Looking for a salad that's bursting with bold flavors and vibrant colors? This Thai Peanut Salad is just what you need! It's packed with crisp veggies, crunchy peanuts, and a tangy peanut dressing that brings everything together. Perfect for a light lunch or a side dish, this salad is a delicious way to add some excitement to your meal routine. Let's dive into this refreshing and satisfying dish!
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Why This Recipe Works
- You’ll love this Thai Peanut Salad for its vibrant flavors and textures. Crisp vegetables provide a refreshing crunch, while the creamy peanut dressing adds rich, savory notes with a hint of sweetness and tang.
- It's delicious, nutritious, and packed with vitamins and healthy fats.
- Quick to prepare and versatile, it works as a light meal or a delightful side dish, making it a tasty way to enjoy more fresh veggies.
🥘 Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts (boneless/skinless): These provide a lean source of protein, making the salad hearty and satisfying.
- Red Onion (finely chopped): Red onions add a sharp, tangy flavor and a lovely crunch, enhancing the salad’s texture and taste.
- Garlic (paste): Garlic paste brings a rich, aromatic depth to the salad, perfectly complementing the other ingredients.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice adds a zesty, tangy brightness that lifts the flavors and balances the richness of the peanut sauce.
- Red Pepper Flakes: These add a hint of heat, giving the salad a spicy kick that can be adjusted to taste.
- Honey: Honey adds a natural sweetness that balances the tangy and spicy elements in the salad, creating a harmonious blend of flavors.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil adds a smooth, rich texture and helps to blend the ingredients together, enhancing the overall mouthfeel.
- Cabbage (shredded): Shredded cabbage adds a refreshing crunch and a slightly peppery taste, making the salad both hearty and refreshing.
- Red Pepper (diced): Red pepper brings a sweet, crisp flavor and vibrant color, adding both taste and visual appeal.
- Carrots (grated): Grated carrots add a natural sweetness and a delightful crunch, boosting the salad’s texture and nutrition.
- Scallions (chopped): Scallions provide a mild onion flavor and a pop of green, adding freshness and color to the salad.
- Fresh Basil (chopped): Fresh basil adds a fragrant, slightly sweet, and peppery flavor that elevates the overall taste of the salad.
- Fresh Cilantro (chopped): Fresh cilantro brings a bright, citrusy flavor that adds a refreshing contrast to the richer elements in the salad.
- Peanuts or Cashew Nuts: Cashew nuts or peanuts add a creamy, buttery crunch, enhancing the texture and providing a nutty richness to the salad.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
📖 Substitutions & Variations
- Thai Papaya Salad: Add fruits such as papaya, mango or pineapple to the salad for a sweet and tangy twist. The fruit adds a refreshing contrast to the savory and spicy elements.
- Seafood Thai Peanut Salad: Substitute the chicken with grilled shrimp or scallops. Season them lightly with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime before grilling. This adds a delightful seafood twist to the salad.
- Thai Peanut Salad with Noodles: Add cooked rice noodles or soba noodles to the salad for a more substantial meal. Toss the noodles with the vegetables and dressing to ensure they are well-coated with flavor.
🔪 How To Make Thai Salad
- Prep your skillet with cooking spray: Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Cook the onion and garlic: Add onion and garlic to the skillet and cook for two minutes.
- Add and cook the chicken: Add your chicken to the skillet with the onion and garlic, sauté the chicken until browned and fully cooked, and set the chicken aside to cool.
- Dice the chicken: Once cooled, dice the chicken.
- Make the Thai Salad Dressing: Add the lime juice, ginger, and red pepper flakes to a bowl, whisk together to combine all ingredients, slowly add the olive oil while whisking, then add honey and whisk until well combined.
- Assemble the salad: Combine the cabbage, red pepper, carrots, scallions, basil, cilantro, and diced chicken in a large bowl, then toss with the dressing and mix well.
- Top the salad: Top with peanuts or cashews and serve.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Use Fresh Ingredients: Fresh vegetables and herbs will give your salad the best flavor and crunch. Opt for crisp cabbage, fresh basil, and cilantro to elevate the taste.
- Adjust the Spice Level: If you prefer a milder salad, reduce the amount of red pepper flakes. If you like it spicier, feel free to add more.
💭 FAQs
Yes, you can easily make this salad vegetarian by omitting the chicken. You can replace it with tofu or tempeh for a protein-rich alternative. Marinate and cook the tofu or tempeh similarly to the chicken to infuse it with flavor.
Peanuts and cashews both bring unique flavors and textures to the Thai Peanut Salad, each contributing differently to the overall dish. Peanuts have a more robust, earthy flavor and a slightly firmer crunch. They are a traditional ingredient in many Thai dishes, including peanut sauce, which adds a familiar, authentic taste to the salad. Cashews, on the other hand, offer a creamier, milder nutty flavor with a softer crunch. They can add a touch of sweetness and a buttery texture that complements the fresh vegetables and tangy dressing.
This will help keep the ingredients fresh and prevent any odors from the fridge affecting the taste.
The salad is best enjoyed within a few days of preparation to ensure the vegetables stay crisp and the flavors remain vibrant.
Thai Peanut Salad is best enjoyed fresh. Freezing can cause the vegetables to become soggy and is not recommended.
🧂Serving Suggestions
Pair Thai Peanut Salad With These side dishes:
- Steamed Jasmine Rice: A simple side of steamed jasmine rice complements the flavors of the Thai Peanut Salad, providing a neutral base that balances the bold tastes.
- Spring Rolls: Fresh or fried spring rolls filled with vegetables and shrimp or tofu pair wonderfully with the salad, adding an extra layer of texture and flavor.
- Grilled Shrimp: Grilled shrimp, seasoned with a bit of lime and chili, enhances the salad with a smoky and succulent touch.
- Thai Iced Tea: A sweet and creamy Thai iced tea can be a refreshing beverage to serve alongside the salad, balancing the spice and flavors with its rich sweetness.
- Tom Yum Soup: A bowl of hot and sour Tom Yum soup can complement the salad with its tangy, spicy broth and tender shrimp or chicken.
- Stovetop Arugula Frittata With Tomatoes: Serve this Thai Salad with a Arugula Frittata for a wholesome and filling meal.
🍽 Related Recipes
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Thai Peanut Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Chicken Breasts boneless/skinless
- 1 Small Red Onion finely chopped
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic paste
- 4 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
- 2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 Tablespoon Honey .
- 3 Tablespoon Olive Oil .
- 4 Cup Cabbage shredded
- 1 Red Pepper diced
- 3 Carrots grated
- 2 Scallions chopped
- ¼ Cup Fresh Basil chopped
- ¼ Cup Fresh Cilantro chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Cashew Nuts
Instructions
- Prep your skillet with cooking spray: Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Cook the onion and garlic: Add onion and garlic to the skillet and cook for two minutes.
- Add and cook the chicken: Add your chicken to the skillet with the onion and garlic, sauté the chicken until browned and fully cooked, and set the chicken aside to cool.
- Dice the chicken: Once cooled, dice the chicken.
- Make the Thai Salad Dressing: Add the lime juice, ginger, and red pepper flakes to a bowl, whisk together to combine all ingredients, slowly add the olive oil while whisking, then add honey and whisk until well combined.
- Assemble the salad: Combine the cabbage, red pepper, carrots, scallions, basil, cilantro, and diced chicken in a large bowl, then toss with the dressing and mix well.
- Top the salad: Top with peanuts or cashews and serve.
