The Thai Crunch Salad is super crunchy, hearty and delicious! It's a great light lunch filled with crunchy veggies. This one checks all the weeknight boxes without acting fancy about it.
You get crisp broccoli slaw, crunchy peanuts, juicy bell pepper, and fresh cucumber all hanging out in one big, colorful bowl. It's light but filling, fresh and cozy.
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You'll be obsessed with this salad
This salad is super customizable too-toss in shredded chicken, swap the peanuts for cashews, go heavy on the green onions, or skip the cilantro if you're one of those people (no judgment… okay, a tiny bit).
The ingredient list stays short, the prep stays simple, and the payoff is big. And that creamy Thai peanut dressing? I could drink it with a straw. It brings bold, nutty, tangy flavor without turning the salad into a soggy mess. This is the kind of recipe that makes you feel like a kitchen genius for doing very little.
Thai Crunch Salad
Equipment
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 large cutting board
- 1 Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 16 ounce bag of pre-shredded broccoli slaw
- ½ cup cucumber peeled and diced
- ⅓ cup green onions sliced
- ½ cup salted peanuts
- ½ cup red bell pepper diced
- ½ cup Thai peanut salad dressing store bought or homemade, no judgement!
- Optional: chopped cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Place broccoli slaw in a large mixing bowl.
- Dice cucumber and red bell pepper, slice green onions.
- Add cucumber, green onions, red pepper and peanuts to bowl with the slaw.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the salad dressing.
- Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
- Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro if desired.
Notes
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter (can substitute almond butter)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar or fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar substitute
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Nutrition
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Ingredients
Refer to the recipe card for measurements.
Make it your own
- For a peanut-free salad, use a poppy seed dressing, and leave out the nuts in the salad.
- If you enjoy spice, double the red pepper flakes in your dressing.
- Not a fan of spicy foods? Leave out or reduce the red pepper flakes in the dressing.
- Use coleslaw mix instead of broccoli slaw if you already have it on hand.
- Sweeten the salad dressing with 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup.
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. For the complete directions check the recipe card.
FAQ's
Yes, you can shred your own broccoli and carrots for this recipe.
Yes, almonds or cashew are great substitutes. You can even sub out peanuts for sesame seeds.
The homemade Thai Peanut Dressing will last in the fridge for about a week in a tightly sealed container.
Tips
- If you're making your own dressing, mix it ahead to save some prep work at dinner time.
- Add rotisserie chicken or shrimp to the recipe for additional protein.
- You can assemble this salad ahead, however, I don't recommend dressing the salad until you are ready to serve.
- This mayo-free salad is a great side for barbecues and summer parties!
More crunchy fresh favorites
- This amazing Kale Superfood Salad - so much delicious crunch!
- An Outback Wedge is a traditional salad and a great make-ahead side dish.
- The Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad Recipe is packed with crunchy greens and tangy brussels and bright, fresh fruit.
Make it a meal
This salad plays really nice with bold, saucy mains, which makes it a dream side dish. Serve it alongside teriyaki chicken kabobs for a sweet-and-savory combo that feels straight out of your favorite takeout place (but way fresher).
It's just as good next to grilled chili lime chicken, where that cool crunch balances the smoky heat like a little flavor referee. Or go cozy and pair it with crockpot honey garlic chicken. The tangy peanut dressing and sticky-sweet chicken are a match that should probably have its own reality show.
Any of these turn this salad into a full-on dinner situation without extra work.
Your go-to crunchy salad
Thai Crunch Salad is one of those easy wins you'll come back to when you want something fresh, crunchy, and full of flavor without a lot of fuss. It works great as a side dish, a light lunch, or a base for adding chicken, shrimp, or tofu to make it a full meal.
Give it a try, tweak it to your taste, and let me know how you made it your own in the comments. And if that creamy peanut dressing steals your heart like it did mine, don't forget to save this recipe for later!
Shauna says
I love your easy dressing recipe for the Thai crunch salad! Home cooking is fun but I love healthy short cuts, I cant wait to make this tonight, Thanks!
Bowl Me Over says
Fantastic! Enjoy the recipe Shauna, it is so easy and delicious!!