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This kale Thai salad is loaded with Thai inspired flavors, and veggies, including a juicy, sweet mango – all of it is coated in a delicious peanut dressing that you’re going to love. This salad will give your taste buds a tropical experience.
It’s a vegan entrée salad that’s satisfying and will keep you full for hours.
This salad is one I originally made back in 2015 and decided to revisit when I wanted to eat healthy, yet have a little taste of summertime. It did not disappoint!
This kale Thai salad with peanut dressing is anything but a boring salad. It’s got loads of flavor, and texture, with hints of juicy sweetness from the mango.
And, don’t forget that peanut dressing!
Oh my, I could drink that stuff. The peanut dressing is salty, savory, sweet, a little bit spicy with garlic, and ginger for that Asian flare, and it’s oh-so-creamy! Yes, please, let me keep a vat of that peanut dressing on hand at all times!
If you’re trying to eat more salads in 2022…(or at anytime), then this kale Thai salad is 100% what you have been looking for!
First, let’s focus on this peanut dressing for a moment…..
Ingredients for the peanut dressing:
- garlic – garlic is a must here, so much flavor.
- ginger – and, ginger pairs so nicely with garlic. The two really give it that Thai flair.
- natural creamy peanut butter – for that peanut-y creamy goodness.
- real maple syrup – to sweeten things up, naturally.
- soy sauce – to add a salty umami flavor.
- sesame oil – for a nice roasted flavor.
- sriracha – for that hint of spice. It’s optional, of course.
- filtered water – to thin things out a bit.
That’s all you need for the peanut dressing.
And, all you do is whiz everything up in a food processor until it’s nice an creamy dreamy!
Can I use a different nut butter for this dressing?
Yes, of course.
Tahini paste, almond butter, or cashew butter would all be great options.
My first choice would be tahini paste – it’s so good made into a dressing.
Why should you massage your kale?
If you’re not already massaging your kale, you seriously need to start. It’s a literal game changer.
Massaging your kale breaks down the fiber transforming it from tough, and bitter, to tender, and sweet.
Making it pleasant to eat.
(That rhymed! Ha! 😉)
How do you massage your kale?
Exactly like it sounds. You use your hands to give the kale a little spa treatment by massaging the kale leaves.
You do want to add a little bit of your dressing to the kale leaves to help soften things up. I usually use a little bit of whatever dressing I am using for that particular salad. However, you could also use a little olive oil and salt instead.
As you can see from the photo above, to the photo below, the kale shrinks a lot in size. This is because we are breaking all of that fiber down and creating nice tender leaves for us to chew.
Trust me, if you think you don’t like kale in your salads, try giving it a good massage next time – you will be surprised in the difference!
Remaining ingredients for the kale Thai salad:
- frozen, shelled edamame – AKA a soy beans. They are so good – creamy, savory little bites. Edamame is packed with plant based protein making it the main source of protein for this salad.
- kale – for the base of the salad. Don’t forget to give it a good massage!!! Trust!
- cucumber – for a little cool crunch.
- red bell pepper – for a nice sweet crunch.
- shredded carrots – another element of sweetness.
- shredded purple cabbage – for a nice crunch…and also a beautiful color.
- green onions – for a hint of onion-y goodness.
- cilantro – because herbs bring so much flavor!
- Ripe mangoes– for a hit of tropical, juicy sweetness that really takes this salad over the top!
- crushed peanuts – for an extra crunch that ties the peanut dressing together!
So many beautiful, colorful veggies here. It’s pretty much a rainbow salad!
Of course, if you don’t have all of these veggies then you can easily leave a few out, and your salad will still be delicious. However, I highly recommend not skipping the mango!
Mangoes are like nature’s candy!
Eat the rainbow!
And, no, this is not a Skittles commercial lol!
This is a reminder that it’s good for our health to try to eat as many colors of the rainbow as we can. Those colorful veggies are bursting with antioxidants and vitamins that your body craves.
My mom would tell me that all of the time when I was a kid, as I was trying to avoid the purple cabbage in my salad lol. The lesson must of stuck, eventually!
Is this kale Thai salad authentic?
Probably not.
But, it does have a lot of Asian inspired flavors in it.
Like, the peanut dressing for example, it reminds me of peanut dipping sauces I have been served with spring roll wraps at Thai restaurants.
Bottom line: this is my twist on a fun salad that has Thai inspired flavors.
Is Kale Thai salad good leftover?
YES!!!
That is the best part, IMO.
Due to the heartiness of the kale and the other veggies this salad is good leftover, even with the dressing on it! I wouldn’t let it sit more than one day though.
And, I suggest adding the peanuts and mango, just before serving so they don’t get all soggy. But, everything else is good to go!!!!
LOVE!
Does this vegan kale Thai salad actually hold you over as a meal?
Yes.
For me, it does.
You’ve got protein from the edamame, peanut butter, and peanuts. Then you’ve got fiber and carbs from the veggies (especially the kale), and the mango. And of course, you’ve got healthy fats from the peanut dressing and the peanuts. A balanced meal that keeps me satisfied for hours.
Reasons you will love this kale Thai salad with peanut dressing:
- It’s so beautiful – rainbow salad!
- It’s loaded with healthy veggies.
- It’s perfect for a meatless meal.
