Fresh, crunchy, and bursting with bold flavor, this Thai-inspired Asian coleslaw features crisp cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, and crunchy peanuts all tossed in a creamy, spicy peanut butter dressing.
The Perfect Asian Slaw
This isn’t your typical coleslaw; it’s something so much more. Fresh, bold, creamy, crunchy, sour, with a hint of brightness. Everything is tossed together in a bowl and coated in this out-of-this-world spicy peanut dressing, making this truly irresistible.
Perfect as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish, this Asian coleslaw also works as a topping for Thai pork sliders or shrimp bowls. Fresh, vibrant, and so easy to make, it’s the kind of Asian slaw recipe that elevates simple meals.
Asian Coleslaw with Peanut Dressing Ingredients
It’s funny, as growing up, I ate only 3 vegetables – potatoes, corn, and canned peas. I wish my parents could see me now, as I love most veggies and will often reach for carrot sticks over French fries. This recipe is such a great way to clean out your veggie drawer.
- Spicy Peanut Sauce: The beauty of this recipe is that you can easily adjust your heat preference
- Veggies: cabbage (or just buy a bag of coleslaw), matchstick carrots, bell peppers, shallots, radishes, and green onions
- Chopped Peanuts
- Lime Juice
Chef Lori’s Spicy Peanut Sauce
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 4 Tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1–2 teaspoon Sriracha (go with your personal heat level)
- 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2–4 Tablespoons warm water *optional
- In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients except the water.
- For this recipe, add ~2 Tablespoons of water to thin it out slightly.
How to Make Asian Slaw
In making this recipe, I definitely cheated and used pre-cut coleslaw mix and matchstick carrots; I had them on hand.
- Make the peanut sauce according to the recipe, then set it aside.
- To a large bowl, add coleslaw, julienned bell peppers, matchstick carrots, minced shallot, radishes, and cilantro, then mix to incorporate.
- Add about 3/4ths of the peanut sauce and, using a slotted spoon or tongs, mix to evenly coat.
- Next, add the lime juice and mix until evenly coated. Sprinkle on the chopped peanuts, give it a final mix, and taste. If need be, add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately.
Thai Peanut Slaw FAQs
- Is Thai peanut slaw spicy? It has a mild to medium kick from the peanut sauce, but you can easily adjust it to your preferred heat level.
- Can I customize the vegetables in it? Totally! I have a section below on ways you can make it your own. Try cucumbers, snap peas, and red cabbage as an example.
- What makes Thai peanut slaw so tasty? For me, there’s no mayo, which makes me happy. It’s creamy, crunchy, and packed with bold Thai flavors – cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, peanuts, cilantro, and a spicy peanut butter dressing with fresh ginger.
- How long will this Thai slaw stay fresh? Keeping the dressing separate from the veggies keeps it fresh and crisp for up to 4 days in the fridge. Once dressed, the cabbage will soften by the next day and, while still delicious, it won’t be as crunchy/crisp.
- Can I make it vegetarian or vegan? Definitely! For vegans, be sure to verify that the peanut butter is plant-based, as while most peanut butters are, some contain other ingredients that make them not.
- Can I make it gluten-free? Yes, but when you make the peanut dressing, make sure the soy sauce is gluten-free, or use amino acids in lieu of soy sauce.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Whether it’s for an easy side dish or the base of a main meal, this Thai-inspired Asian coleslaw is packed with bold flavor and texture that elevates almost any meal.
- BIG BOLD FLAVOR: A creamy, spicy peanut butter sauce with fresh ginger delivers rich Thai-inspired taste in every bite.
- PERFECTLY CRUNCHY TEXTURE: Crisp cabbage, fresh veggies, and crunchy peanuts create a great textural juxtaposition.
- BRIGHT AND FRESH: Fresh cilantro adds a pop of color and aburst of freshness.
- VERSATILE: Delicious on its own, but it rocks with grilled chicken and shrimp or piled on top of a pork burger.
- SO EASY TO MAKE: Simple ingredients and quick prep market his an idea side dish or meal prep salad.
- BUDGET-FRIENDLY: Made with affordable, easy-to-find ingredients that won’t break the bank.
Asian Slaw Recipe Substitutions & Additions
This is such a forgiving salad that you have plenty of leeway for changes.
- Cilantro: omit, as no, there is no true substitute
- Veggies: cooked and cooled edamame, cucumbers. minced broccoli, you can also shred your own red, green, and Napa cabbage for the slaw
- Toasted Sesame Seeds
- Nuts: swap almonds instead of the chopped peanut nuts
- Nut-free Sauce: My advice is to search for a recipe with A LOT of 5-star reviews and make sure to read the comments first
- Protein: Add cooked chicken or shrimp
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
This is a great thing to prep ahead of time and use in your meal prep!
- To Make Ahead:
- Peanut dressing: you can store it in individual containers (for meal prep) in these 4-ounce jars, or store it in a closed jar on the counter for up to 2 weeks.
- Veggies: Chop all veggies and mix together. Store in an airtight container in the fridge, or in individual meal-prep containers up to 4 days in advance.
Asian Slaw Recipe with Thai Peanut Dressing
Fresh, crunchy, and bursting with bold flavor, this Thai-inspired Asian coleslaw features crisp cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, and crunchy peanuts all tossed in a creamy, spicy peanut butter dressing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Category: no bake, asian, thai, coleslaw, side dish, condiment, vegetarian. thai salad, thai slaw, asian salad
- Method: no bake
- Cuisine: no bake, asian, thai, coleslaw, side dish, condiment, vegetarian. thai salad, thai slaw, asian salad
Ingredients
- 16-ounce bag of coleslaw
- 1 cup matchstick carrots (~2–3 medium carrots)
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into julienne strips
- 1 shallot, minced
- 3–4 radishes, sliced into small pieces
- 1 Tablespoon of fresh lime juice
- 3/4 cup toasted peanuts, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 – 1 1/4 cups peanut sauce
Instructions
- Make the peanut sauce according to the recipe, then set it aside.
- To a large bowl, add coleslaw, julienned bell peppers, matchstick carrots, minced shallot, radishes, and cilantro, then mix to incorporate.
- Add in 3/4 cup of the peanut sauce and, using a slotted spoon or tongs, mix to evenly coat.
- Next, add the lime juice and mix until evenly coated. Sprinkle on the chopped peanuts, give it a final mix, and taste. If need be, add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately with the remaining peanut sauce on the side for those who want it more saucy. Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Notes
*the nutrition is calculated as a side dish
Leave a Reply