Some recipes just happen (like this one). We had some leftover greens and a ripe mango and had just made some super saucy tempeh satay. I realized all that was missing was a little peanut dressing, and just like that, we had a delicious side on our hands. Bonus? It looks (and tastes) like a rainbow.
Care to make this easy 15-minute recipe with us? Gather your supplies and let’s make something tasty.
The base for this salad is greens, cabbage, cilantro, carrots, and ripe mango. That’s basically it! So fresh, so colorful, so…easy.
For dressing, the only flavor that made sense was peanut butter. We went for a quick and easy peanut dressing (learn more about traditional Thai-style peanut sauce here), but you can also jazz it up with some freshly grated ginger or sub the peanut butter for cashew or sunflower butter.
We hope you LOVE this salad! It’s:
Easy
Fast
Fresh
Colorful
Vitamin-rich
& So tasty
Enjoy this salad as is or top it with our Peanut & Lemongrass Tempeh Satay or 7-Ingredient Marinated Peanut Tempeh. It’s delicious on its own, but it also pairs well with dishes like our Thai Yellow Coconut Curry with Mango, Noodle-Free Pad Thai, Creamy Thai Carrot Soup, or Thai Noodle Bowls.
If you try this recipe, let us know by leaving a comment and a rating, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Vibrant Mango Salad with Peanut Dressing
Ingredients
SALAD
- 1 head butter lettuce
- 1 ½ cups finely shredded carrot
- 1 ¼ cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 large ripe mango (cubed)
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro (plus more for serving)
DRESSING
- 1/3 cup creamy salted peanut butter (or sub other nut/seed butter such as cashew/sunflower)
- 2 ½ Tbsp lime juice
- 1 ½ Tbsp maple syrup (plus more to taste)
- 2-3 tsp chili garlic sauce (plus more to taste)
- 3 Tbsp coconut aminos*
- Water to thin
FOR SERVING optional
- Roasted salted peanuts (chopped)
- Fresh cilantro
- Lemongrass Tempeh Satay (or Peanut Tempeh*)
Instructions
- Wash and dry butter lettuce and then tear or chop into bite-sized pieces. Add to a large mixing bowl with carrot, cabbage, mango, and cilantro.
- To prepare dressing, add peanut butter, lime juice, maple syrup, chili garlic sauce, and coconut aminos (or tamari) to a small mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding water as needed to thin (see photo).
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more maple syrup for sweetness, chili garlic sauce for heat, lime for acidity, or coconut aminos for overall flavor. If it becomes too thin, thicken with more peanut butter. If too thick, thin with a little water.
- Divide salad between serving dishes and serve dressing on the side. Enjoy as is or garnish with peanuts, cilantro, and tempeh (optional).
- Best when fresh. Store leftover salad (separate from dressing if possible) in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Dressing will keep up to 5-7 days.
Notes
*Find the Peanut Tempeh recipe here.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without serving ingredients.
Tanya says
I’ve made this twice and it’s excellent.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Tanya. Thank you for sharing! xo
Andrea says
I love this salad! I’ve been making it multiple times a week for the last few years. I use whatever greens & toppings I have. I love it in the summer during mango season, but I also eat it the rest of the year with strawberries or other fruit. Also, the peanut dressing is the best I’ve ever had (I do increase the chili garlic sauce quite a but though)! This salad has literally changed my life (or at least my salad life;).
Thanks, Dana!
Aw, YAY! We’re so glad to hear it, Andrea! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
April says
This was incredible! I used romaine instead of butter lettuce and added some radishes and snap peas cut into matchsticks. Definitely my new favorite salad dressing recipe ever. Thank you!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, April. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Rachel says
Amazing flavors in the recipe, but I keep giving tempeh too many chances too be a food I like. We steamed and marinated triangles for 6 hours, but the yummy sauce couldn’t save butter tempeh.
I would definitely make this on repeat with tofu or maybe Gardein chikn strips.
Thank you for sharing, Rachel! Glad you enjoyed the recipe overall! Another idea if you haven’t already would be to try a different brand of tempeh to see if you like it better? We find they can vary in flavor and bitterness between brands.
