Thai Mango Salad with Peanut Dressing
This fresh Thai salad recipe features mango, bell pepper, greens and a delicious peanut dressing! It's a little spicy, a little sweet and full of flavor.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 3, 2024
Summer came on with a bang. Our weather went from pleasantly warm to blazingly hot. Every year, I relearn what 100 degree weather feels like. It’s shocking, isn’t it? At least in Kansas City, it cools down a bit at night, so Cookie and I can go on our long walks as the sun sets.
Now that summer heat is here, I find myself craving more light, fresh and green meals. Enter this salad with Thai flavors, which satisfies all three at once. I basically took my Thai mango cabbage wraps as inspiration, and reimagined them as a salad.
The salad features butter lettuce (feel free to substitute your favorite green instead), sweet diced mango, red bell pepper, and jalapeño. Then I tossed all of it in an addictive, spicy peanut dressing. This salad would make a great side salad for any of my other Thai recipes, or could pass as a light dinner. For more substance, just add some crispy baked tofu.
Thai Mango Salad with Peanut Dressing
This green salad is bursting with fresh Thai flavors and bright colors. Itโs great on its own, or as an accompaniment to Thai main dishes. Recipe yields 2 large salads or 4 side salads.
Ingredients
Thai mango salad
- One head (about 7 ounces) butter leaf lettuce or your greens of choice, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced and then sliced across to make 1″ long pieces
- 3 ripe champagne mangos, diced
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onion (both green and white parts)
- ⅓ cup chopped roasted peanuts
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 medium jalapeรฑo, seeds and membranes removed, finely chopped
Peanut dressing
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup lime juice (about 2 to 3 limes)
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (if you like spice)
Instructions
- To assemble the salad, simply combine all of the salad ingredients in a large serving bowl.
- To prepare the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a liquid measuring cup or bowl, and whisk until combined.
- When youโre ready to serve, drizzle the dressing over the salad, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Awesome.
You just sold yourself a cookbook.
Is it supposed to be toasted sesame oil?
Hi Holly, yes that will work as well.
I’ve made this twice now. The first time was just for myself and today I made it to share with my husband. It’s so good though that I wanted it all to myself and eyed his portion jealously!
That’s too funny! Thanks for your review.
wow it was really really v yummy
thnx dear for sharing this mouth wtering delicious recepie
You’re welcome, Aliya!
This is an incredible recipe and we have it often during he summer months! Will sometimes add chicken that has been sauteed and then sauteed a little longer the last few minutes with some of the peanut sauce dressing. A winner and our choice of lettuce is the butter leaf.
Great to hear, Loretta!
Delicious! I always feel I’ve done my body good when I prepare and eat one of your recipes! Thanks Kate!
You’re welcome, Liz!
I really like Thai style food, especially this mango recipe.
Thanks for sharing!
Wow this recipe is amazing. Just loved it. Its clearly given step by step with pictures.
This is one of my go-to summer salads. I swap the soy sauce with fish sauce. Love it!
Hello, and thank you so much for the recipe. Itโs was really good, just one question. The dressing was a bit heavy. How can I make it lighter please?
Thank you
Hi there! Glad you enjoyed it. You can thin the dressing with water, one tablespoon at a time.
Flavorful Summer Salad
Made this last night, It was so good! I had run out of lettuce so i used
cabbage (coleslaw package). I was worried it might taste to peanut buttery, but it was so delightful. I used extra red pepper as i didnโt have jalapeรฑos. I put some chopped pork tenderloin leftovers, making for a main course. Thanks for such a refreshing delightful salad experience..
Are the roasted nuts meant to be salted or unsalted. Thanks
Like all your recipies, this was amazing. What else can I use that Peanut sauce for???? Would it work for peanut noodles?
Peanut noodles sound delicious! I love it as a dipping sauce for tofu. Or try my spring rolls, I have a variation of it there.
Great summer recipients when it is super hot out. I actually made some cold ramen noodles and added it to this salad
Hi I made the Thai Mango salad. The dressing is super delicious. I had it with Thai chicken curry. Heavenly taste. Thank you very much.
