Thai Salad Recipe with Peanut Dressing

4.92 from 244 votes
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Irresistibly crunchy Thai salad with creamy peanut dressing will be your new favorite vegetable dish! Each bite packs a powerhouse of fresh superfoods.

Bowl of crunchy Thai salad with creamy peanut dressing.

Recipe Science

  • Creamy peanut butter ensures a smooth, stable consistency, as stabilizers like palm oil prevent separation, unlike natural varieties.
  • The acidity in the lime juice of the peanut dressing helps to balance the richness of the peanut butter.
  • Blending the dressing smoothes the ginger, garlic, and peanut butter into a consistent mixture for even flavor distribution.

Why It Works

Crisp, satisfying, and full of nutrients! This crunchy Thai salad recipe is tossed in a creamy peanut dressing, making eating healthy effortless. Each bite contains a powerhouse of fresh superfoods and a peanut flavor punch.

If you are looking for a quick and exciting meal that you can enjoy for dinner or pack for lunch the next day, this salad will make your taste buds happy. A few chops with your chef’s knife and a blend of the sauce, and your next veggie-packed meal is ready in minutes.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Bowl of unmixed Thai salad with recipe ingredients.
  • Vegetables and Fruit: This colorful mix of thinly sliced kale, red bell peppers, red and napa cabbage, carrots, and ripe mango slices balances the bitterness of the kale with the natural sweetness of the fruit and sweet peppers.
  • Herbs: Fresh cilantro, mint leaves, and sliced green onions add enticing herbaceous notes.
  • Peanut Dressing: The rich dressing combines creamy peanut butter, lime juice, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, finely chopped ginger, and minced garlic. It is the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and tangy, with a hint of spice.

See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).

Ingredient Substitutions

It’s easy to switch up the flavor of this delicious Thai salad recipe. Try these options!

  • Vegetable Swaps: Try other types of lettuce, such as crisp romaine, iceberg, or butterleaf. Add baby spinach or spring mix instead of kale. Add slices of crunchy cucumber for a refreshing bite.
  • Add More Fruit: Pineapple chunks or papaya pairs well with the Thai dressing.
  • Make the Dressing Gluten-Free: Use coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce.
  • Change the Nut: Add almond butter or cashew butter, and make sure it’s creamy in texture.
  • Add Protein: Instantly turn this salad into an entree by adding some baked tofu, shredded rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp, or marinated skirt steak.

How to Make Thai Salad

Step 1: Combine the Vegetables

Add the sliced kale, cabbage, bell pepper, carrot, mango, cilantro, mint, and green onions in a large bowl. Set aside while making the Thai salad dressing. If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Jar and spoon of homemade peanut sauce with chopped nuts on top.

Step 2: Make the Peanut Dressing

A creamy peanut dressing complements the crunchy salad ingredients. Use a blender or food processor to quickly prepare the Thai salad dressing. Combine the creamy peanut butter, fresh lime juice, honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, spicy sriracha, roughly chopped garlic, minced ginger, and water. Puree until smooth.

Alternatively, hand whisk the dressing ingredients together in a bowl. It will be slightly more chunky.

Experimentation Encouraged: If you want to amp up the umami flavor, add a dash of fish sauce. My readers love this salad dressing! You can even serve it with shrimp spring rolls.

Thai salad in a bowl with peanut dressing.

Step 3: Garnish and Serve

Drizzle some peanut dressing onto the salad ingredients and toss to combine. I like to serve any extra peanut dressing on the side or add more on top. It’s so delicious! Add some chopped roasted peanuts and more fresh herbs to garnish for extra crunch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Thai salad made of?

A crunchy blend of fresh vegetables like red and green cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, kale, green onions, cilantro, and mint. Mango is added for a hint of sweetness. It’s served with a sweet, tangy, and creamy peanut dressing. It’s an easy-to-customize salad!

Can I make the Thai Salad ahead of time?

The salad ingredients can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The peanut dressing can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. To meal prep the salad for lunch during the week, portion it out in containers with the dressing on the side so the greens don’t get soggy.

What is the difference between peanut butter vs. peanut spread?

Peanut butter must contain at least 90% by weight of peanuts and may not be any added artificial colors, preservatives, or sweeteners. The other 10% can be seasoning and stabilizing ingredients like salt, sugar, palm oil, or peanut oil. If the amount of non-peanut ingredients exceeds 10%, it will be labeled as a spread. You’ve likely seen natural ground peanut butter separate over time and have oil on the top when you open the jar. Oils like palm oil are added when processing to prevent separation and make a more creamy spreadable product.

More Thai Recipes

If you tried this Thai Salad Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!

Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing

Thai salad with peanut sauce dressing will be your new obsession! Each bite packs a powerhouse of fresh superfoods all in one bowl.
4.92 from 244 votes
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Course Salad
Cuisine Thai

Ingredients 
 

Thai Salad

  • 2 cups sliced kale
  • 1 ½ cups sliced napa cabbage
  • 1 ½ cups sliced red cabbage
  • ½ cup sliced red bell pepper
  • ½ cup shredded carrot
  • 1 mango, sliced
  • ¼ cup cilantro
  • 8 mint leaves
  • 1 tablespoon sliced green onions
  • ¼ cup peanuts, roasted, roughly chopped

Peanut Dressing

  • cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons honey, or maple syrup
  • 1 ½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon sriracha
  • ½ teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions 

  • Combine the Vegetables – In a large bowl, add thin slices of kale, cabbage, bell pepper, carrot, mango, cilantro, mint, and green onions. Set aside and make the dressing.
  • Make the Peanut Dressing – In a blender, add peanut butter, lime juice, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, ginger, garlic, and water. Puree until smooth and combined, about 1 minute. Alternatively, whisk the ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.
    Add more water to thin out the dressing if desired. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
  • To Serve – Gradually add enough dressing to coat the salad, and toss to combine. Drizzle with more if there's any remaining. Top with freshly cracked black pepper and chopped peanuts.

Recipe Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • Serving Size: 1 ½ cups of salad
  • Make it Gluten-Free: Use coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce.
  • Make it Less Sweet: If you like the dressing less sweet, start with 1 tablespoon of honey and gradually add more to taste.
  • Storing: Refrigerate salad ingredients for up to 3 days and peanut dressing for up to 5 days, adding dressing just before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Serves: 4 servings
Calories 179kcal (9%)Carbohydrates 24g (8%)Protein 6g (12%)Fat 8g (12%)Saturated Fat 1g (5%)Polyunsaturated Fat 2gMonounsaturated Fat 2gSodium 340mg (14%)Potassium 392mg (11%)Fiber 3g (12%)Sugar 14g (16%)Vitamin A 8200IU (164%)Vitamin C 120.5mg (146%)Calcium 80mg (8%)Iron 1.1mg (6%)

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.

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Jessica Gavin

I'm a culinary school graduate, cookbook author, and a mom who loves croissants! My passion is creating recipes and sharing the science behind cooking to help you gain confidence in the kitchen.

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Reader Interactions

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Recipe Rating




99 Comments Leave a comment or review

  1. Eileen says

    I really like your recipe ingredients Question could I use less honey or maple syrup ?
    My husband has to watch his glucose
    thank you

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Sure! I would combine all of the dressing ingredients without the honey, give it a taste and add the sweetener to your liking. If you are already using sweetened peanut butter, you will not have to add much more honey.

  2. Donna says

    I did this beautiful salad for friends at the weekend I tripled the amount and the whole lot was gone! I have shared this recipe with them all. Just delicious 😋 thankyou!

  3. Mia says

    OMG, this salad was so good! I also used lettuce instead of kale because the kale season here is over. Thanks for sharing this terrific recipe!

  4. Jane Roehrig says

    Please advise about the garlic. I think it might be a typo. Do I use ½ tsp plus one clove or just ½ tsp? Thanks so much. I’m looking forward to trying this.

  5. Divinesoulninjas says

    This recipe is so delicious. I made a big batch and it was all gone in minutes. Perfect for a summer day picnic . The dressing is absolutely yummilicious thank you❤

  6. mandy says

    I left out the peanuts and siracha and the whole family (even my 2 and 4 yo) enjoyed the salad paired with some spring rolls. They’ve never eaten so much veggies in one meal without a struggle lol.

  7. Shannon says

    SO delicious! I was in Thailand recently and took a cooking class while there. I wanted to make the Pad Thai recipe I learned there and needed a salad to accompany it. This was an excellent choice! Everyone loved it! (I’m considering making it again for breakfast!)

  8. Gina says

    By the way…I forgot to say I am making it today to take on a camping (ok glamping trip, lol) We will serve it with Thai barbeque chicken wings!

    Thanks again
    gina

  9. Gina says

    I have made this salad/dressing recipe more times than I can count. Usually make it for dinner parties along with Panang Curry. The comment I most often get is “what a burst of so many flavors” Thanks for sharing it with us….it is definitely one I will constantly revisit.

    gina

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Thank you for making the recipe and sharing it with others! I’m thrilled to hear that they are enjoying the salad.

