I absolutely love Thai food…well at least Pad Thai, because it’s SO good I can’t bring myself to order anything else from the menu when we go to a Thai restaurant! I try to only eat half so I can bring the rest home and have it for breakfast the next morning. Something about the peanut-y flavor, mixed with a little sweetness, a little spice, a little salty all in one, is beyond addicting to me.
When I find something I love like that, I always try to replicate it at home. I’ll post my recipe for my vegetable filled Spirialized Pad Thai soon, but from that recipe came this one for a salad dressing version. Salad is great but one of the keys to enjoying salads frequently is having delicious dressing options available. When I make this, I end up craving salads! It’s also great poured over chicken as a sauce.
This is one of those recipes with a long list of ingredients but don’t let that deter you! Just throw all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Super easy and quick. Plus, once you get some of these staple ingredients in your pantry, you can use them in all kinds of dishes.
- 1/4 cup sunflower seed butter (Sunbutter)
- 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (GF), or coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons raw honey
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons cilantro
- Optional: Dash fish sauce
- Combine all of the ingredients except for the cilantro in a blender and process until completely smooth.
- Add the cilantro and blend for a few seconds until the cilantro is finely chopped. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Add more water, if a thinner consistency is desired.
- Serve over your favorite salad ingredients, like chopped romaine, shredded cabbage, sliced red pepper, shredded carrots, chopped cucumber, fresh cilantro, and some sunflower seeds for a delicious crunch! I also love using it as a sauce for chicken.
