Asian Crunch Salad With Sriracha Peanut Dressing

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This Crunchy Asian Salad is a dynamically addicting combination of crisp, vibrant veggies with crunchy toasted peanuts and ramen all doused in creamy, irresistible Sriracha Peanut Dressing!

This Asian Salad Recipe is s so crazy good I was eating it for breakfast the next day AKA it’s destined to become one of your favorite Asian salads of all time. And bonus, it is a FABULOUS make ahead salad without anything to prep last minute and stores beautifully!

Crunchy Asian Salad with Sriracha Peanut Dressing.

Asian Chopped Salad

I first posted a very modified version of this Crunchy Asian Salad with Sriracha Peanut Dressing back in July 2014, my first year of blogging:
JULY 30, 2014
“Thank you all so much for your best wishes for a speedy recovery from my pneumonia. I was able to come home from the hospital on home IVs, and I’m not sure who was more excited about it, me or Kiwi? (cue video of Kiwi welcoming me home)
As excited as Kiwi was that I was home, that’s almost as excited as I get to share new recipes with you! (I only say almost because I would be lying if I said I jumped up and down repeatedly for 10 minutes straight like Kiwi 🙂 )”
I’m just as grateful today as I was then for your encouragement and support and I’m just as excited to share this beautified Crunchy Asian Salad with Sriracha Peanut Dressing with you especially because this was the first salad I created that I fell in love with.
I used to not be much of a salad person – too much “chopping” for my taste and not enough satisfying flavor. But with one taste of this Crunchy Asian Salad with Sriracha Peanut Dressing in 2014 – I was converted.
I discovered the secret to a successful, dynamite salad is not only a killer, flavor loaded dressing but plenty of crunch – and this Asian Chinese Salad is packed with it: cabbage, Romaine lettuce, snow peas, green onions, carrots, cilantro and bell peppers all topped with roasted peanuts and toasted Ramen – a texture lover’s dream.

Crunchy Asian Salad with Sriracha Peanut Dressing with limes.

Asian Crunch Salad Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at what you need to make this recipe (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

Cabbage: I used red cabbage, but you can use red or green for this recipe. Remove the thick and fibrous outer leaves to reveal the softer leaves beneath. You can save the tougher out leaves for sautéing or for cabbage soup. Take care to thinly slice the cabbage and cut it into smaller lengths if you wish for more manageable bites 😉.
Romaine lettuce: I usually purchase Romaine hearts which tend to be fresher, sweeter and crunchier than whole heads without the wilted outside layers.
Bell pepper: Use red, orange or yellow for their sweetness, rather than green which is earthier.
Carrots: I prefer to slice carrots into matchsticks myself because they tend to be thicker than store-bought and hold up better in the salad.
Snow peas: These add fantastic crunch! Trim the ends of the snow peas, then julienne them. Some of the peas will fall out, but that’s okay, just add them to the salad separately.
Green onions: You will need about ½ bunch green onions to make ¼ cup chopped. The green onions are less pungent than yellow or red onions with a sweet, onion-y fresh flavor.
Cilantro: This adds a tangy, zesty, citrus flavor. If you’re one of the 4-14 percent who thinks cilantro tastes like soap, just skip it. If you love it, add more to taste.
Ramen: Just one (3 ounce) packages of dry ramen – the everyday kind with the seasoning packet – adds sublime crunch. For this recipe, you will discard the seasoning packet (or use it for something else).
Peanuts: Use roasted, salted peanuts for maximum flavor.
Almonds: I prefer sliced almonds but you can also use slivered if you prefer. They can be found in the bulk bins at sprouts or in small packages by the salad toppings or other nuts.

Sriracha Dressing

This Crunchy Asian Salad becomes even dreamier with a drizzling – or bathing if you prefer – of the dazzling hero of this salad – the mega creamy, Sriracha Peanut Dressing. This dressing has a base of olive oil, and peanut butter thinned with water and layered with rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, honey, lime and sriracha. Its nutty, savory, salty, tangy with a punch (of customizable) heat. I use the full one tablespoon sriracha for my dressing but if you don’t love heat or aren’t sure how much to use, simply start with 1 teaspoon and add more to taste.

