I’ve been on a salad roll these days because BC has been in a crazy heatwave. I’m talking 45ºC but feels like 48ºC… Not cool, mother nature, not cool. So basically, the oven has been staying OFF because my house doesn’t need to be any hotter, thank you very much. That’s where this Crunchy Thai Salad comes in. No oven is needed and it’s loaded with protein, fresh veggies and beautiful rainbow colours! The Thai salad dressing that goes with the salad is creamy, zesty and has a little kick to it. If it’s hot where you are, this vegan salad needs to be on your “to-make list”!
Why You’ll Love This Crunchy Thai Salad
- This vegan salad takes less than 30 minutes to make. So besides not having to turn the oven on for dinner, this crunchy Thai salad also barely takes any time to make!
- The Thai salad dressing is velvety smooth and has a slight kick from the sriracha and ginger. But you can adjust how spicy you want it by adding less sriracha (or more!).
- This salad is actually protein-packed thanks to the edamame beans. Edamame beans are a great source of protein and they take very little time to prepare! So you will be left feeling full and satisfied after enjoying this bowl.
How to Make This Spicy Thai Salad in 30 minutes
This crunchy Thai salad can EASILY be made in 30 minutes. Even if you are typically a slowpoke in the kitchen, you should have no issues making this recipe in 30 minutes. Start with washing and cutting/shredding the veggies. I used my mandolin to slice the cabbage nice and thin. I’m beyond obsessed with this kitchen gadget. I use it all the time. But if you don’t have a mandolin, you could also just use a sharp knife and cut it very finely (it will just take a little longer). Add the kale, broccoli and carrots to a food processor and pulse until a somewhat fine texture has formed. I did each of those vegetables separately in the food processor because the kale shredded up a lot quicker than say the carrots. Set these veggies aside and get the water boiling for the edamame beans.
While the water is coming to a boil for the edamame, bring a small pan over medium-low heat on the stove. Add 1/4 cup of raw cashews and toss them regularly until they start to brown. You could also just buy roasted cashews to avoid this step. Add in the edamame beans and read the package instructions for how to cook them. But they should take at the MOST 10 minutes to cook. Set the cashews and the edamame beans aside to cool.
To prepare the Thai salad dressing, add all the ingredients to a food processor. No reason to wash out the food processor from when you chopped the veggies. But you can if you want to! Simply blend until smooth. The consistency should be quite thin. You’ll be left with a smooth, slightly spicy and flavour-packed dressing to drizzle all over your crunchy Thai salad.
For more vegan salads, check these out!
If you really dislike having to put the oven on in hot weather, this crunchy Thai salad is just what you need. Get your protein and vegetable intake all at once. Make this vegan salad in under 30 minutes and pair it with the creamy and delicious Thai salad dressing. Lately, my dinner theme has been quick and easy but still healthy and nutrient-filled. This vegan salad checks all those boxes and the red cabbage just makes it look so darn pretty. So it’s easy on the belly and easy on the eyes!
Crunchy Thai Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 head kale (shredded)
- 1 head broccoli (shredded)
- 2 medium carrots (shredded)
- 1 1/2 cups edamame beans
- 1/4 cup green onion (chopped)
- 1/4 cup toasted cashews
Almond Butter Sauce/Dressing
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1-2 tsp sriracha (start with 1 tsp)
- 1 inch piece of ginger
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the edamame beans and follow the package instructions. Set aside to cool.
- While the edmame is cooking, wash and chop the vegetables. I used a mandolin to thinly slice the cabbage. Separately add the kale, broccoli and carrots to a food processor, and pulse until a somewhat fine texture has formed. Chop the green onion by hand and put all the vegetables in a large salad bowl.
- Place a small pan over medium-low heat and add 1/4 cup of raw cashews. Toast and frequently toss the cashews until they are slighly browned. Set aside to cool. Option to chop the cashews to a smaller size.
- Prepare the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a food processor or small blender and blend until smooth. The dressing should be quite thin.
- Add the edamame beans and cashews to the salad bowl and toss it all in the dressing. Start with half the salad dressing and add more as needed. If storing the salad in the fridge for the next day be sure to reserve some dressing to add on right before you enjoy it.
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