Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing
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Inspired by California Pizza Kitchen’s famous version, this Thai crunch salad recipe is a colorful, satisfying mix of fresh veggies and creamy peanut dressing. It’s pretty much what salad dreams are made of.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
This recipe is a nod to 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 also pairs nicely with chicken satay or honey, lime and sriracha chicken skewers. 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, 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!”
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the dressing. Combine all of the dressing ingredients except for the cilantro in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Chopping the garlic and ginger first prevents the dressing from being gritty or uneven, especially if your blender isn’t super powerful. Add the cilantro.
Blend for just a few seconds until the cilantro is finely chopped. (Adding it at the end keeps the dressing a creamy, natural color instead of muddy green.)
Step 2: Combine the veggies. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, cucumber, edamame, scallions, and cilantro. Seeding the cucumbers is key for keeping the salad crisp and avoiding excess water that can dilute the dressing.
Step 3: Dress and serve. If you’re serving right away, drizzle the peanut dressing over top and toss to coat. Otherwise, store the chopped veggies and dressing separately—the veggies will keep for 2 days and the dressing for up to a week. The peanut dressing may thicken slightly as it chills, so give it a good stir (or a quick whisk) if you’ve made it ahead.
More Asian-Style Salad Recipes You May Like
Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing
Modeled after CPK’s Thai crunch salad, this salad has bright veggies, bold flavors, and a dressing you’ll want to eat by the spoonful.
Ingredients
For the 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.
- Here's some easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger.
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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Amazing recipe. The dressing is just perfect. I added some roasted noodles and peanuts to add more crunchy effect.
Another Winner Jenn! This was such a huge hit with the family for dinner, that they wanted me to make some more the following day for lunch! The dressing was Delish! Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes, and I can’t wait until you come out with another cookbook! Happy Holidays to you and your family!
I don’t normally take the time to respond to a recipe but this was so amazing that I had to! My 13 year old wolfed down her portion and went back to the bowl and took the rest. This will forever be part of our lunch/dinner staples.
Thanks
Jeff
I would love to try this peanut dressing! As a vegan I would have to substitute the honey…. what would you recommend?
Looking forward to eating this salad, thank you
Hi Brenda, I’d use brown sugar. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn. My friend brought this to a dinner party on the weekend and it was fantastic. She was complimenting the main, which my husband perpared….beef bulgogi (Korean). Just one quick question. How far in advance can I make the dressing? I have a function on Saturday, but would like to make the dressing on Thursday. Will it keep in the fridge for a few days? I’m assuming like any dressing it should be fine. Should I hold back on the cilantro until ready to serve? Thanks.
Hi Debra, It should be perfectly fine made several days ahead — and, yes, I’d wait to add the cilantro until before serving.
additional ingredients to make it more chunchy. roasted peanuts, fried wontons and top with fried rice noodles and avocado of course. this is my favorite salad. im searching recipes and ive found yours.Thank you so much
I’ve now made this for home, dinner parties, and potlucks. It is lick-the-bowl-down-to-nothing good. Our CSA box often has napa cabbage in it and it’s such a great way to eat through that. I’ve never seen a group of guys playing cards eat a HUGE doubled recipe worth of vegetables but it was GONE. Clearly, I love it and everyone else who tries it begs for the recipe. Thanks for another winner!
Thai Crunch Salad is the most fresh and delicious salad I’ve ever made. We sound vide a couple breast’s on Sunday and make a big batch for the week, adding the dressing at mealtime. The prepared salad stay fresh and crunchy all week long, though it rarely lasts to Friday. THANK YOU for making us happy salad eaters!
This is a fantastic salad recipe. I always get asked for the recipe every time I make it, and it’s a pleasure to send friends and family the link to your blog. The only thing that I do differently is add a couple tablespoons of water to make it more pourable. I always make a double batch so that I have left overs. : )
This is my family’s favorite salad. It is so delicious!