Dressing Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at what you need to make this recipe (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

Peanut butter: Use your favorite peanut butter because that is what the dressing will taste like!
Oil: I suggest either canola oil or light olive oil for this recipe because you don’t want the oil flavor pronounced. Light olive oil is a refined oil that has a neutral taste and a higher smoke point. It can be used for baking, sautéing, grilling, and frying.
Rice vinegar: This is a type of vinegar made from fermented rice. It is typically far less acidic and milder than pure distilled white vinegar and commonly used in dressings and Asian recipes. Look for it next to the other vinegars. Make sure to use unseasoned/natural rice vinegar – the seasoned is potent!
Soy sauce: This grounds the dressing with its salty umami. I recommend using reduced sodium soy sauce or reducing the salt in the recipe.
Honey: This balances the vinegar to create that sweet and tangy dressing. Use more or less honey to taste – some like it sweeter, some like it less sweet.
Sriracha: This is a chili sauce made of red chili peppers and garlic. It is less vinegary than most hot sauces and about the consistency of ketchup.
Lime Juice: This brightens the entire dressing! Fresh is always best, but bottled will also work.
Spices: The dressing is rounded out with garlic powder, ginger powder, dried basil, salt and pepper.

Protein Options

This Asian Salad is delicious with chicken, salmon, shrimp, pork or steak to transform it into the main event:

Rotisserie chicken: Go as simple as shredded rotisserie chicken tossed separately in a little of the dressing – you will be amazed at how much flavor it soaks up.
Chicken: Add your favorite Asian chicken such as honey sriracha chicken, teriyaki chicken, Korean chicken, honey garlic chicken, sesame chicken, Mongolian chicken or yakitori.
Salmon: Buttery cooked salmon would be a fabulous addition. Try adding honey glazed salmon, Asian salmon, Asian BBQ salmon or teriyaki salmon.
Shrimp: Add pre-cooked shrimp or raw shrimp seasoned with garlic, onion and ginger and a splash of soy sauce. Teriyaki shrimp, honey garlic shrimp, or sweet chili shrimp would also be tasty.
Beef and pork: Add your favorite tender steak such as beef bulgogi, grilled Asian steak or Mongolian beef. Slow cooker Asian Caramel Pork would also be tasty.

Crunchy Asian Salad with Sriracha Peanut Dressing being poured over top.

How to Make Asian Salad With Ramen Noodles

Asian Salad is easy to make but will reward you with an explosion of flavor! Here’s a quick overview (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

Step 1: Make dressing. Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Make sure to taste and adjust by adding additional lime, honey, sriracha, etc. so it’s prefect for YOU!
Step 2: Toast ramen and peanuts. Add broken Ramen noodles to half of a large baking sheet in a single layer, and the peanuts to the other half. Bake for approximately 4-8 minutes, or until golden in some places.
Step 3: Assemble salad. Add salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine. Top with peanuts and Ramen noodles.
Step 4: Add dressing. Drizzle individual servings with dressing and additional lime juice if desired.

Serving Crunchy Asian Salad with Sriracha Peanut Dressing.

Crunchy Asian Salad Recipe Variations

You can swap out any of the ingredients or add anything to this Asian Salad to make it your own! Some variations include:

Add protein: See section below for how to make this recipe a complete meal with rotisserie chicken, shrimp, pork, etc.
Add vegetables: Add any vegetables to this recipe such as cucumbers, edamame, celery, mushrooms, bean sprouts, etc.
Swap nuts: Use slivered almonds, cashews macadamia nuts, etc.
Add coconut: Toast the coconut for about 8 minutes at 400 degrees.
Add fruit: Sweet, juicy pineapple, mangos or Mandarin oranges add sweet bursts of delight and pair beautifully with the creamy dressing.
Add dried cranberries: Also known as Craisins, are plump, sweet, juicy gems in the salad. You could also use dried cranberries or raisins.
Add water chestnut: They’re delightfully crunchy and easy to find at any grocery store.
Add sesame seeds: These add a mild, sweet, and nutty flavor and a satisfying crunch. Use toasted sesame seed for a stronger almond-like flavor.
Sunflower seeds: Use roasted and salted sunflower seeds for the best flavor.

Tips For Making Asian Ramen Noodle Salad

Customize the salad. This Asian Salad is all about making it YOUR favorite salad! Do this by adding more or less of any of the ingredients to your liking, or omitting some ingredients completely, as long as you have plenty of CRUNCH!
Chill dressing. You’ll want to refrigerate your dressing for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer, so the flavors deepen and meld. Cold dressing is also much more appetizing than lukewarm dressing. If you are short on time, pop the dressing in the freezer for 30 minutes than refrigerate beyond that.
Make the dressing more or less sweet. Some prefer the dressing sweeter, some like it less sweet. Do you best to adjust it before you add it to the salad, but it’s also easy to adjust after it’s added to the salad. You can drizzle on a little rice vinegar for tangier or sprinkle on a little sugar for sweeter, and mix it directly into the salad.
Hold the dressing. The ramen and Romaine will start to soften as soon as you add the dressing, so only add it once you’re ready to eat.
Serve immediately. To that end, serve the Asian Salad immediately after dressing so it’s at peak freshness, or add dressing to individual servings.
Scale to your needs. This recipe makes enough for a family meal, but you can easily half the recipe if you prefer.

