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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So good. The dressing is great with Shrimp or Chicken as well.
The easy peanut dressing tasted authentically delicious. I tweaked with lots more ginger (personal preference). I didn’t have limes so I substituted with lemon and a generous splash (probably a tablespoon) of apple cider vinegar. I also didn’t have sugar and used raw blue agave instead. The depth of flavor this recipe creates— even with substitutes and tweaks— is pure bliss.
This salad was delicious… The dressing is phenomenal …
I tried this recipe yesterday and it was a hit. I am not a fan of cilantro but for this one, it makes a perfect dressing… it delicious and yes…addicting. Thanks for the recipe.
I just moved into a new house and have very few tools, so this was a great salad for me: tasty, quick, and didn’t require a lot of kitchen tools!
I don’t have a blender yet, but I used runnier peanut butter that you have to stir, so I was able to combine the ingredients with my hand mixer.
I traded out sugar snap peas for the cucumbers and added some avocado. It was amazing and I can’t wait to eat it for lunch!
Thanks for the lovely recipe!
This is really tasty! I keep coming back to this recipe and have made this salad at several parties. Everyone loves it!
Hi Jenn! Have a guest with a peanut food allergy. Thoughts on another nut butter to substitute? Happy holidays, Valerie G
Hi Valerie, I think almond butter would work well. 🙂
I had to make several substitutions but I promise you, it was still fantastic! Here’s what I traded:
Apple cider vinegar for Rice vinegar
Dried Parsley & Tarragon for cilantro
Minced no oil squeeze garlic for fresh
Dried Ginger for fresh
Avocado oil for vegetable oil
Lemon juice for lime.
I only use Smucker’s Natural Peanut butter.
I stirred rather than blended, for less clean up.
I followed the dressing recipe exactly, and it was so delicious. Had fresh limes in the garden, and the flavor came through. Probably would be good to add whole roasted peanuts to the salad for more crunch. Thank you for this recipe!
Cut down on sugar by half as my husband prefers less sweet dressings and it was wonderful!
How long will the peanut dressing last in the refrigerator?
Hi Lisa, It will keep well for about a week in the fridge.
Excellent recipe! Would use only 1/2-2/3 of the dressing next time, and serve it optional on the side. Found it to be a tad too runny.
Hi Jenn,
We love, love , love this dressing! I make it in double batches for everything. How long will the dressing keep on it’s own? Thanks for always amazing recipes!
Robin
Glad you like it, Robin! The dressing should keep nicely for up to a week.
Jenn, making this tomorrow, hate to put dressing in that huge blender, could I do it in my 4 cp Quizinart
Sure, Carol – that should work. Enjoy!
HELP! I can’t stop making this salad! Every time we have people over to the house, I make it and they go nuts. This salad is really preventing me from discovering other salads, which is a problem but not a problem.
That dressing tho. It’s sublime! I cut waaaay back on the sweetness by omitting the sugar, and I use 1/2 tsp. of sriracha instead of red pepper flakes, but that’s just my own preference – I’m sure the recipe as written would be perfection for others.
The colour combination is the best! I’d never even bought red cabbage before, and now it’s a weekly buy.
Jenn, you are a superstar. You recipes ALWAYS amaze. I’m so grateful for your thorough testing, your clear instructions, your perfect results. Thank you for turning every dish into a feast.
❤️
This comment is so true! This dressing is addicting! As is everything else Jenn creates! I also omitted the sugar for dietary reasons and couldn’t imagine this dressing being any better. Thank you again Jenn for another delicious recipe!
This turned out delicious! I added a little more garlic to suit my taste. I didn’t have peanut butter, so ground some peanuts to a paste along with other ingredients. Still tasted great! I love that you show pictures of the steps. In two days I’ve tried two of your recipes. Can’t wait to try out more!
What can I substitute for cilantro?
My husband does not enjoy the flavor.
Thanks
Hi Gail, It’s fine to just omit the cilantro. You could also try basil. Hope you enjoy it!
Delicious and very satisfying without added animal protein. We’re trying to each more plant-based meals and this got a big thumbs-up from my husband!
followed receipe…dressing is way too thick.
