Panera Spicy Thai Salad

5 from 2 votes

I veganized my favorite Panera Spicy Thai Salad! Loaded with crunchy vegetables, fresh mango, and topped with grilled tofu, toasted blanched almonds, and drizzled with oil-free peanut chili dressing. This copycat version of Panera's famous salad is healthy and simple to die for.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Asian

Diet: Vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 249kcal

Author: Kathy Carmichael

Equipment

Ingredients

Salad ingredients

1 head Romaine lettuce chopped
1 cup Purple cabbage shredded
1 bunch Green onions chopped
1 Cucumber cut into bite-sized pieces
1 Red bell pepper diced
1 cup Carrots shredded
1 cup shelled Edamame Mame
1 Mango chopped
¼ cup toasted almonds optional
Grilled Asian tofu optional

PEANUT-CHILI VINAIGRETTE

2 teaspoons natural creamy peanut butter or PB fit
½ teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
2 Tablespoon. low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoon water
2 teaspoon rice vinegar
½ teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 garlic clove minced
1 Tablespoon sweet chili sauce
Sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste

Instructions

Peanut Chili Dressing

Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blender until smooth
Put dressing in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to use.

Grilled Asian Tofu (optional)

Grilled Asian Tofu Recipe
Prepare tofu ahead of time.
Once cool, cut into bite-sized cubes and refrigerate until ready to add to the salad.

Toasted Almonds

Turn the stove on medium-low
Add raw nuts to a dry small skillet.
Toss gently or use a wooden spoon to move the nuts around the pan
DO NOT LEAVE UNATTENDED; nuts toast quickly, so be careful to watch them closely so they don't burn.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool before adding to the salad.

Cook Mame

Cook mame in a microwave or stovetop according to the directions
Allow cooling completely before placing it in the refrigerator. Place in refrigerator safe container until ready to add the mame to the salad.

Preparing the salad

Cut all the salad ingredients.
Place lettuce in the base of the bowl and add the other vegetables and mango.
Add the chilled mame, toasted almonds, and grilled tofu (if you plan to use these ingredients)
Toss the salad in the dressing and serve in individual bowls or serve the salad dressing on the side.

Notes

learning how to judge a mango's ripeness makes cutting a mango easier.

Don't focus on color. It is not the best indicator of ripeness.
Squeeze the mango gently. A ripe mango will give slightly.
Use your experience with produce such as peaches or avocados, which also become softer as they ripen.
Ripe mangos will sometimes have a fruity aroma at their stem ends.
The red color that appears on some varieties is not an indicator of ripeness. Always judge by feel.

Nutrition