Meal Prep This Crunchy Asian Salad Recipe

These ingredients for this Asian Salad recipe can all be prepped ahead of time, then combined when ready to serve, for a stress-free lunch or dinner win. Here’s how:

•Toast ramen and peanuts: Toast, let cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.
•Chop ingredients: Chop the salad ingredients, then store in separate airtight containers until ready to assemble.
•Dressing: Whisk and refrigerate in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Storing Asian Ramen Noodle Salad

If you plan on storing leftover Asian Salad, do not toss the salad with ramen or the dressing otherwise you’ll end up with a soggy salad within a couple hours. Instead, store the salad, ramen and dressing in separate airtight containers. The salad without the dressing will last about 3 days in the refrigerator although the lettuce can soften a bit.
To store the dressing, transfer it to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to one week. The dressing will thicken upon standing, so you may need to think it out with some water.
Crunchy Asian Salad – a texture lover, flavor lover’s dream that might just have you jumping up and down in flavorful bliss…maybe just not for 10 straight minutes.

LOOKING FOR MORE Side SALAD RECIPES?

Corn Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Strawberry Avocado Broccoli Salad
Pina Colada Fruit Salad
Perfect Fruit Salad with Honey Citrus Dressing
Asian Pineapple Salad with Peanut Coconut Dressing

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©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com

Crunchy Asian Salad With Sriracha Peanut Dressing

This Crunchy Asian Salad is a dynamically addicting combination of crisp, vibrant veggies with crunchy toasted peanuts and ramen all doused in creamy, irresistible Sriracha Peanut Dressing! This Asian Salad Recipe is s so crazy good I was eating it for breakfast the next day AKA it’s destined to become one of your favorite Asian salads of all time. And bonus, it is a FABULOUS make ahead salad without anything to prep last minute and stores beautifully!

Servings:

Total Time: 25

Prep Time: 25

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Ingredients

Salad

1/2 head red cabbage, chopped
1/2 head Romaine lettuce, chopped
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced, then halved
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
1 heaping cup snow peas, ends trimmed and julienned
1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Garnish

1 cup roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped
1 package dry Ramen noodles, roughly broken

Optional

chopped Rotisserie chicken
chopped pineapple
chopped mango

Sriracha Peanut Dressing

1/2 cup crunchy or smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup light olive oil or canola oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ tsp EACH garlic powder, ginger powder, dried basil
1/4 tsp EACH salt, pepper
1 tablespoon sriracha, more or less to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (to toast peanuts and Ramen noodles).
Meanwhile, whisk together all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl or use your blender. Thin with equal amounts water/oil as needed. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper and/or sriracha as desired. Chill in the refrigerator. (Best if chilled at least 30 minutes.)
Add broken Ramen noodles to half of a large baking sheet in a single layer and the peanuts to the other half. Bake at 425 degrees F for approximately 4-8 minutes, or until golden in some places, stir and bake an additional 1-2 minutes or until Ramen is mostly golden (it won’t be even, so don’t worry about it) .
Add salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine. Top with peanuts and Ramen noodles.
Drizzle individual servings with dressing and additional lime juice if desired.

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31 Comments

K Callahan says

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I have made several of your recipes and just love them! Nearly every blog post I read has me wanting to try it immediately, because your creations sound so flavorful and the the photos are always so vibrant and colorful. Everything looks so deliciously appetizing and yummy! Your salads are never boring which is what I normally think when I think of salad. I can’t wait to try this salad! Thank you for sharing your recipes.

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- Jen says
  
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  What an awesome comment to wake up to, thank you so much! I am honored and flattered you are loving my recipes and that my blog posts have you wanting to try more! I am not a salad fan unless it is anything but boring so that’s the only way we roll around here 🙂 I hope you love this salad too! Have a fabulous day!
  
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Judi says

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Love, love , ok, one more time, love your blog….I absolutely cannot say,we have ever said at the end of the meal, well????? It’s always, Well, that was spectacular!!! And thank goodness this arrived in my email this morning, cause I was scratching my head as I do about this time during the summer…..what haven’t I grilled yet?

AND, you, Jen, most definitely, with Patrick and Kiwi are in my daily prayers…wishing you all the best moments, always!! Your attitude is what makes it……being a cancer warrior, I truly believe that’s what makes us get through every day and every moment of the day….one foot print at a time!!!

Wishing you a fantastic week always!!

