Thai Shrimp Salad with Peanut Dressing

Why You’ll Love This Thai Shrimp Salad

• Quick and easy to make – This salad comes together in about 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights or a last-minute lunch.
• Light but satisfying – Packed with juicy shrimp, crisp veggies, and a creamy peanut dressing, it’s a complete meal that won’t weigh you down.
• Fresh and full of texture – Every bite has the perfect balance of crunchy vegetables, tender shrimp, and a rich, flavorful dressing.
• Great for meal prep – Prep the components ahead of time and toss everything together when you’re ready to eat.
• Easy to customize – Swap the protein, add noodles or rice, or adjust the spice level to make it just the way you like it.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

A few simple ingredients come together to create this fresh and flavorful Thai shrimp salad. Here are some helpful tips and easy swaps to make it work for you:

• Shrimp – Use jumbo or extra-large shrimp for the best texture and flavor. You can use fresh or frozen, just make sure frozen shrimp are fully thawed and patted dry before cooking.
• Peanut Butter – Creamy peanut butter works best for a smooth dressing. Natural peanut butter is great, but make sure it’s well stirred so the oil is fully incorporated. If your peanut butter is thick, you may need to add a little extra warm water or lime juice to thin the dressing.
• Rice Vinegar – Rice vinegar adds that light, tangy balance to the dressing. If you don’t have it, you can substitute with apple cider vinegar, white distilled vinegar, or white wine vinegar.
• Soy Sauce – Use low-sodium soy sauce to control salt levels. For a gluten-free option, gluten free soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos.
• Fresh Vegetables – This salad is all about crunch and freshness. Common choices include cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, and cucumbers. Feel free to mix and match based on what you have like thinly sliced snap peas, shredded lettuce, or even broccoli slaw are great additions.
• Herbs and Garnishes – Fresh herbs like cilantro, mint, or green onions add a bright finish. Don’t skip the toppings too: chopped peanuts or sesame seeds add extra texture and really tie everything together.

How to Make Thai Shrimp Salad

This salad comes together quickly, but a few simple tips will make sure everything turns out perfectly every time.

1. Cook the shrimp: Start by seasoning the shrimp lightly with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with a little oil, then add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook for about 1-2 minutes per side, just until they turn pink and opaque. Be careful not to overcook, shrimp cook very quickly, and once they curl into a loose “C” shape and lose their gray color, they’re done. Remove them from the heat right away so they stay tender and juicy.
2. Prep the vegetables: While the shrimp cook, slice and shred your vegetables. Try to keep everything thin and evenly cut so you get a nice balance of textures in every bite. Using a sharp knife or mandoline for cabbage and carrots helps create that light, crunchy consistency that makes this salad so good.
3. Make the peanut dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and any additional flavorings until smooth. If the dressing feels too thick, add a little warm water or lime juice, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a pourable consistency. It should be creamy but easy to drizzle.
4. Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the prepared vegetables and cooked shrimp. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Try not to overdress, start with a little and add more as needed so the salad stays light and fresh, not heavy.
5. Finish and serve: Top with fresh herbs, chopped peanuts, or sesame seeds for extra flavor and crunch. Serve right away for the best texture, while the vegetables are crisp and the shrimp are tender.

Storage and Meal Prep

This Thai shrimp salad is best enjoyed fresh, but you can easily prep components ahead of time to make it even more convenient.

• Storing leftovers: If the salad is already dressed, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that the vegetables will soften as they sit. Try best to store components separately, and not dressed.
• Best way to meal prep: For the freshest results, store the components separately:
  • Keep the cooked shrimp in one container.
  • Store the chopped vegetables in another.
  • Refrigerate the peanut dressing in a jar or sealed container.
• How long does shrimp last? Cooked shrimp will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days when stored properly in an airtight container.

Thai Shrimp Salad FAQs

More Recipes to Try

If you love fresh, flavorful salads and homemade dressings, there are plenty more recipes to explore! My Asian cucumber salad is another light and refreshing option with a bold, tangy kick, while Greek dressing and balsamic vinaigrette brings bright Mediterranean flavors that pair perfectly with crisp veggies or grilled meats. For something classic and versatile, try my Italian dressing and raspberry vinaigrette. And if you’re a fan of bold, zesty flavors like in this dish, don’t miss my ginger dressing.

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Thai Shrimp Salad Recipe with Peanut Dressing

This Thai shrimp salad is fresh, crunchy, and packed with bold flavors, sweet, savory, and just a little tangy. It's made with juicy, seared shrimp flavored with honey, garlic and ginger, on top of a vegetable mixture dressed with easy, homemade peanut dressing. It’s perfect for a light dinner, summer dinner, BBQs and picnics.

5 from 3 votes

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Dietary Options

Course: dinner, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American, Asian, Thai

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 2

Calories: 486kcal

Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

Shrimp:

• ▢ 1/2 lb raw shrimp
• ▢ 2 tsp honey
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves
• ▢ 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• ▢ 1 Tbsp peanut oil
• ▢ Squeeze of 1/4 lemon
• ▢ Salt

Salad:

• ▢ 2 oz baby kale
• ▢ 1 small cucumber skinned and seeded
• ▢ 1 small carrot skinned
• ▢ 1/4 cup scallions
• ▢ 1 small red bell pepper
• ▢ 3/4 cup red cabbage
• ▢ 3 Tbsp peanuts

Peanut Dressing:

• ▢ 2 Tbsp peanut butter
• ▢ 3 tsp rice vinegar
• ▢ 2 Tbsp avocado oil
• ▢ 2 tsp honey
• ▢ 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce

Instructions

• First, make sure to take shells off of shrimp and devein them. (If needed.)
• Slice cucumber, carrot, red pepper and red cabbage thin and add it all to a large mixing bowl. Add baby kale and peanuts as well.
• In a small cup, combine all ingredients for the dressing and whisk until smooth.
• Add dressing to the bowl with vegetables and mix well.
• Divide salad among two plates.
• In a small bowl, mix shrimp with honey, grated garlic, grated ginger, peanut oil, lemon juice and salt. Mix until shrimp are well coated. Let them marinade while you are pre-heating the skillet.
• Pre-heat the skillet on medium-high until it is well heated through. Lower heat to medium.
• Add shrimp and sear just until they turn pink, flip and sear until they turn pink on the other side. (It will take 3-5 minutes, depending on size of shrimp.) Be careful not to overcook them.
• Top salads off with shrimp.
• Serve right away.

Nutrition

Calories: 486kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Sodium: 636mg | Potassium: 846mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 10048IU | Vitamin C: 85mg | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 3mg

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