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Yes, you can freeze the dressing. The dressing will last about 5 days in the refrigerator stored in an airtight container. Yes, you can use powdered peanut butter but you may need to add some water or coconut milk to adjust the consistency so it’s pourable.

  10. Lindsay says

    I loooove this recipe! The sauce is NEXT LEVEL amazing! I use it on everything! Chicken satay, Vietnamese summer roll dip, salad dressing etc. My absolute favourite 😀

    • Jessica Gavin says

      I would use pineapple as a replacement to the mango, or ripe papaya. Asian pear would also be nice! Let me know what you decide to use.

  11. Eliza B. says

    I made it tonight. I made my salad with romaine lettuce, shredded carrots, grilled chicken thighs(cubed), sliced radishes, red onion, cilantro, diced cucumber and topped with tortilla strips. Turned out yummy. I think next time I’ll add extra ginger, garlic and salt.

  12. zeynep says

    I have white rice vinegar and white wine vinegar in my pantry. Can I use one or the other, or a combination of the two, as a substitute for rice wine vinegar?

    • Jessica Gavin says

      You can substitute it with white rice vinegar or white wine vinegar, however after you make the dressing taste it. It made need more honey or salt, since rice wine vinegar is seasoned.

  13. Erika says

    I’ve made this a few times for myself, and my family, but it’s also been a meal I’ve prepared for new mom friends, paired with some grilled chicken. (As I recall a lot of people bring lasagnas, enchiladas, and other delicious but heavy meals.) Anyway, two thumbs up over here.

  14. Jess M says

    Been making this salad on the regular for a year now; in our house we now refer to it as the GOAT salad. Everyone loves it. Thanks again!

  15. Steve Southard says

    I served this last night for company along with my Thai Coconut Seafood Soup. The salad was a a HUGE hit! Whew! I don’t normally serve an untried recipe for company but I took a chance on this one and it was a winner. The only thing I did different was I used baby romaine instead of the kale, mostly because I had the romaine on hand and needed to use it up. Wow, the dressing is the bomb! Will definitely make this many times in the future and just half the recipe for the two of us. Thank you for posting this!!

  16. Jess M says

    Wow! I made this last night and my wife and I were blown away by how bright and refreshing and delicious the different flavors are. It’s like a deconstructed spring roll. That peanut sauce dressing… So tangy and rich at the same time. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I’m sure we’ll return to it again and again.

  17. Deanna Vazquez says

    Absolutely delicious! I made it exactly as published and the flavours and textures are perfectly balanced. I’m not even a big salad/superfoods person, but this one is definitely a winner in my household. Thanks for publishing the recipe!

  18. Sandra says

    This was delicious, thank you Jessica! thought I had honey in the cupboard but didn’t but it didn’t lack it I think. Will definitely be making this again!

  19. Christine says

    I doubled the recipe and followed to a T. The dressing is perfectly balanced with the salty, sour and sweet with a hint of heat! It’s amazing! Thanks for sharing!

  20. Judith says

    Your photos show a generous sprinkling of red pepper flakes, but I don’t see them mentioned in the recipe. I added them to the peanut sauce, and have made this recipe several times in the past few weeks. Perhaps I missed the red pepper flakes in the recipe, but , if they are indeed not there, it would be a great suggestion to add to the posts.

    It’s a wonderful salad that our extended family loves. Thank you.

  21. Aisha says

    Hi Jessica,
    Just wanted to thank you for posting this recipe. I made this last night to go with a piece of salmon and it was fresh, crunchy and absolutely delicious! I couldn’t get the kale but it worked even without it!
    Peanut sauce was also so scrumptious. I substituted sriracha with sriracha mayo (as I didn’t have sriracha) with a little extra chilli flakes for an added kick, I think it still worked out well.
    The smells and
    Flavours transported both my partner and I back to Thailand. We will definitely be eating this more often! Totally scrumptious ????

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Thank you for the lovely feedback Aisha! So happy that it could take your taste buds on a little vacation 🙂

  22. Miranda says

    This was soooo yummy!! I also had to add a bit more water, but my peanut butter was super thick and creamy. I added some grilled chicken to it as well and it was perfect I will definitely be making it again and putting the peanut sauce all over everything <3

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Thank you for your feedback Miranda! Great idea adding some extra protein with the chicken to make it more of an extree salad 🙂

  23. Rike says

    Today’s dinner was a salad inspired by this recipe – I don’t like kale and cabbage, I simply replaced it with mixed greens. The peanut dressing is absolutely addictive – and so simple! Something funny happened though when I mixed it in the blender – it became a paste! It became wonderfully creamy after adding a lot more water than the recipe said. Any ideas why this happened? Maybe I over-mixed it?