Carmen
One of the best salad recipes I’ve found in ages. I just love this. So fresh and the balance of the flavors is perfect. I made it all summer. Pairs amazing with pad Thai or coconut shrimp! I love your blog, Kate! Thank you for creating easy to follow, delicious, healthy, vegetarian-friendly recipes.
Kathryne, an out of season mango dropped from my mango tree. I searched out and loved the ingredients of your recipe. Fortunately found most of them in my kitchen. The salad came out awesome (yummm as I would like to say it). Waiting to try the dressing again with raw papaya. Thank you!!!
From another dog lover.
Ambika
Yes, Yummmo….this salad was a huge hit in Melbourne Australia over summer…. we kept some of the salad dressing for our next salad
This salad was so delicious! The dressing was packed with flavor and the salad wasn’t too spicy which I enjoyed. I made this on Sunday and enjoyed 4 salads at work. It only lasted 4 days through!
So delicious! I had recently bought a case of mangoes and they were all ripening at the same time. Came to your site and searched “mango” because I knew that you would a recipe to help me out. And I was ABSOLUTELY right! Amazing salad… my husband and 2 young kiddos also loved it. Thanks for always being a guarantee… I have tried so many of your recipes and I have never once been disappointed! Cheers!
I love that! Thank you for your review, Kaitlin.
Iโve made the dressing twice now with an Asian style salad, once with seared tuna and once with coconut shrimp. The dressing is incredible, I mean truly game changing delicious! I used the chopped peanuts which gives it crunch. Try it!
Totally yummy.
I am a new vegan and always on the lookout for new recipes. I try to avoid using oil but I did use a touch of sesame oil. I didn’t use the full amount and it was still delicious!
I will definitely serve this to my omnivore friends – – – when we are allowed to gather again.
That’s great to hear, Kathryn! Thank you for your review.
I added avocado so good got heaps of compliments
That’s great to hear, Amanda!
We tried it today. We didnโt have sesame oil so took a chance with olive oil- turned out great! Itโs mango season here in Australiaโฆ canโt wait to make it again for a barbecue!
Thank you for sharing, Smriti! I appreciate your review.
This was delicious! I omitted the green onions because I didn’t have any, and used lemons instead of limes in the dressing… but it turned out very good. I used arugula and spring greens from the farmer’s market greenhouse. I will definitely make it again.
That’s great to hear, Katie!
Very nice Thai style salad and dressing. We do quite a lot of Thai cooking at our home. If anyone is interested in upping the Thai side of the dressing, I would suggest adding a dash of fish sauce, finely diced ginger, lemon grass paste and sub the pepper flakes for fresh Thai green or red chilies. Finish with finely chopped fresh mint and basil.
That’s great to hear, Bill! Thank you for sharing.
Made this last night, after an internet search using the words: “mango, jalepeno, salad”. Lots of results but when I saw one from you, I went right to it. Your recipes are always great!
This one was another winner. I used a combination of arugula and green leaf lettuce which were the other things I had in my fridge that I needed to prioritize using. I was a little short on cilantro, since it is still quite small in the garden(it’s very early in the growing season here in Maine). I think it would have been really fun with the addition of rice noodles but alas the pantry was bare. Maybe next time.
Hooray! I’m glad you came across this one. Thank you for taking the time to comment and review!
Do you think mint and Thai basil would be a good sub to cilantro?
Hi Erica, you could try it. I haven’t tested it, so I can’t say for sure.
Dear Kate
I made the Thai Mango Salad with Peanut Dressing and it was utterly divine. The recipe is definitely going to join the list of my ultimate favourite recipes of all time! Thank you so much for sharing it.
Jacqui
Kwazulu Natal
South Africa
Absolutely delicious salad. It was very easy to bulk up and accomplish a ladies’ luncheon salad for four. So many wonderful flavors melting together, it was a real treat. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Grace! Thank you for your review.
Hey! I LOVE your recipes and also have your book. :) was planning to try this tonight!
Just wondering do you know how long this keeps in the fridge?
Thanks!
Hi Jess, if you keep the dressing separate, it should last a few days.
Dearest Katie My husband and I on our quest for a healthier longevity found our way to your site. Your recipes are a great addition to our life. I have made your granola multiple times and just recently the Thai mango salad w peanut dressing. My husband loved it! It was fresh and super tasty!! Thanks
That’s great to hear, Dolores! I appreciate your review.