Johanna says
This recipe is SO good!!! My family doubles the sauce recipe (with garlic chili sauce on the side since my kids don’t love spice), adds rice, & does sautéed tofu in place of the tempeh and it is one of our favorite meals. So fresh and delicious!
Lovely! Thank you so much for sharing, Johanna! xo
Andrea says
This is excellent, thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Andrea! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
Rebekah Furey says
Had this in my list of dinners to make this week. Just sat down to eat it and I must say it’s fantastic. Added some wild rice and original tempeh sautéd with a little avocado oil spray. I used a couple short cuts, 1 was to buy a frozen bag of sliced mango and thawed in the fridge since this morning. The second hack was like someone else said and just used a bag of coleslaw mix for the carrot cabbage components. I lastly subbed out some of the peanut butter with BP2, which blends perfectly into the sauce. Another hit dinner from the Minimalist Baker!!! Question what can I do with my cilantro stalks, always so much left after I trim the leaves??
Thank you for sharing, Rebekah! We’re so glad it turned out well! You can chop up and eat the stems too :)
lacie says
This is ridiculously good. I top it with seared ahi tuna, and the first time I made it, my husband said, “I’d happily eat this twice a week.” Seeing as he doesn’t like fish OR salad, that was a major win.
Agreed, major win! Thank you for sharing, Lacie! xoxo
Miranda says
This salad was so delicious! I made it with your peanut tempeh recipe (grilled instead of baked because it’s summer and I’m grilling every chance I get!) and it was superb. I also left out the cilantro for the sake of my cilantro-hating husband, and the flavors still worked really well together. Thanks for the great recipe (as usual)!
Yumm – what a delicious combo! We agree grilling is definitely the way in the summer. Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Miranda! xo
Jane says
Sooo delicious! This recipe is a keeper.
Subbed low-sodium tamari for the coconut aminos, and used tofu instead of tempeh (sautéed it, then marinated it in the dressing. Next time I’ll make 1.5 times the dressing, as the tofu soaked it up a bit). Otherwise made as directed.
This recipe is such a great find now that mangoes are in season!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jane! Thank you so much for sharing! xo
Calla Slayton says
I made this salad last night and it was INCREDIBLE! The flavors went together so well and the peanut dressing was heavenly. A perfect summer meal that’s light and flavorful. This is definitely going to be a go-to for me now :)
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Calla! Thank you so much for the lovely review! xo
Jackie says
I made this recipe tonight and my husband and I devoured it. We made it with a simple sauteed tofu. It was so satisifying – clean, crisp, crunchy, flavorful…could eat this or a variation of it every night.
Aw, yay! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Jackie. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Hope says
One of the best salads I’ve had in a long time. I subbed the red cabbage with a bag of coleslaw because that’s what I had one hand, and it turned out great! I ended up not needing to make the dressing because I used the leftover marinade from the Peanut Tempeh!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Hope!
Donna says
This was so delicious! The combination of flavors were bright and fresh, just right for springtime. I served it with Lemongrass Chicken for my non-vegan family members. Everyone loved it! This will now be in our family’s regular dinner rotation!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoy it! Thanks for sharing, Donna! xo
KIMBERLY BELL says
I LOVE this salad and made it to bring to work then had it for lunches. I love everything in it and the tempeh was PERFECT!
Thank you
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kimberly! xo
Sarah L. Downs says
FINALLY a salad dressing I can enjoy over and over! I love your recipes and have been looking for a salad recipe and this one takes the prize. The only change I made was adding red bell pepper to the salad itself. The dressing is so good I could drink it. Thank you!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sarah! xo
kartik fatehpuria says
I made this salad yesterday with my wife. Since, it’s mango season right now; we plan on making it once a week because its delicious and so simple to make. Thanks for sharing it
We’re so glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
April says
Since I found this recipe I have made it at least once a week!
I used cashew butter and date paste instead of peanut butter and maple syrup. I added kale, red pepper and sugar snap peas to the salad and if I want it more substantial I add rice noodles. Oh and I also add Trader Joe’s spicy thai cashews for some heat and crunch. Just delicious! Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, April! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Vivian says
Thanks for sharing your way of making the salad. I do not have red cabbage so I will use pea pods and red bell pepper as you did. Also, I have date paste I made in the frig and have been looking for something to make with it so your dressing suggestion is perfect.
