Thai Slaw with Peanut Dressing
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This Asian Slaw is packed with crisp veggies and fresh cilantro and is tossed in a creamy Thai peanut dressing. This is the perfect side dish for grilled chicken or shrimp, and it’s so easy to make!
Asian Slaw with Peanut Dressing
Crisp cabbage salads/slaws are the best! I’ve always loved coleslaw, and this is basically a Thai spin on American coleslaw.
Yes, it tastes entirely different but in such a good way! I’ll eat just about anything when it’s covered in a Thai peanut sauce.
I absolutely love the blend of flavors and textures here with the fresh cilantro and green onions, the crisp bell peppers and cabbage, the crunchy carrots, and that incredibly simple yet addictive slightly sweet, slightly sour, slightly salty, creamy peanut sauce.
This is the perfect side dish to your favorite Asian chicken recipes. Toss in some grilled chicken breasts and serve it up for lunch. Either way it’s going to be a win!
Asian Slaw Ingredients
For the Asian slaw base, you’ll need:
- Shredded cabbage
- Matchstick carrots
- Bell pepper
- Green onions
- Cilantro
And for the creamy Thai peanut dressing, you’ll need:
- Creamy peanut butter
- Lime juice
- Rice vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Honey
- Brown sugar
- Sesame oil
- Sriracha
- Ginger
- Garlic
How to Make Asian Slaw
- Prep the veggies, then add to a large salad bowl and toss to combine.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the Asian slaw dressing ingredients. Pour over veggies.
- Toss slaw to distribute the dressing, then garnish with sesame seeds.
Can I Make This Slaw in Advance?
I wouldn’t recommend tossing the slaw with the dressing until you’re ready to eat it, just because the cabbage gets soggy as it sits in the dressing. If you want to prep this slaw in advance, I recommend tossing the vegetables together and storing them separately from the dressing. Simply combine everything once you’re ready to enjoy!
Is There a Peanut Butter Substitute I Can Use?
If you’re allergic to peanuts, you may be able to substitute tahini in the Asian slaw dressing. I haven’t tried this myself, but I’ve had readers report success with this substitution. Obviously, the flavor will be totally different from the recipe I made, but I think the slaw would still taste good.
Tips for the Best Asian Slaw
- You don’t have to toast the sesame seeds before garnishing the slaw (although you totally can if you prefer the flavor of toasted sesame seeds!).
- If you have a sesame allergy, you can omit the sesame oil in the dressing. The flavor won’t be quite as deep, but it will still be delicious.
- You could make this slaw a meal by adding grilled chicken to it.
More Easy Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love:
- Classic Coleslaw
- Garden Veggie Pasta Salad
- Greek Orzo Salad
- Cowboy Caviar
- Quinoa, Black Bean and Mango Salad
- Broccoli Apple Salad
Follow Easy Cooking Zone
Asian Slaw with Peanut Dressing
Ingredients
Salad
- 6 cups shredded cabbage (I used a combo of green and red, you can use the pre-cut stuff)
- 1 cup matchstick carrots , roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper , diced into matchsticks
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Dressing
- 1/3 cup natural creamy peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 2 tsp peeled and finely minced ginger
- 1 large clove garlic , finely minced
Instructions
- Add all salad ingredients to a a medium salad bowl and toss. In a mixing bowl whisk together all dressing ingredients until well combined (if needed you can season with a little salt).
- Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can make the salad and dressing portion ahead of time, just refrigerate both separately and add dressing when ready to serve. Also, don't add the dressing to the full portion if you don't plan to eat it all right away, just add to individual servings.
- Recipe source: inspired by Once Upon a Chef