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Thai-style Shredded Apple Salad Recipe

4.5 from 80 reviews

This vibrant Thai-style shredded apple salad combines crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs, and a creamy, tangy peanut dressing for a refreshing and flavorful dish. Perfect as a light lunch or a colorful side, it features softened rice noodles, grated carrots, shredded mangetout, crisp radishes, and matchstick Granny Smith apples, all tossed in a zesty peanut, lime, and ginger dressing. Garnished with roasted peanuts and extra coriander, this salad balances sweet, sour, and savory notes for a delightful taste of Thai-inspired cuisine.

Ingredients

Scale

Salad

  • 90g rice noodles (about 2 nests)
  • 2 large carrots, grated
  • 100g mangetout, shredded
  • Small bunch of spring onions, finely sliced
  • 25g coriander, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
  • 50g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced into matchsticks
  • 100g radishes, finely sliced

Dressing

  • 50g smooth peanut butter
  • 2 limes, zested and juiced, plus extra wedges to serve
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 tsp finely grated ginger

Instructions

  1. Soften the rice noodles: Place the rice noodles in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow them to stand for 3 minutes until they soften slightly, then drain thoroughly to remove excess water.
  2. Prepare the dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together the smooth peanut butter, lime zest and juice, maple syrup, sesame oil, fish sauce, soy sauce or tamari, and finely grated ginger until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
  3. Combine the salad ingredients: In a large bowl, add the drained rice noodles, grated carrots, shredded mangetout, sliced spring onions, chopped coriander, roughly chopped peanuts, matchstick apples, and finely sliced radishes. Toss these ingredients gently to mix.
  4. Toss with dressing: Pour the prepared peanut-lime dressing over the salad ingredients and toss everything together until all components are evenly coated in the dressing.
  5. Serve and garnish: Transfer the salad to serving plates or a large serving bowl. Garnish with extra coriander and roasted peanuts. Serve with lime wedges on the side for added freshness and zing.

Notes

  • To keep the apples from browning, toss them with a little lime juice before adding to the salad.
  • For a vegan version, substitute fish sauce with additional soy sauce or tamari.
  • You can adjust the spiciness by adding a small amount of chopped fresh chili or chili flakes to the dressing if desired.
  • This salad can be served immediately or chilled for 15–30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
  • Rice noodles are delicate; avoid over-soaking to prevent them from becoming mushy.

Keywords: Thai salad, apple salad, peanut dressing, rice noodles, healthy salad, fresh herbs, easy recipe