Sabrina Choinière says
Perfectly balanced salad! If you have it, make sure to add some roasted salted peanuts for crunchiness. So yummy!
Judy Stretton says
I have just lived through Australia’s terrible summer with drought bushfires smoke haze then a massive hailstorm in my city then finally life giving rain to put out the fires and wash the ash from my poor garden. I have made this amazing recipe all summer and my friends and family have rated it so delicious I’ve shared the recipe with them. I’ve had it with chicken, prawns, smoked salmon and of course our scrumptious Australian mangoes. I reduced the maple syrup as we don’t have a sweet tooth. Thank you so much for giving me some happiness during such an anxious time. ? 5 star rating!
We’re so glad everyone has enjoyed it, Judy! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Brooklyn says
Made this for a solo dinner but will make again for friends. It’s too good not to share.
=) Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Laura Sims says
Could I sub tahini for the peanut sauce? Low on peanut butter but desperate to try this delicious looking meal!
Hmm, we aren’t sure that would work! But if you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Adrianna Flores says
So easy, and soooooo delicious! Thank you!
Wendy says
Reviewing again so I could add the stars :)
Made this delicious vibrant salad for dinner last night. Super easy and tasty. I had to sub the chili sauce for ketchup and chili flakes as I didn’t have any and subbed Lemon for the Lime and it was still super yummy.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful, healthy and beautifully colored recipes.
Aww, thanks so much! xo
Wendy says
Made this delicious vibrant salad for dinner last night. Super easy and tasty. I had to sub the chili sauce for ketchup and chili flakes as I didn’t have any and subbed Lemon for the Lime and it was still super yummy.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful, healthy and beautifully colored recipes.
Thanks so much for the sweet note and lovely review, Wendy. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Rachel says
this is soo good! thank you <3 you never disappoint
Audrey K Emerson says
Yum!
Wendy says
Wow, this was delicious! We added the ginger and I added some sprouts because my son loves sprouts. He said he could take this salad to work everyday! Thanks for all your great recipes. :)
Michelle says
This salad is wonderful! It’s one of my favorites that I’ve ever made off of your site! I topped it with some grilled turkey breast and its the perfect al desko lunch!
Yum!
Connie says
I made this and added srirracha smoked tofu
! It was delicious!!! Will finitely make this again.
Eva Lyne says
So delicious
Yay!
Kim says
I made this last night and it was delicious! Dana, I love the incredible spices that you use in your recipes. Thank you for creativity and inspiration!
Hanni says
Yummmmmmmy! Great for a hot day. Skipped the butter leaf and added some steamed chicken breast. It was a big hit. My 2.5 year old dipped his chicken in the peanut sauce and had mangos on the side! 5 out of 5 at my house.
Glad you enjoyed these, Hanni!
David says
How long does the dressing keep for?
Hi David! The dressing will keep up to 5-7 days.
Michelle says
Love this! Made it without the tempeh…(cause I was too lazy!)
The colors, flavors and textures are fabulous! Will definitely make it again – maybe with the tempeh ? THANK YOU FOR MAKING MY VEGAN LIFE THE BEST LIFE!
So kind! We are glad to hear it, Michelle!
Brooklyn says
This salad was awesome! I marinated tempeh in the salad dressing for 24 hrs, sautéed in sesame oil and mix in salad.
Luke McKenzie says
AMAZING!! Made this over the weekend for my family for lunch on a hot summer day, the mangos were so refreshing and the peanut dressing was an absolute crowd pleaser! Paired it with Cajun spiced tilapia. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Justine says
Currently devouring this- it’s delicious your peanut sauce is my absolute favorite sauce ever. I added sliced avocado and next time i think I’ll throw in some bell peppers. 11/10 would recommend to a friend
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Justine!
Lisa says
I’ve made this twice already, and highly recommend it! I didn’t have the chili garlic sauce and used cashews instead of peanuts, and it was still delish.
Lori Andersen says
Love this recipe. I have made it three times now. My favorite summer salad.
