Simple Thai Salad Peanut Sauce (Printable)

Fresh Thai-style salad with crisp vegetables topped with creamy peanut dressing. Ready in 15 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Salad Vegetables

01 - 2 cups shredded green cabbage
02 - 1 cup shredded carrots
03 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cucumber, julienned
05 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
06 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
07 - 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

→ Peanut Sauce

08 - 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
09 - 2 tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free if needed)
10 - 2 tbsp lime juice (about 1 lime)
11 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
12 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
13 - 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
14 - 1 garlic clove, minced
15 - 1-2 tbsp warm water (to thin, as needed)
16 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes or dash of sriracha (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Shred the green cabbage and carrots. Thinly slice the red bell pepper. Julienne the cucumber and thinly slice the green onions. Place all prepared vegetables in a large salad bowl.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and chili flakes if using. Mix until well combined.
03 - Add warm water one tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously, until the sauce reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
04 - Drizzle the prepared peanut sauce over the vegetables. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly with the dressing.
05 - Top the salad with chopped roasted peanuts and fresh cilantro leaves. Serve immediately while vegetables remain crisp.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered for hours
  • You can prep everything ahead and toss it together when hunger strikes
  • Crisp vegetables meet creamy sauce in the most satisfying way
02 -
  • The sauce will thicken as it sits, so make it slightly thinner than you think you need
  • Room temperature vegetables work better than cold ones for coating evenly
  • This salad tastes better after sitting for 15 minutes, so dont be afraid to make it ahead
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to julienne the cucumber if you dont want to get out your mandoline
  • Toast your own peanuts in a dry skillet for five minutes to deepen the flavor

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