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- Jen says
  
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  Thank you so so much Judi for your awesome comment! I am honored your family loves my recipe so much, that makes my heart so happy! Above all, thank you so so much for your daily prayers, you are so giving and thoughful – and I know your prayers make a difference! xoxoxo
  
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Judi says

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I meant to say,…….I absolutely CAN say, we have never ever said at the end of the meal..Well??? We’ve always said, Well, it’s spectacular…sorry on the missing of the words…..I apologize!!!!

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Nilanthi Aziz says

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Cannot find snowpeas in Sri Lanka. What would be the substitute. Would love to try making the salad.

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Nilanthi all the way from Sri Lanka, thanks for visiting my site! I would increase the cabbage and carrots to make up for the crunch and it will still be delicious!
  
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Maria says

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Made this today and loved it! The flavors and crunch were wonderful. Thank you.

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- Jen says
  
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  You are so welcome Maria, I’m so happy you loved it! Thank you!!
  
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Victoria @ HowDaily says

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Lovely recipe, Jen! It contains many healthy ingredients and looks so yummy. Many thanks for sharing it!

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- Jen says
  
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  You are so welcome Victoria, its one of our favs! Thank you for your kind comment!
  
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Maria says

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Hi, I’m in Brazil, what’s Sriracha? Can I make myself, I dought if have here.

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Maria, it is an Asian chili sauce- so any Asian chili Sauce would work and if you don’t have that then I would add hot sauce to taste. I hope that helps!
  
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Maryann says

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You’ve knocked it out of the ball park with this salad! The dressing is seriously A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!! I don’t know how you come up with such complex flavors, but this dressing is out of this world tasty. Best salad ever! Not only is it filled with a bunch of super healthy vegetables, it’s filling and my whole family enjoys it. It’s on regular rotation in our house and I thought it was about time I told you that =). I omitted the ramen and subbed yacon syrup for the honey. Thank you for such a delicious recipe!

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- Jen says
  
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  YAY! Thank you Maryann! “Best salad ever” is the ultimate compliment! You are seriously making my day over here 🙂 I love your comments knowing you and your family are enjoying my recipes. Thank you!!!
  
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Connie says

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Amazing flavor and texture-thank you! However 1st batch of peanuts/ramen were burned at 7 minutes—3 + 1 minutes worked the 2nd time. When I make again, will chop all veggies to bite size so I don’t have to put the fork down when eating!

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Connie, I am so sorry your ramen burnt in less cooking time – all add a note to the recipe – maybe it’s the size of the ramen pieces? Hope its perfect next time!
  
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Jyoti Sondhi says

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Hello from Abu Dhabi , can I use olive oil instead of canola as this is what I have in hand at the moment ?

Thank you
Jo

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- Jen says
  
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  Hello from afar, thanks for stopping by my site! Yes, you can use olive oil, it is not as neutral tasting but will still work. Enjoy!
  
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Heidi says

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Hi there
I made this delicious dressing tonight but the consistency was very thick- almost spreadable. I followed recipe and not sure what went wrong. Any ideas to thin it out without compromising flavor? Thanks!

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Heidi, different blenders blend to to different consistencies – mine tends to thin things out. I would simply add some water to thin. Enjoy!
  
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Kendra says

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Can you sub the Canola oil for sesame oil?

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- Jen says
  
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  Hi Kendra, 1/4 cup will be too strong but you can add a few teaspoons to taste. Enjoy!
  
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Karen says

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Can I use tahini instead of peanut butter?

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- Jen says
  
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  Yes! It will just have a slightly different flavor.
  
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Eva says

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Hi Jen. I love this site and your recipes but frankly it’s getting hard to read the recipes through all the advertisements, and some of them are on the screen multiple times blocking the actual recipe. I know you need them to make a living but I don’t think I want to fight them much longer to get the ingredients I need to make something. Sorry I’m negative but…..

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- Jen says
  
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  I appreciate your feedback Eva. I just sent your message to my ad team and am having them fix it.
  
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Stacey says

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My family loves this recipe! We make it twice a month and put it in tortillas to make wraps! It’s a favorite!

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- Jen says
  
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  Love the idea of making this into wraps – yum!
  
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Lisa Kelly says

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This salad looks stunning. I’m going to give it a try over the weekend and intend making it completely to the recipe. My husband is not a fan of peanut butter so I plan to make an additional dressing for him to use on his salad. Is there another one of your fabulous dressings that you think would compliment this salad just as nicely that doesn’t have a peanut element? Perhaps the Cilantro Lime dressing from your corn salad recipe?

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- Jen says
  
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  Thank you! Yes, I think the cilantro lime dressing should work just fine!
  
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