Those are two words you don’t see together often: Peanut and Cabbage. But I assure you, once you try this Sweet and Spicy Peanut Cabbage Salad, they might become your favorite combo. I CANNOT stop making this salad! The veggie combo is so interesting for a slaw like salad. It even includes a red chili pepper kick, but it works! And then there’s the dressing- light, vinegary, slightly sweet with Asian flavors. YUM!
Tasty Asian Inspired Flavors
The inspiration for this salad came from our friends at Pinch of Yum. Their veggie combo was a stroke of genius! For those following the SCD diet however, the dressing had to be rethought. What resulted was a very light vinegarette reminiscent of a slightly sweet Asian peanut sauce…that is SCD legal! Asian flavor can be difficult when following SCD. Soy, tamari, rice vinegar, fish sauce and other traditional Asian ingredients are not allowed. Ingredients I like to use to create those Asian flavors include:
Toasted sesame oil
Lime juice
Honey
Peanut butter, almond butter, tahini
Garlic
Ginger
Green onion
Cilantro
Why we love Sweet and Spicy Peanut Cabbage Salad
My daughter and I may or may not fight over the last bite of this Sweet and Spicy Peanut Cabbage Salad- it is THAT good! But you will love it for other reasons too.
With the help of a food processor, it is quick to make.
You can make this slaw ahead of time, dressed or undressed. Either way it will last in the fridge overnight. (If you don’t eat it all before then!)
The veggies are tossed completely in the yummy vinegarette like a coleslaw, so every bite is dressed perfection.
Kale, cabbage, onions and herbs are all detoxifying, anti-inflammatory and boast incredible nutritional benefits.
With an inspiring veggie combo, a spicy kick, and a slightly sweet vinegarette, kale peanut cabbage salad might become your new obsession too!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad:
1/2 medium red or green cabbage (I’ve used both)
4 cups kale leaves
2 red chili peppers
1/2 cup green onion
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
For the dressing:
1/4 cup avocado oil
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp no sugar added peanut butter (creamy or crunch both work)
2 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic
3/4 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the dressing:
Mince the garlic clove.
Add the remaining dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Alternatively, you can add all dressing ingredients to a high-speed blender and process until smooth.
For the salad:
Using food processor, pulse the cabbage and kale until small pieces are created. Do not over pulse or the veggies will become mushy. You can also use a mandolin and finely shred the cabbage and a knife to finely chop the kale.
Remove the seeds and pith from 2 red chili peppers and finely chop.
Rough chop the green onions and cilantro.
Toss all the veggies in a large bowl with the dressing.
Toss in halved or chopped peanuts just before serving to avoid them getting soggy.
Allow the salad to sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour or serve right away. Either way it will be delicious!
Notes
This salad will keep well overnight in the fridge. The peanuts will get soggy though. To avoid this, just toss the peanuts into the amount of salad you plan to eat just before serving.
You can prep the salad a day or more ahead of time. Just store veggies and dressing separately. Toss everything in a bowl just prior to serving.
Love the combination of peanuts and cabbage!!
★★★★★