Thai Peanut Salad
Crisp, Colorful, and Packed with Bold Thai-Inspired Flavor
If you’re looking for a salad that actually feels exciting to eat, this Thai Peanut Salad is it. It’s vibrant, crunchy, fresh, and tossed in a creamy, savory-sweet peanut dressing that turns simple vegetables into something completely crave-worthy. It is like dipping your favorite fresh rolls into a creamy peanut sauce, but in salad form!
This is the kind of salad that works for meal prep, potlucks, easy lunches, or light dinners, and it’s endlessly customizable. Add shredded chicken for extra protein, add avocado if you’d like, or serve it as a side dish with grilled meat, or enjoy it as a satisfying plant-forward main.
The combination of crunchy cabbage, crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and rich peanut dressing delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal effort.
I am currently obsessed with salads that have some heft and some real flavor, like this Crispy Rice Crunch Salad, which is why I am so excited to be sharing this one today. I have been eating it on repeat.
Why You’ll Love This Thai Peanut Salad
- 🥗 Loaded with fresh, crunchy vegetables
- 🌈 Beautiful rainbow color presentation
- ⏱ Perfect for meal prep — stays crisp for days
- 🍗 Easily turns into a full meal with chicken
- 🌱 Naturally dairy-free
- 💥 Big bold Thai-inspired flavor
Unlike lettuce-based salads that wilt quickly, cabbage holds up beautifully, meaning leftovers taste just as good the next day.
What Makes This Salad Special
The magic of this salad comes from layers of texture and flavor:
- Red and green cabbage for crunch
- Sweet bell peppers for brightness
- Cooling cucumber
- Fresh herbs like mint and cilantro
- Creamy peanut dressing tying everything together
- Added protein and fat (optional)
Every bite hits salty, sweet, tangy, creamy, and fresh all at once.
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 1/2 cups cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds or julienned
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 1 cup shelled edamame (thawed if frozen)
- 1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped fine
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine
- ½ cup chopped peanuts
Optional Protein
- 2 cups shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken
Thai Peanut Dressing
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons honey or agave
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (or ginger paste)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2–4 tablespoons warm water (to thin)
- Optional: 1–2 teaspoons sriracha or gochujang chili paste for heat
How to Make Thai Peanut Salad
Step 1: Make the Dressing
In a bowl or jar, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic.
Slowly add warm water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dressing reaches a pourable consistency.
Taste and adjust:
- More lime for brightness
- More honey for sweetness
- Sriracha for heat
Set aside.
Step 2: Assemble the Salad
In a large mixing bowl combine:
- Red cabbage
- Green cabbage
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Green onions
- Edamame
- Bell peppers
- Mint
- Cilantro
Toss until evenly mixed.
Step 3: Add Protein (Optional)
Add shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken if using.
Step 4: Dress and Serve
Drizzle the Thai peanut dressing over the salad and toss well to coat.
Top with chopped peanuts for extra crunch.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Tips for the Best Thai Peanut Salad
Slice vegetables thinly.
Thin cuts absorb dressing better and create the perfect texture.
Dress just before serving if making ahead for maximum crunch.
Massage the cabbage lightly with a small amount of dressing to soften it slightly without losing texture.
Double the dressing — you’ll want extra for grain bowls, wraps, or dipping veggies.
Make It a Meal
This salad easily transforms into a full dinner:
- Add shredded rotisserie chicken
- Toss in grilled shrimp
- Serve over rice noodles or jasmine rice
- Add crispy wonton strips for extra texture
Meal Prep & Storage
- Stores well for 3–4 days in the refrigerator
- Keeps crunch far longer than lettuce salads
- Dressing can be made up to 5 days ahead
Pro Tip: Store dressing separately if prepping for the week.
Variations
- Vegetarian/Vegan: Skip chicken and add extra edamame or tofu
- Low Carb: Use extra cabbage and herbs
- Spicy Version: Add chili crisp or sliced jalapeños
- Nut-Free Option: Substitute sunflower butter and seeds
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use bagged coleslaw mix?
Absolutely! It’s a great shortcut.
Is this salad gluten-free?
Yes, if using tamari or gluten-free soy sauce.
Can I freeze it?
No — fresh vegetables are best enjoyed chilled.
Thai Peanut Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 1/2 cups cucumber thinly sliced into rounds or julienned
- 4 green onions sliced
- 1 cup shelled edamame thawed if frozen
- 1 orange bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves chopped fine
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped fine
- ½ cup chopped peanuts
- Optional Protein: 2 cups shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken
Thai Peanut Dressing
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons honey or agave
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger or ginger paste
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 –4 tablespoons warm water to thin
- Optional: 1–2 teaspoons sriracha or gochujang chili paste for heat
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Dressing
- In a bowl or jar, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic.
- Slowly add warm water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dressing reaches a pourable consistency.
- Taste and adjust: More lime for brightness, More honey for sweetness, Sriracha for heat
- Set aside.
Step 2: Assemble the Salad
- In a large mixing bowl combine: Red cabbage, Green cabbage, Carrots, Cucumber, Green onions, Edamame, Bell peppers, Mint, and Cilantro.
- Toss until evenly mixed.
Step 3: Add Protein (Optional)
- Add shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken if using.
Step 4: Dress and Serve
- Drizzle the Thai peanut dressing over the salad and toss well to coat.
- Top with chopped peanuts for extra crunch.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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