Sign me up for this insanely easy Thai Peanut Cabbage Salad with a Honey Lime Vinaigrette! Add a protein to make it a full meal, yum!
You have all got to make this Thai Peanut Cabbage Salad with a Honey Lime Vinaigrette ASAP! It’s tossed with Napa cabbage, edamame, shredded carrots, peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, herbs, and crispy rice noodles.
Don’t forget the vinaigrette! You probably have most of the ingredients in your kitchen. I love the combo of sesame oil and olive oil in this recipe. The sesame oil adds a nutty and toasty flavor and the olive oil gives a buttery and more neutral finish to the other flavor-rich ingredients. I like my vinaigrettes on the acidic side. However, if you don’t like as much of a punch, add another tablespoon of olive oil.
This Thai Peanut Cabbage Salad can be a big entree salad, a starter, or side. It pairs well with any protein, if you want to add one in to make it a full meal. My choice: store-bought rotisserie chicken. Shred it and toss it into the slaw. Delicious!
Ingredient Notes:
- Vermicelli Rice Noodles – Feel free to eye-ball the 2 oz. measurement, this doesn’t have to be exact. Plus, if you go over by a bit, snacking on them is always a good option. If you’re not living a gluten-free lifestyle, you can substitute ramen noodles here.
- Napa Cabbage – I love Napa cabbage, otherwise known as Chinese cabbage. For those who are unfamiliar, it’s more of a cross between the classic cabbage and a leafy green. If anyone hates the texture of classic cabbage, you may enjoy Napa cabbage instead! But, if you cannot find it anywhere, you can try and substitute green cabbage.
- Shredded Carrots – The pre-shredded from the grocery store is a great way to make prep easier.
- Fresh Herbs – Just use the leaves. If any leaves are too large, tear them in half or into thirds.
- Honey – It helps to microwave it for 5-10 seconds before adding it to the vinaigrette. This way it doesn’t clump up.
Thai Peanut Cabbage Salad
Equipment
- Tongs or Slotted Spoon
- Paper Towels
- 1 Medium Bowl
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- Neutral oil for frying
- 2 oz. Vermicilli rice noodles
- Kosher salt
- 5 cups napa cabbage thinly shredded
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup edamame beans defrosted
- ¾ cup roasted salted peanuts
- 1/3 cup fresh Herbs such as mint, cilantro, Thai basil, or a combination of all three
- Honey-Lime Vinaigrette recipe below
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Shredded Cooked Rotisserie Chicken optional
For the Honey-Lime Vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce/tamari
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Peanut butter (optional)
Instructions
For the Salad:
- Fill up a medium pot halfway with neutral oil and set over medium-high heat. Once hot, carefully add the vermicelli noodles (TIP: The oil will bubble like crazy and then stop). Cook until they puff up and float to the top, about 15 seconds. Remove from the oil with tongs or a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Season with Kosher salt. Break apart, as much as desired, for the salad.
- In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, edamame, peanuts, fresh herbs, (shredded cooked rotisserie chicken, if adding) and as much vinaigrette as you’d like. Taste and season with Kosher salt and pepper. Top with crispy rice noodles and serve.
For the Honey-Lime Vinaigrette:
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and lime juice. Slowly drizzle in, while whisking continuously, the sesame oil and olive oil. Taste and season with Kosher salt and pepper. TIP: If you want a creamier dressing, whisk 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter into the dressing.
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