Antonela says
I made this and I loved it! I had to incorporate some minor changes: I used romaine; I did not have the chilli sauce so I added fresh garlic and hot pepper flakes to the dressing; and I used crunchy peanut butter. It was a great salad! My husband doesn’t particularly like “sweet” meals, but he was ok with this one, because he loves peanut butter! I had some extra salad mix, which I refrigerated and used it 2 days later. I just had to prepare the dressing again. So next time, I’ll prepare dressing for more servings! Thank you!
Yay! Thank you for sharing your recipe changes :D
Rae says
This salad was DELICIOUS! I didn’t make the tempeh to go with it as the only tempeh in the house was in the freezer and I didn’t want to take the time to thaw it out. Instead we made the almond butter tofu from the noodle bowl recipe, which went incredibly well. Seriously yummy salad. Will put it on repeat this summer.
Anna Catois says
Made this for dinner last night and it was great! I had all the ingredients except the coconut aminos and had to run to Trader Joes to buy some (it was also my first time using it). I loved it! The coconut aminos was great and I will definitely be using it as a substitute for soy in a lot of sauces. Great recipe!
Glad you enjoyed it, Anna!
CLAUDIA ABBES says
OK, i love your recipes, they are easy to make and flavorful and what drew me in was partly the tempeh in the pictures. You start the recipe with 15 min, quick and easy but ehem I went looking for the tempeh recipe, it actually calls to be marinated for over 24 hours! I found this disappointing and a bit misleading.
Hi Claudia! Thanks for feedback! While this recipe is a 15-Minute recipe once the tempeh is prepared, we appreciate hearing from you and will take this into consideration for the future.
Michelle says
I made this for my vegan daughter and me. I also made the lemongrass tempeh. Wow!! This was so delicious! I couldn’t keep my fingers out of the lemongrass marinade. We had the salad for dinner two nights in a row and I wished I’d had made enough for a third. Excellent recipe. I had a little extra marinade so put some chickpeas in it and we ate that yesterday.
Lovely! Thanks fro sharing, Michelle!
Ginger by Choice I food & lifestyle blog says
There’s something I have to admit: I never tried tempeh before!!! It’s a bit embarrasing, however, you’re fanastic, rainbow colored salad is the perfect way to give tempeh a try. I love everything about that salad and tempeh sounds pretty tasty, so I think I’ll have a great time preparing it (working with all those colorful veggies just makes me happy) and eating it will be even better.
Thanks for sharing …
Ginger by Choice I food & lifestyle blog
We hope you love the recipe, Ginger! :D
Natalia S. says
Just made it and it was epic! Exactly what all the mangos in the grocery store needed to be exciting.
I used peanuts (instead of peanut butter) and just added them to the food processor with the rest of the dressing ingredients. I also simply sautéed some tofurkey tempeh bacon, instead of making the peanut one and added it in each plate.
I will absolutely make it again — thank you!
Smart! Thanks for sharing!
Emaleigh Downey says
Made this today, so good! Perfect summer salad! The dressing is addictive hahaha
Thanks for sharing, Emaleigh! xo
Kelly says
We had this amazing salad for dinner tonight, my husband and I loved it!!!!! We live on Maui, so it’s mango season:) Thank you for all of your delicious recipes!
Jealous! Maui is so gorgeous. So glad you enjoyed it!
Cassie Autumn Tran says
What a lovely salad! I love adding lots of cabbage and fresh lettuce into my Thai salads. What other kinds of lettuce would be suitable for this salad?
Louralei says
Just happened to have all these ingredients already at home! Love this recipe, but wish I already had some of the tempeh ready!
Thanks for sharing!
Stacey Davis says
Geez. Thanks so much for this delicious salad. So kind of you to share your chef talents with the world.
Cathy Williams says
I’m looking forward to making this salad!
I also want to tell you that your food photos are absolutely STUNNING!!!
So kind! We hope you love this salad, Cathy! :D
Terri Tacquet says
Looks delicious. I love all your recipes. Do you think I can use powdered peanut butter on this recipe to save calories and fat?
We haven’t tried, but I would think that should work! Report back if you give it a try!
Julia Quast says
Have done that, works fine :)
Huy Fong Foods!
Katie says
What kind or brand of chili garlic sauce do you use?