Description
This vibrant Thai Chickpea Salad with Peanut Dressing is a refreshing and nutritious dish featuring crunchy romaine, colorful shredded cabbage and carrots, diced peppers, and a bold, creamy peanut dressing. Packed with plant-based protein from chickpeas and topped with roasted peanuts or cashews, it offers a perfect balance of textures and flavors with a hint of heat from jalapeño and cayenne. Ideal as a light lunch or side, this gluten-free and vegetarian salad is easily customizable and ready in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups romaine lettuce, finely chopped or shredded
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots, chopped if pre-shredded
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
- 1/4 cup chopped/sliced green onion
- 1/4–1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts or cashews (for topping)
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 orange, juiced (lime juice can be substituted)
- 2.5 tablespoons low sodium gluten-free soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (seasoned or regular)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for spice)
- 2 tablespoons warm water (to thin the dressing)
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables: Finely chop or shred the romaine lettuce and red cabbage for a varied texture. Chop the pre-shredded carrots to ensure even distribution throughout the salad. Dice the red bell pepper and seed and finely dice the jalapeño to control the heat level. Chop the green onions and cilantro finely, using kitchen scissors or a knife, then combine all the veggies in a large bowl and set aside.
- Mix the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the natural creamy peanut butter, freshly squeezed orange juice, low sodium gluten-free soy sauce, pure maple syrup or honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, grated ginger, finely minced garlic, cayenne pepper, and warm water. Whisk until the dressing is smooth and the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Toss the salad: Drizzle the creamy peanut dressing over the combined vegetables and chickpeas. Toss everything thoroughly to ensure the dressing coats each ingredient evenly, distributing vibrant flavors throughout the salad.
- Serve and garnish: Sprinkle the chopped roasted peanuts or cashews on top for a delightful crunch. Serve immediately to enjoy the fresh textures and bright flavors, or refrigerate for up to a few hours for chilled salad experience.
Notes
- You can substitute lime juice for orange juice to add a more traditional Thai citrus flavor.
- Adjust the cayenne pepper to your preferred spice level or omit entirely for a milder salad.
- For a vegan version, use maple syrup instead of honey.
- This salad is best eaten fresh but can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- To make it gluten-free, ensure the soy sauce used is gluten-free certified.
- Roasted peanuts add great texture, but cashews or almonds also work well as toppings.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-cook
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 280 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Thai salad, chickpea salad, peanut dressing, gluten free salad, vegetarian Thai recipe, healthy salad recipe, quick lunch salad
