Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing
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Inspired by California Pizza Kitchen’s recipe, this Thai crunch salad with peanut dressing always satisfies.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
This recipe was inspired by the popular Thai crunch salad served at California Pizza Kitchen. It’s made with crisp Napa cabbage, crunchy vegetables, and edamame, but it’s the creamy peanut dressing that makes it so good. I guarantee you’ll want to put it on everything! Serve this salad as a light lunch or pair it with grilled chicken or steak for a more substantial meal. It’s excellent with my honey, lime and sriracha chicken skewers. If you have a hankering for an Asian-inspired salad that is a meal in itself, this soba chicken noodle salad is totally satisfying and this Vietnamese shredded chicken salad uses rotisserie chicken so it’s a cinch to prepare).
This is one of those recipes with a long list of ingredients but don’t let that deter you; you can use many of the prepared vegetables available at the supermarket today, and the dressing is quickly puréed in a blender.
“This salad was such a big hit at dinner last night that my guest requested seconds. It’s so over-the-top delicious that it’s insane!”
What You’ll Need To Make Thai Crunch Salad With Peanut Dressing
What you’ll need to make the peanut dressing
- Creamy Peanut Butter: Provides the rich, nutty base essential for the dressing’s flavor and texture.
- Unseasoned Rice Vinegar: Adds tanginess and helps balance the richness of the peanut butter.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Introduces a zesty citrus note and a bit of tang, enhancing the overall freshness of the dressing.
- Vegetable Oil: Helps emulsify the ingredients and provides a smooth consistency.
- Soy Sauce: Contributes savory depth and a touch of umami flavor.
- Honey and Sugar: Sweeten the dressing, balancing out the acidity and saltiness.
- Garlic Cloves and Fresh Ginger: Infuse aromatic and pungent notes, adding complexity to the flavor profile.
- Salt: Enhances other flavors and helps balance the sweetness.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Provide a subtle heat and depth of flavor.
- Fresh Cilantro: Adds a bright, herbaceous flavor and a pop of color to the dressing.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
What you’ll need to make Thai crunch salad
- Chopped Napa Cabbage or Shredded Coleslaw Mix: Forms the base of the salad, providing crunch and freshness. (I like to toss in a little shredded red cabbage for color.)
- Shredded Carrots: Add sweetness and color, enhancing the visual appeal of the salad. Buying the bagged shredded carrots at the supermarket saves time!
- Red Bell Pepper: Contributes vibrant color and a crisp texture.
- English Cucumber: Also known as hothouse cucumbers, offer a refreshing and crunchy element to the salad.
- Cooked and Shelled Edamame: Provides plant-based protein, a subtle nutty flavor, and adds substance to the salad.
- Scallions: Impart a mild onion flavor and a pop of green color, enhancing the overall freshness.
- Fresh Cilantro: Adds a fragrant and herbaceous note, elevating the flavor profile of the salad.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by making the dressing. Simply combine all of the ingredients except for the cilantro in a blender and process until completely smooth. It’s best to roughly chop the garlic and ginger beforehand, as most blenders aren’t able to process large pieces.
Add the cilantro and process for a few seconds until the cilantro is finely chopped. (If you add it in the beginning, it will completely blend into the dressing and give it a greenish hue.)
It will look like this.
Next, make the salad. I typically use a blend of Napa cabbage, cucumbers, red bell peppers, shredded carrots, shredded purple cabbage and edamame, but you can use any crunchy vegetables that you like.
If you use cucumbers, be sure to remove the seeds, as they can make the salad watery.
Combine all of the vegetables in a bowl along with the chopped spring onions and cilantro, and toss to combine.
If you’re serving the salad right away, drizzle the peanut dressing overtop and toss; otherwise serve the dressing on the side so the salad doesn’t get soggy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! The dressing keeps nicely refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.
While you can make the dressing and prepare the veggies ahead (the veggies can be prepped up to 2 days in advance), wait until you’re ready to serve the salad to toss everything together.
Sure, you can use almond butter in place of peanut butter.
