Peanut crunch salad combines so many textures and colors (along with a peanut dressing that is seriously addicting) for the perfect salad. The salad is a cabbage base combined with lots of herbs, veggies, cashews, and quinoa. It is hearty, packed with flavor and a simple one bowl meal for a weekday lunch or dinner.
Peanut Crunch Salad Ingredient Notes:
- Cabbage: We like to use a mix of both red and green cabbage for color and taste. We find red cabbage a little more peppery than sweet green cabbage and like the combination of the two best in this salad. It is best to shred the cabbage with a food processor to ensure it is thinly sliced and fresh, but a pre-bagged version will also work.
- Shredded carrots: We love shredded carrots in just about any salad. They add color and sweetness. For this salad, we take a shortcut and use the pre-bagged variety from the store.
- Edamame Beans: We used frozen edamame beans and shelled them after heating. But refrigerated or pre-shelled will also work in this recipe. If you cannot find them or are not an edamame fan, these can be left out.
- Herbs: We use a mix of green onions, mint, and cilantro to add flavor and freshness to the salad. Any of these can be left out if needed, but if you are a fan of them, we strongly recommend adding them. Trust us, the herbs make all the difference!
- Salted Cashews: We are big cashew fans. We eat them almost daily as a snack and put them in just about any salad we get the chance to. We prefer salted, roasted, but raw or unsalted will also work. Instead of cashews, almonds or peanuts can also be used.
- Quinoa: We like adding a grain to this salad to make it a little heartier and to add texture. For a lighter salad, this can be left out.
How to Make The Best Peanut Crunch Salad:
Step 1: Make the dressing – This salad has delicious mix-ins but the star of the show is the dressing. This salad starts by making the delicious, creamy peanut dressing. To make it, simply combine all the ingredients (peanut butter, lime juice, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and sugar) in a bowl. After adding the ingredients, whisk to combine. The dressing should be creamy, but still pourable (it should be the consistency of a creamy dressing not peanut dipping sauce). If the dressing is too thick after mixing, simply add an extra tablespoon of water until it reaches the desired consistency.
Step 2: Make the salad base – to make the salad base, simply add all the ingredients into a large bowl. The salad mainly consists of cabbage but also has lots of other veggies for texture, color and flavor. We add red bell pepper, shredded carrots, and edamame beans in addition to the cabbage. Another key part of the base is the herbs. We use cilantro, mint, and green onions to add flavor and brightness to the salad. Lastly, we add quinoa and cashews for additional texture and heartiness.
Step 3: Mix the salad – after all the ingredients are added to a large mixing bowl, pour about half of the peanut dressing over top and toss to combine. We recommend eating it as soon after mixing it as possible as the cabbage and veggies will begin to wilt with time.
Other recipes you will love:
- Chinese chicken salad: Another cabbage based salad that we love is this chinese chicken salad. Instead of the peanut dressing, it uses a lighter sesame ginger dressing.
- Spring rolls: If you are as obsessed with this peanut dressing as we are, then these spring rolls make a great snack to satisfy the peanut craving and dip in peanut sauce.
Peanut Crunch Salad FAQs:
Can I change the nuts? Yes. Instead of cashews, another nut can be used. We would recommend almonds or peanuts for this particular salad.
Can I let this sit? This salad is best served within about 30 minutes of tossing. As the salad sits with the dressing, the cabbage and other veggies being to wilt. If you need to let it sit, we recommend making the base and dressing in advance and then leaving them separate. To do this, add all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and place it in the fridge. The dressing can also be mixed together and left out at room temperature for a few hours until it is time to toss the salad.
Can I leave out the cilantro? Yes. We use a combination of herbs in this recipe (mint, green onion, and cilantro). Any of the herbs can be left out, but if you like the taste, we recommend adding them all!
Recipe:
Peanut Crunch Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded red cabbage
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
- 1/2 large red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup edamame beans shelled
- ½ cup roasted, salted cashews
- 4 green onions sliced
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- ⅓ cup mint leaves sliced
- 1 cup cooked quinoa optional
Dressing:
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water use 1-2 more tablespoons as needed
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Instructions
Dressing (yield enough for 2 salads):
- Mix together the dressing ingredients until evenly combined. The dressing should be thick but pourable (think very creamy dressing not peanut sauce). If the dressing is too thick, add an extra tablespoon or 2 of water until it reaches the desired consistency
Salad:
- Add all the salad base ingredients into a large bowl. Pour the ½ dressing over top and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
