super fresh & light for Spring and the warmer weather months!

thai crunch salad Ingredients

Coleslaw mix or chopped cabbage: You can make this salad even easier by buying pre-packaged coleslaw mix/shredded cabbage and carrots or chop your own!
Shredded carrots: I like to buy pre-shredded carrots!
Green onions
Shelled edamame: Buying pre-shelled frozen edamame is so easy!
Bean sprouts
Slivered almonds or cashews
Sesame seeds: These are optional, but I love adding them!

The best part about this salad, is how easy and quick it is to make! You simply chop all the veggies (if you didn’t purchase them pre-chopped/shredded) and add them to a bowl!

Thai chopped salad with peanut butter sesame dressing.

How to make peanut dressing

This dressing is so crave-able, I could literally spoon it. All you do is add some rice vinegar, peanut butter, coconut aminos or soy sauce, sriracha, lime juice, garlic cloves, ginger (I use powdered), maple syrup, and sesame oil to a blender and blend until smooth! This is my favorite blender to use!

How to make a thai crunch inspired salad

Step one: If you aren’t buying all of the veggies pre-shredded (you can totally use coleslaw mix!), chop all of your veg. In a small bowl, warm your frozen edamame for a few minutes until heated through. Add everything to a large bowl, adding the chopped nuts and herbs on top.

Step two: In a blender, add all of the peanut butter dressing ingredients. Blend for a minute or so until super smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust as needed.

Step three: Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve!

FAQ’s

If serving right away, drizzle the peanut dressing over top and toss; otherwise, serve the dressing on the side so the salad doesn’t get soggy.
If meal prepping this salad or making them in jars, add the dressing to the bottom of the jar, followed by the crunch veggies (cabbage, carrots/slaw, then the other veggies, protein of choice, and keep the nuts and herbs on top.
Can this salad be made ahead of time? Yes! Just store the salad and the dressing separately.
What to serve with a Thai crunch salad: This salad is great as a main course but you can also serve it alongside your favorite protein or as a side at a potluck or gathering. I personally love serving it alongside spicy air fryer salmon and cauliflower rice.
If your dressing is too thick, add a tablespoon or so of water and mix well until it reaches your desired consistency.
What if you’re paleo or peanut-free? Feel free to use almond butter or sunflower butter for a nut-free option!

More salad recipes to try

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