You can replace the cilantro with flat-leaf parsley. The salad and dressing will still be delicious!
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Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing
Inspired by California Pizza Kitchen’s recipe, this Thai crunch salad with peanut dressing always satisfies.
Ingredients
For the Thai Peanut Dressing
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from one lime
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2½ tablespoons sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1-inch square piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped (see note)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
For the Salad
- 4 cups chopped Napa cabbage or shredded coleslaw mix (I like to toss in a little shredded red cabbage for color)
- 1 cup prepared shredded carrots
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 cup cooked and shelled edamame
- 2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- For the dressing, combine all of the ingredients except for the cilantro in a blender and process until completely smooth. Add the cilantro and blend for a few seconds until the cilantro is finely chopped. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- For the salad, combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. 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.
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Serving size: Approximately 2 cups
- Calories: 282
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Sugar: 17 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 7g
- Sodium: 505 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This salad is a winner…..delicious and beautiful with all the colors…thinned dressing with a little water and it was just right, served with the Honey Lime Sricachi Chicken Skewers….yummm
Had my eye on this one for a while! Why did I wait so long?! It was refreshing, lite and the ginger gave it great zing. A keeper. I used Persian cuke..no big seeds! Thanks for the recipe!
I love this salad! It’s a favorite in my meal planning.
This salad was so easy to make and SO GOOD! I made it a few weeks back and even my husband, who doesn’t like even the slightest “ethnic” food, loved it! Going to make it again tomorrow for a group of friends coming over.
This is the first of many reviews I’m long overdue to write! This salad is just absolutely a keeper and sure to impress all! The dressing came a little thick but was quickly resolved by adding a touch more oil, but even then it thins out quickly when mixed in. Even my 3 year old who prefers only foods that resemble crackers or bread these days was quite enthused by the rainbow of beautiful colors!
Jenn! I am such of fan of this salad! I devoured the majority of it! You are so right, the dressing is fantastic. My husband made fun of me and said I was using the salad to garnish the dressing. I think that salad part is good too regardless of what he said. =) Thanks for posting this!
Wonderful! We have a peanut allergy in the family so I had to leave the peanut butter out of the sauce, but it was still delicious. My family enjoyed it, and it worked well as a side for the Thai Minced Chicken Lettuce Cups.
Hilary, try using tahini or almond/cashew/brazil nut butter, or a mixture. Yum!
We all love the Thai Crunch salad! So fresh, healthy and incredibly delicious. I always double the recipe and save the dressing on the side so we can enjoy this salad all week long. Thanks for the great recipes. They are always spot on! Sue
I made this salad for friends last night, it was so good 😀 At first I also thought my dressing was too thick (it looked different to your pic) but it tossed into the salad and coated everything really well. Plus you’re right about it becoming more watery when mixed through. I used chickpeas instead of edamame beans because I have no idea where to find them in Cape Town 😉
This dressing is delicious! I’ve been overpaying for salads out for lunch, and am thrilled to be able to recreate them myself. I left out the cilantro (because I’m one of THOSE people…) and it’s still great!
I just made this for tonight’s dinner with the broiled Salmon w Thai Sweet Chili..and received rave reviews. This is a keeper.. This salad was simple to make and made it as directed, except I browned using small amount of butter, slivered almonds and ramen noodles to sprinkled it on top for crunch and nutty flavor. I also served dressing on side so I can have left overs fresh and not soggy. Thank you, Susie
This is so yummy – made it with sriacha lime honey chicken…. I left the cilantro out of the dressing because one of my dinner guests isn’t a fan but had it on the table for individuals to add to their salad. I also added in some jicama! Thanks!
The dressing on this is amazing. Thank you so much! It is also a great dip for chicken and tofu nuggets! I already can’t wait to make this again!
Delicious combination of fresh flavors! Don’t let the long ingredient list intimidate you. I made the dressing using an immersion blender and it made for easy clean up.