The dressing is outstanding! We haven’t had the salad but will tonight with a piece of fresh salmon. My husband loves the dressing. I forgot to buy the red pepper and the Edamame but added a radish and some steam green beans from the garden.
I’m thinking that this dressing would make an excellent vegetable dip. It is certainly thick enough.
I will be making this again.
So good! And, so simple and quick. I used crunchy peanut butter as that is what I had, and I did not have cilantro. Otherwise I followed the recipe. I used it on a bagged, kale chopped salad mix, added some blanched broccoli, leftover chicken from a stir fry and sunflower seeds because I love them. It was delicious and I thought the texture was lovely. Plan to get a cucumber to add tomorrow. Crunchy noodles sound good too. Thank you, Jenn.
Forgot the 5 stars!
Move over Greek salad — you’ve been replaced. This is now my favorite salad; sometimes I eat it as is or top with shrimp. I also appreciate that you show the exact products you use to create the recipe. Nice touch!
I went to CPK every week for this salad! Your peanut dressing was spot on! My new vice is Cheesecake Factory, Thai Lettuce Wraps and use this dressing as one of the sauces they serve. But they also serve a sweet red chili and a tamarind-cashew. Any suggestions how to make those? Love every one of your recipes❤️
So glad you like the dressing, Kristen! I don’t have recipes for red chili or tamarind-cashew dressings — I’ll have to add them to my list of recipes to potentially develop! 🙂
This is delicious!! I make a couple changes. I don’t use Edamame, Napa Cabbage or Coleslaw mix, I use Romaine or Green Leaf Lettuce to make it more of a “salad” but still gives it the crunch. My husband and I don’t like cilantro, so I omit that but use some dried cilantro in the dressing (a couple good hard shakes – it’s not as powerful as fresh cilantro) I also use a little more garlic than suggested in the dressing, 3-4 cloves instead of 2.
This Thai Salad was the hit of the women’s Bible study potluck! Everyone wanted the recipe, so I told them about your blog and book. You are a beautiful lady who makes beautiful, tasty food. Many blessings!
❤️❤️
This is amazing! My husband and son just devoured it with the chicken she links with this recipe! Great for summer. Thank you!!!!
I didn’t have all of the salad fixings on hand but I made the dressing and really the only thing you would need to put it on is a spoon. 😋 It’s wonderful! I put a bowl together with chicken, rice, carrots and cucumbers and topped it with the dressing and it was delicious. I can’t wait to try it on the crunchy salad. This might be my new favorite salad dressing. How long do you think it will keep in the refrigerator?
Glad you enjoyed the dressing! It will keep well for about a week in the fridge.
My wife, who is a big fan of your recipes, made this salad for our dinner tonight. It was superb! The colors of the ingredients and the wonderful dressing really makes this dish stand out. Can’t wait until we have it again. Dan Albee, Escondido, CA 92026
Made this salad and my husband and I really liked it. I have just been diagnosed with a fatty liver and have changed my diet
Draftily. Jenn, we are enjoying many of your healthy recipes. Thank You
I made this last night. I have to say I wasn’t sure about this recipe. The smell bothered me as I’m not a big vinegar fan. Husband grumbled as he helped me put the salad together “We used half the kitchen for a salad?” Then he ate two big bowls, so you made another new fan. We loved it! Reminds me of the great Asian salads Pei Wei used to make years ago. Great texture with lots of crunch and big flavor. I left off the edamame as I am a hormonal cancer survivor but I didn’t miss it.
Hi Jenn, I made the Thai Crunch Salad last night, and my husband who normally eats a scant half cup of salad, devoured a huge bowl! It is so good I am going to make it again and serve it for Father’s Day. Keep the recipes coming, they are always very good!
Hi Jenn! I’ve made this salad countless times and it’s always a hit! I’d like to bring this to a potluck next week, but I’d like to make it peanut free. Any suggestions ? Will almond butter work instead?
Glad you like it! Yes, almond butter will work here. 🙂
Crunchy bright and satisfying. So good! Thank you!
This salad is delicious! My two kids even went back for seconds!!! Wonderful combination of veggies and a very tasty dressing. Looking forward to making this again soon.