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Thank you for your feedback Rike! Sometimes when honey and peanut butter is blended together (like when you make peanut butter), the mixture sometimes heats up from the shear of blending and the sugars cause the peanuts to seize up a little and thicken (especially if it becomes warm), like the paste you experienced. Adding the additional water after the initial blending definitely helps to loosen up the dressing.

  24. Andrea says

    Hi amazing salad I’ve made a few times now although I get confused every time I read the instructions. Firstly you have mix all of the salad ingredients except….. them go on to list all of the ingredients!! So I’m a little confused. I’m guessing you save the peanuts to sprinkle on at the end?? Also you say at the end to add freshly cracked bell pepper. Do you mean just cracked pepper? Or an actual capsicum (bell bell pepper as you call it) ???? thanks

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Thanks for he feedback Andrea! I’ve updated the recipe so it’s more clear 🙂 Thanks for the bell pepper catch! haha

  25. Heidi says

    Can you make the salad dressing a day ahead? I serve Thai Curry on Christmas but due to commitments must have it all prepared except for some chopping the day ahead.

      • Jeremiah says

        Made this last night and it was amazing! I made a large batch of the dressing to make future prep work faster. How long can the dressing keep, and should it be refrigerated?

        • Jessica Gavin says

          Yes, refrigerate the dressing. It should last about 3 days. If it separates at all, just whisk before you add it to the salad.

  26. Laila says

    Made this tonight for some pals and it went down a treat! I couldn’t find napa cabbage so used savoy instead and it was still very tasty! Will definitely be making again.

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Yay Laila! I’m so happy to hear everyone enjoyed the recipe. Smart substitute for the napa cabbage with the savoy!

  27. Jackie says

    I’m not a fan of kale ( I know, shame on me, lol). Could I use baby greens or choppped romaine instead?

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Hi Jackie! Yes, you can absolutely use baby greens or romaine as a substitute. Romaine may give the most crunch!

  28. Tricia says

    Thank you so much for this recipe. The peanut sauce was absolutely divine! My hubby and I both wanted to just slurp it up by itself. We had the salad with a grilled pork tenderloin for the protein. So yummy! Will make often, I’m sure!

    • Jessica Gavin says

      You are so welcome Tricia! You can slurp the sauce, I won’t tell! I love the addition of the grilled pork, I’ll have to try that 🙂

  29. Suzette Leiva ? says

    Simply amazing ..!! Made some Paleo adjustments changing out the peanuts butter for cashews butter .. I also used coconut amino’s instead soy sauce and used coconut nectar to sweeten the dressing.. thank you ❤️

  30. Chris says

    I made this salad for dinner last night and it was absolutely delicious! Three of us devoured it; not even a shred of cabbage left in the bowl.

  31. Monica Cissell says

    My husband and I made this salad tonight for our family. A lot of chopping but the result was worth it. A fantastic salad! We made nearly double the recipe so we would have some leftovers for lunch. Keep the great veggie recipes coming! Monica

    • Jessica Gavin says

      I’m so thrilled to hear you enjoyed the recipe Monica! I just consider the chopping as my arm workout, hehe.

  32. Lynn Deutsch says

    The Crunchy Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing was very tasty. My only feedback would be to gradually add the honey if you are concerned about it being too sweet. Other than that, it was a great summer salad that I served with grilled flank steak.

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Thank you so much Lynn for your feedback! I appreciate any comments to improve the recipe, I’m sure other readers will find it helpful as well!

    • Ferment4life says

      I agree! I started with 1 T, planning to add more if needed. It really was sweet enough for me without anymore. Delicious and just what I was looking for to go with a dinner of Coconut Curry Shrimp.

  33. Brittany | Words Like Honeycomb says

    Oh Jessica…lovely!! those colors and bowl form are so amazing and perfect for summer!! Summer just calls for everything being tossed together with a perfect peanut sauce to marry all the flavors together! Love it 🙂

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Totally agree Brittany! I love incorporating as many colors as I can, so yummy plus lots of health benefits 🙂 Thank you for your lovely comment!

  34. Tristan says

    Absolutely gorgeous! I love how bright and colorful your recipes are. They all look delicious and I’m definitely making this one today.

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Thank you SO much Tristan! I love eating a rainbow of colors 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think!

  35. Paul says

    Jessica, I like your creativity with your recipes but the last several have all been in a bowl. I would suggest offering a blend of recipes in a bowl with others.

    Thanks for website and continued creative recipes.

    • Jessica Gavin says

      Thank you for your suggestion Paul! Don’t worry, more non bowl recipes are coming your way 🙂