Very good! I decreased the sugar a bit, and it was still very good. Crunchy and satisfying. Yummy peanut butter flavor. I have made other peanut dressings in the past, but this one I prefer.
I cannot even tell you how good this is. I added mango and used it as a base for fish tacos. I just added grilled mahi mahi and put in a crispy tortilla. It’s also great on chicken. I make a double batch of the dressing and freeze what I don’t use right away. So good!
This is a GREAT salad- it does have a lot of ingredients so I’m usually missing one or two (usually red cabbage, lol!) but it doesn’t matter! It is always awesome.
I have made this salad about five times now, most recently last night for a friend’s birthday. Raves!
This is the most delicious recipe- I loved it! Thanks so much.
I added some shredded chicken into it too for extra protein. Was divine.
Stunningly, absurdly delicious…i roasted chicken breasts, and sliced very thin…as usual, doubled the recipe for a group…a showstopper! Keep em comin,Jen!
Delicious! So colorful which makes you feel good eating it, and the yummy dressing goes a long way! This will be a regular in my home.
This salad dressing is amazing!! A little bit goes a long ways if you are trying to watch calories too. I used the napa for the salad which was good but the next time I will use cabbage. I prefer the crunch of the cabbage. I also added cooked chicken and ate the salad as my main meal. Top the salad off with chopped peanuts for some extra crunch! Delicious!
made this last weekend for lunches. great flavour!
i added grilled chicken breast on top – excellent!
Found your site while looking for healthy dishes; so glad I did. This is absolutely one of the best salads I have ever eaten!! It is truly a marvelous blend if flavors and textures. The only change I made was to increase the amounts of ginger and lime juice a smidge. I could seriously eat this every day and can’t wait to try the dressing in other ways. Your site is fun to read and directions are easy to follow. I’m sure I’ll be making many more if your creations in the near future. Thanks for a terrific blog!!
I was looking for a peanut dressing at the grocery store and just couldn’t fine one that caught my eye. I found this recipe and it is the best. I had to use apple cider vinegar as I didn’t have the called for one. It is one of the best dressings I have ever tasted. This is a keeper.
Hi Jen I only have seasoned rice vinegar in my pantry and your recipe for Thai Crunch salad asks for unseasoned rice vinegar. Can I use what I have?
Hi Joan, That’s fine, just reduce the sugar by a 1/2 teaspoon or so.
This salad is fantastic!
Dressing is amazing!!!
I stumbled upon this recipe about a month ago and have since made it 4 times. I absolutely love it and so has everyone I have made it for. I have followed the recipe for the dressing exact and usually double it. I have varied the veggies each time depending on what is available. I love adding chicken and wonton strips!
Thank you!!
I really can’t speak highly enough about this recipe. The dressing is just fantastic! And, becuase Jenn is amazing, I didn’t adjust a single thing!!! I’ve made the salad as it, I’ve used the dressing for a cold noodle salad with chicken, scallions, carrots, snap peas and sesame seeds, i’ve used this dressing for chicken wings!! I prefer organic or some type of grass fed, the flavor and size are jsut so much better. I grill the wings until they are nice and crispy and toss the dressing and some scallions on the hot chicken, your football fans will thank you! perfect game day treat!
Thanks, yet again Jenn!!!
This is THE BEST new recipe I made this year. I served it to guests three times and that sentiment was shared. Last time I made it my husband said, we should really make that more often. The combination of flavors is truly fantastic. YUM!!
The dressing is so amazing! Lots of good flavors. I made the salad without the cucumber and threw in some spinach. It was delish!
I’m a newlywed who’s never cooked so I need easy and healthy. I love this because it reminds me of the CPK Thai Salad I miss so much (no CPK near us now). My husband loves it and so do I! I’m just trying to find a way to stop all that veggie chopping!
This was so fabulous! I made it exactly as noted and it turned out delicious. Thanks, Jen – all of your recipes I’ve made have been superb. Keep up the good work!
This dressing is phenomenal!!! I used regular cabbage not nappa and couldn’t manage to get edamame where I live in India. But used most of the other ingredients… Just a little more red chilli as we Indians love that extra bite!!
