Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing

At any time when a good friend asks me what they need to serve at a cocktail party, this Thai salad with peanut dressing is the very first thing that involves thoughts. It’s extremely flavorful and straightforward to arrange, and it often leaves everybody begging you for the recipe.

What makes this recipe particular is the contrasting textures and ridiculously(!) scrumptious peanut dressing. Typically, after I revisit this recipe, I query whether or not I might make the dressing even less complicated, however then I style it and notice it’s too excellent to mess with.

So, I hope you’ll attempt it as written earlier than making any tweaks.

Whereas I counsel serving the dressing over a mix of tender romaine lettuce, crunchy cabbage, and shredded carrots, you too can use this dressing as a dip for crispy baked tofu or baked hen.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Assessment

“This salad is a ten out of 10! I’ve made it 6 instances within the final couple of weeks. My household and I can’t get sufficient!! So yummy! I might drink the dressing it’s so good.” – Diana

Thai Salad Substances

• Peanut Butter. I exploit all-natural peanut butter as the bottom of the dressing, which provides creaminess and taste. Purchase the type it is advisable to stir if you first open the jar. (Salted is greatest!)
• Tamari. That is gluten-free soy sauce, however you should utilize common soy sauce in case you don’t want a gluten-free recipe. I don’t purchase low-sodium, so if that’s what you’ve gotten available, the dressing may want an additional pinch of salt for taste.
• Honey. This pure sweetener balances out the tangy lime juice and vinegar.
• Rice Vinegar. This number of vinegar is much less acidic than different varieties, however you should utilize champagne, apple cider, or white wine vinegar as an alternative.
• Lime Juice. Utilizing freshly squeezed lime juice provides you with the very best taste on this dressing. When purchasing for a lime, ensure you can squeeze it— that can make it extra more likely to be juicy inside! (Limes with a clean outer pores and skin additionally are typically juicier in my expertise.)
• Pink Pepper Flakes. These add a touch of spice to the dressing, with out making it “spicy.”
• Olive Oil. This dressing doesn’t want a lot oil, for the reason that peanut butter already helps it emulsify. You should use avocado oil or one other impartial possibility in case you favor.
• Veggies. Shredded romaine lettuce, cabbage, inexperienced onion, carrots, crimson bell pepper, and freshly chopped cilantro make the bottom of the salad. In the event you’re lacking one in all these, your salad will nonetheless be scrumptious, so no must be excellent right here.
• Cashews or Peanuts. These toppings add a pleasant crunch! I like to make use of salted nuts for a taste increase, too.

Find out how to Make Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing

Step 1:

To arrange the dressing, add the peanut butter, olive oil, rice vinegar, lime juice, garlic, ginger, honey, salt, and crimson pepper flakes to a glass jar with a lid. (The one I’m utilizing is 14-ounces in measurement.)

Use a small whisk or spoon to stir properly. The dressing gained’t look creamy at first, so be affected person and hold stirring. As soon as it seems to be well-mixed, add a tablespoon of water and stir once more. You may add one other tablespoon of water and stir once more, if a runnier consistency is desired. (I don’t advocate utilizing greater than 2 tablespoons of water, or the flavour may get diluted.)

Set the dressing apart whilst you chop the veggies. If you wish to make this forward of time, safe a lid on the jar and retailer the dressing within the fridge for as much as 5 days. It can thicken when chilled, however will turn into runny once more if you let it come to room temperature.

Notice: Finely mince the garlic and ginger into the dressing with a microplane (affiliate hyperlink). You may mince them straight over the jar of dressing so that they fall proper in, with out further chopping.

Step 2:

Use a pointy knife to shred the romaine lettuce and cabbage; add them to a big bowl as you go. Subsequent, shred a big carrot and add it to the bowl. Then, chop a crimson bell pepper (eradicating the seeds and white pith), the inexperienced onion, and recent cilantro, and add them to the bowl, too.

In the event you’re going to serve this salad quickly, go forward and drizzle about half the dressing over the veggies within the bowl. Toss properly, then style the salad to see in case you want extra dressing. You may drizzle extra as wanted, or serve the additional dressing on the facet so you possibly can add extra to every portion.

Prime with chopped cashews or peanuts for crunch, if desired.

Serving Suggestions

This salad can stay dressed for about 1 hour earlier than serving; after that, among the veggies will launch liquid, and the underside of the bowl will look just a little watery. It’s nonetheless scrumptious, simply not fairly as visually interesting.

So, I like to recommend dressing this salad proper earlier than serving, simply so it seems to be as recent and crisp as doable.

Extra Recipes to Strive

In the event you do that Thai Salad recipe, please go away a remark and star score beneath to let me understand how you prefer it. Your suggestions helps help my work, so thanks!