Simply amazing! Texture! Flavors! The absolute perfect salad. Due to a peanut allergy in our house, I omitted the peanut butter, and it’s still every bit of wonderful. This will become a go-to for potlucks.
Could you make this with another nut butter?
Definitely!
I love, love, love this salad! I first made it last summer for dinner guests. It is great paired with Honey-Lime-Sriracha Chicken Skewers also on this site. The salad is crisp, fresh and oh so delicious. I’ve made it many times now. When you mix dressing with just enough salad for each meal you can store the remainder in the refrigerator and have it readily available for meals all week. Toss in some poached chicken, steamed shrimp or shredded pork to make an entree salad.
I’ve made this a number of times and everyone raves about it. TO’Day I didn’t have fresh ginger but did have galangal and substituted that for ginger. Very good, similar flavor to what we’ve had before bit more complexity. It’s just such a good recipe you can’t go wrong with it.
Made this Thai Crunch Salad with Peanut Sauce for a last minute get-together with friends the other evening…..got rave reviews! It was so easy to put together and the peanut sauce was sublime. I double the salad, peanut sauce, and added oven roasted chicken to make a complete meal in bowl.There was a small bowl leftover and my husband enjoyed it for lunch today. The peanut sauce stayed nice and nothing seem to be watered down. Absolutely delicious and I plan on making it frequently to enjoy in the hot summer.
I sent this recipe to my teenage son who was home before me. When I got home, I found the dressing in the blender. Easy! I’m always looking for an alternative to the creamy cole slaw recipe, and love Asian-inspired dishes, especially cold salads. This recipe was easy to prepare and delicious. I used a little more lime than the recipe called for, but that was because my teenager probably overdid it with the peanut butter. What teenager doesn’t? : )
I have made this salad twice in the last 3 weeks. It’s absolutely delicious 😋! I made it exactly as written! This will be my go to summer salad this year!
This salad is incredible! The flavors come together beautifully. I usually omit the oil and sugar in the dressing, but otherwise I make it exactly as is. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!
This salad was so good, and everyone who I’ve served it to has asked for your recipe, so I’ve happily passed along the recipe, the link to your website, and told them about your cookbook which I had pre-ordered before it came out — thank you for so many wonderful recipes!
Quick, fresh and flavorful!
Made this for a Thai themed dinner at my place. Huge hit! And soo easy. We tend to eat spicy so we added a bunch of birds eye chillies, but those can be added to individual bowls for those who can’t take the heat!
Can someone answer how many calories are in the dressing itself? Like per tablespoon?
Hi Moureen, While we have nutritional information for each serving of the salad as a whole, we don’t have it broken down in that way – sorry! If someone else has calculated it, please feel free to weigh in. 🙂
Amazing but added some things to make it even better. Removed cucumber and red pepper out of preference. Broke up and Toasted one pkg of ramen noodles ( no seasoning packet) on the stove until lightly browned and added it to the salad for extra crunch along with lightly salted peanuts. My 8 year old loved it.
Oh My God. Best salad dressing E.V.E.R.
We love this salad! It is so light and refreshing but the depth of flavor is out of this world. We added shredded chicken to the salad to make it a complete meal. Perfect!
Such a fabulous salad! When I tasted the dressing, I was thrilled to discover that it’s almost the exact same dressing that’s on my favorite take-out order of Cold Sesame Noodles! Now I can recreate them at home.
Would this work with your Asian Barbeque Chicken and Cauliflower Fried Rice? Thank you!
Sure, Susan – I think it will work well. 🙂
This is an amazing dressing. I need to do low GI foods, so I reduced honey to 1 T and completely eliminated the sugar. I also reduced the salt and replaced rice vinegar with apple cider vinegar. The result was still incredibly tasty–and healthier.
Made it exactly as written. It was delicious!! Thank you for the recipe!
Loved this recipe. For even more crunch, I used about 1/3 regular cabbage to 2/3 Napa cabbage and garnished it with fresh cilantro. It was the favorite of four salads (chicken salad, antipasto salad, Caesar salad and Thai Crunch Salad) that I made for a salad luncheon. Served the salads with croissants and herbed butter. Delicious.