Well it’s finally spring here in the south, and the sunny days are encouraging the flowers to bloom, families to hit the parks, and pasty winter skin to be exposed. The warmer weather is also making me crave bright, crisp salads as opposed to the hearty soups that keep me going through the winter.
With its crisp and colorful vegetables, crunchy peanuts, creamy avocado, and flavorful Thai dressing, this Thai edamame salad really hits the spot! I keep a bowl full of this salad in my fridge (with the avocado and dressing separate) and have been eating it for lunch the past three days. I’m addicted!
The key to this salad is the creamy Thai dressing. I originally started with a peanut-based dressing, but decided to go with almond butter since it’s more nutritious. Obviously, you can substitute peanut butter for the almond butter if you prefer, but I really like the taste as-is! To give this dressing true Thai flavors, I blended lime, garlic, cilantro, rice vinegar, ginger, and tamari into a creamy sauce that coats the vegetables beautifully.
I served my salad on a sheet of nori paper (seaweed), which is totally optional, but adds a lot of nutrients. Not only is seaweed a dark green vegetable, it’s also an excellent source of iodine, which is necessary for thyroid health. Of course, we don’t see many iodine deficiencies in the U.S. because our salt supply is iodized, but it couldn’t hurt to have an extra source!
- *Creamy Thai Dressing:
- ½ cup almond or peanut butter
- 3 T. rice vinegar
- 1 T. tamari or soy sauce (reduced sodium)
- 1 T. sesame seed oil (optional)
- ½ t. minced garlic
- 1 t. minced ginger
- 1 green onion, chopped
- ½ lime, juiced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- 3-5 shakes hot sauce, if desired
- ¼ t. salt
- ¾ cup water, plus more for thinning to desired consistency
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- 16 oz. frozen shelled edamame (soy beans), thawed
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small cucumber, chopped
- 2 green onions, chopped
- ½ cup shredded red cabbage
- ½ cup grated/shredded carrot
- 1 handful peanuts
- 1 handful fresh cilantro
- ½ avocado, cubed
- 1 package nori sheets (optional), for serving
- Lime wedges (optional), for serving
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- Combine dressing ingredients together in a blender until completely smooth. Add more water and/or salt, if desired.
- Stir together vegetables in a large bowl. Toss with desired amount of dressing and spoon onto nori sheets. Garnish with cilantro, more peanuts, and lime wedges.
This Thai edamame salad is so good, it’s addictive! The dressing would also make a good veggie dip. And as long as you don’t overdo it on the dressing and avocado, this meal is relatively low-calorie. It also contains all of the major nutrients, which makes it a complete meal.
This salad is so easy and delicious, I encourage you to try it!
You won’t be disappointed 🙂
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