I made this salad yesterday and WOW is the word! The dressing was amazingly so good!!!!!!! It’s definitely a must try, can’t go wrong with this one! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
This recipe is phenomenal -I’ve served it once for entertaining and another time to my family. All parties were very impressed and asked for your website!
Can I make the dressing the day before I serve the salad. I love your asian kale salad! I am looking forward to trying this recipe.
Actually I just saw the comment below. Thanks for all your great recipes.
This is definitely my new favorite. My son who doesn’t even like salad loves this one. I do add peanuts to it thought, just for a little extra crunch. Making it this weekend for a family birthday party. I’m sure everyone is going to love it.
mind blowing and finger-licking recipe!!
How long can I store the dressing in the fridge?
Glad you enjoyed! The dressing will keep well in the fridge for about a week.
I made this salad throughout the summer as it is fresh tasting, filling and yet so healthy! I will continue to make this all year but have since mixed the dressing into salad from the beginning as I prefer the coleslaw to be soggy! The salad tastes its best when freshly made at room temperature!
Sorry if this a duplicate message. I’m not sure if I sent the previous one correctly.
It’s hard for me to find fresh Napa cabbage or slaw mix where I live in Mexico. Can I use green cabbage or savoy instead if I can find it? Thanks Jennifer
Hi Lorna, Yes, absolutely — either would be delicious.
I found your blog last Friday and have since tried three recipes. Each have been fantastic and so unique. This salad is so good and really so easy. I made it two nights in a row since my husband loved it so much. I served it with the honey, lime, siracha chicken kebabs and they were excellent as well. Now that I have the siracha sauce in my frig, I want to make more and more things with it. And finally, last night I made the white bean ragout to go along with some baked chicken breasts since it was a rainy night. I made myself use the fresh mint even though I was wary of the flavor. I like mint in mojitos but thats about it. So glad I did it though because the mint/basil combo gave the broth the most unique flavor. Restaurant quality for sure.
So keep the recipes coming. I already know Ill be making your beef stew on the first cold Sunday in October.
Ps, I didnt use the edamame but chopped up some baby arugula and it gave it such a nice peppery flavor.
Loved the dressing and having it on all those raw veggies made it super healthy. I added some chopped blanched peanuts and crunchy chinese noodles as a topping.
Enjoyed every mouthful!
This is the 2nd recipe I tried from your site and ever since then I’ve tried 1-2 recipes each week and hooked on your site. I didn’t have edamame, but used broccolli slaw instead and was so delicious. I ate the salad everyday that week with a different main dish. Then I brought this salad to a potluck and people asked for the recipe. I look forward to your newsletters. All your recipes are practical, easy to follow, but absolutely delicious
I made this tonight for supper and it was a HUGE hit with my family! Reminded us of Vietnamese dishes that we love. I’ll be looking for more recipes from you. Thanks for taking the time to share.
As always w/ OUAC, I followed the recipe exactly and the result was so so good! The dressing is so tasty and the veggie mix is great. The dressing seemed thick but once I mixed it around it was fine. If I have sliced almonds or those little crunchy noodles I may toss them in next time. Definitely a keeper (third ‘keeper’ in three days from this website! Thai chicken skewers and apricot cous cous, yum!)
So Delicious! I find I can’t go wrong with your recipes!
The crunchy Thai salad is perfection. I served it a few weeks ago to a huge crowd having tripled the recipe, and it was a huge hit!
I want to try to make the Thai crunch salad but cannot find red pepper flakes anywhere. What can I use as a substitute ? Would pink pepper work?
I’m surprised you can’t find them — have you looked in the spice section of your regular supermarket? If you can’t find them, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more to taste if desired).
Its a little thick for a dressing. Any suggestions to thin out?
Hi Frances, You could thin it with a little water but honestly I’d leave it as is; when you toss it with the vegetables it will thin out on its own as the vegetables release water.
Simply delicious and will even hold well for lunch the next day IF you have any leftovers!