- PEANUT DRESSING,
- AND, MANGO!!!
- It is not a boring salad.
- It’s got loads of varying textures, and flavors.
- It’s vegan,
- and dairy free.
- It’s great leftover the next day – hello, lunch!
More salads that are perfect for meal prep:
- classic creamy coleslaw
- Mexican salads in a jar with healthy ranch dressing
- raw zucchini quinoa salad with lemon herb vinaigrette
- refreshing creamy cucumber salad
- marinated 3 bean salad
- chicken caprese salad jars
- quinoa tabbouleh salad
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know how it went. Make sure to leave a comment below, along with a star rating. Thanks!
Kale Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing
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- Author: Emily Koch
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 4 (as entree salads) 1x
- Category: Salad, Entree, healthy, meal prep
- Method: chopping
- Cuisine: gluten free, vegan, dairy free, vegetarian, superfoods
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Kale Thai salad is packed with veggies, and juicy mango. It’s tossed with a peanut dressing that takes the salad over the top. This vegan salad is satisfying enough to be enjoyed as an entrée salad.
Ingredients
UnitsScale
Peanut Dressing
- 1 to 3 garlic cloves
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled
- 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- optional: 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 1/2 cup filtered water
Salad
- 1 10 ounce bag of frozen, shelled edamame (organic is best when possible)
- 1 bunch kale, washed, stemmed and roughly chopped (See notes)
- 1/2 large seedless cucumber, sliced (if not seedless, then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds before slicing)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 carrots, shredded (I use the shredding blade on my food processor)
- 3/4 cup purple cabbage, shredded (I buy pre-shredded at the grocery store, you can use the slicing blade on your food processor to shred your own)
- 3 to 4 green onions, thinly sliced, both dark green, and light greed parts
- large handful (about 1 cup) cilantro, roughly chopped (I like to include the stems when they are tender)
Toppings/last minute mix-ins
- 2 mangoes, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, or cashes, roughly crushed/chopped
Instructions
- Make the peanut dressing: Add the ginger and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until the ginger and garlic are broken down into little tiny pieces, scrape down the sides as needed. Next, add the peanut butter, maple syrup, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sriracha – pulse until well combined. Then stream in the filtered water. Allow the food processor to run for a few more minutes to make sure everything is well combined. Taste, and adjust as needed. Add more maple syrup if you want it sweeter, or more soy sauce for more saltiness etc. Alternately, you could grate the ginger and garlic into a mixing bowl, and then whisk everything together. Transfer the dressing to a bowl, or jar and set aside.
- Massage the kale: (see notes about why this step is important) – add the chopped, dried kale to a large mixing bowl. Add about 1/3 cup of the peanut dressing to the kale. Use your clean hands to massage the kale. YES! Literally massage the kale until it has reduced in size, and looks like it has broken down (see photos in the post). Set the kale aside. Don’t worry, it won’t wilt sitting in the dressing, it will continue to soften – that’s what’s so great about using kale in a salad. No gross soggy salads.
- Cook the edamame: Follow your package directions to cook the edamame. I like to boil mine (takes 5 mins). Make sure to rinse the edamame in cool water to cool the edamame down.
- Finish chopping the veggies: While the edamame is cooking continue to chop all your veggies – cucumber, bell pepper, carrots, purple cabbage, green onions, and cilantro – as instructed above. Once they are chopped you can place them in the bowl that has the kale in it.
- Toss together: Once the edamame is cooked and has cooled down add that to the mixing bowl along with the remainder of the salad. Drizzle the remaining peanut dressing over the entire salad, and toss until everything is well combined.
- Finish: If serving this salad to guests, transfer the salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle the chopped mango, and the crushed peanuts on top. If you plan to keep leftovers (see below), than add just enough mango, and just enough peanuts to the top of each individual bowl, as you desire eating in that moment. Serve, and enjoy.
- How to store leftovers: This salad makes great leftovers, I KNOW a salad that makes good leftovers is the BEST! Just make sure you store it WITHOUT the mango and the nuts, only add those just before you storing, otherwise they get soggy and mushy. You can store the chopped mango in a separate airtight container so it’s ready to go. The salad will last in the fridge for 1 to 2 days.
Notes
Gluten free: Be sure to use gluten free soy sauce, or coconut aminos in place of soy sauce in the peanut dressing.
Soy free: Omit the edamame, which are soy beans, and use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce. You could add some cooked, cooled shrimp for protein in place of the edamame.
Peanut free: Swap the peanut butter with almond butter, cashew butter, or tahini paste. Use roasted cashews, or almonds instead of peanuts.
Kale prep: I find it a big help to wash, stem, chop, and dry my kale when I bring it home from the grocery store. I store it in an airtight container with a few paper towels. This way I have one less thing to prep when making the salad.
Kale massage step: If you’re not a fan of kale salads, it’s probably because the kale hasn’t been massaged. It might seem weird, but don’t skip this step. Massaging the kale breaks down the fiber, making the kale less tough and more pleasant to eat. It also helps to release it’s bitter flavor.
We find this salad is filling enough as it is. You get plenty of protein from the edamame, peanut butter, and peanuts – and a lot of fiber from the kale and veggies. It makes a large salad for 4 servings. We enjoy eating half of it as leftovers. So good!
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