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Thai Crunch Salad CPK Copycat (with peanut ginger sauce) Recipe

Thai Crunch Salad CPK Copycat (with peanut ginger sauce) Recipe
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★★★★★

5 from 11 reviews

This Thai Crunch Salad with a peanut ginger sauce is a vibrant and refreshing dish inspired by the CPK classic. Packed with fresh vegetables, crunchy toasted ramen noodles, herbs, and a creamy, tangy peanut sauce, it’s perfect as a light lunch or side salad with an Asian flair.

Ingredients

Scale

Salad

  • 4 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
  • 1 cup red cabbage or napa cabbage, shredded
  • 1 1/2 cups carrots, shredded
  • 1 cup cucumbers, large diced
  • 1 cup red pepper, large dice or thinly sliced
  • 3–4 green onions, sliced
  • 1 cup edamame, steamed
  • 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
  • 1 red serrano pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 cup cilantro, Thai basil, mint chopped
  • 1/2 cup roasted peanuts and/or sunflower seeds
  • 1 package ramen noodles, roughly broken and toasted

Peanut Ginger Sauce

  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil (optional)
  • 1–2 tablespoons sriracha or sambal (adjust to taste)
  • 2–3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 inch fresh ginger piece, peeled
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2–4 tablespoons water (to thin)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Vegetables: Using a sharp knife or mandoline, thinly shred the cabbage to resemble coleslaw texture. Slice, dice, and shred the remaining vegetables—carrots, cucumbers, red pepper, green onions, and chop the serrano pepper finely for some spice.
  2. Toast Nuts: In a dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast the peanuts and/or sunflower seeds until fragrant and lightly browned, shaking the pan to prevent burning. Set aside to cool, then roughly chop the nuts.
  3. Toast Ramen Noodles: Break the ramen noodles into chunks and spread them out on a baking sheet. Toast in a preheated oven at 375°F for 5-8 minutes, shaking or stirring occasionally until lightly golden. Alternatively, toast in a toaster oven or air fryer at 320°F for 5-7 minutes, keeping a close eye to avoid burning. The noodles do not need to be perfectly even in color.
  4. Make the Peanut Ginger Sauce: Combine peanut butter, rice vinegar, lime juice, maple syrup, sesame oil (if using), sriracha or sambal, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and water in a blender. Blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding more sriracha for heat, vinegar or lime juice for tanginess, or maple syrup for sweetness. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  5. Toss the Salad: In a large bowl, combine all the shredded and chopped salad ingredients and about two-thirds of the peanut ginger dressing. Toss well to evenly coat all the vegetables with the dressing.
  6. Serve: Plate the dressed salad and top with fresh herbs (cilantro, Thai basil, mint), toasted peanuts or sunflower seeds, and the toasted ramen noodles for crunch. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side and lime wedges for extra zest.

Notes

  • If you prefer an oil-free dressing, omit the sesame oil; the sauce remains delicious.
  • Adjust the amount of sriracha or sambal to suit your spice tolerance.
  • Toasting nuts and noodles together is convenient if you use the oven; spread them on the same sheet but keep an eye to avoid over-toasting.
  • This salad is best served fresh but can be stored refrigerated for up to 1 day. Keep the noodles separate to maintain crispiness.
  • Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free version.

Nutrition

Keywords: Thai salad, peanut ginger sauce, crunchy salad, CPK copycat, healthy salad, ramen noodle salad, vegetarian Asian salad

Find it online: https://foodbylina.com/thai-crunch-salad-cpk-copycat-with-peanut-ginger-sauce-recipe/