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This kale and cabbage pad thai salad has all the flavors of pad thai in salad form! It is my take on the Sweet and Spicy Kale Pad Thai from Whole Foods. Vegan + gluten-free.
Whenever I’m shopping at Whole Foods I’m always tempted to grab something from the salad bar or prepared foods section for my next meal. Through this habit I’ve discovered quite a few salads from the Whole Foods bar that I absolutely LOVE.
The Sweet and Spicy Kale Pad Thai is one of those salads! It has all the flavor of pad thai and an awesome crunch, but no noodles! After purchasing this salad from the prepared foods section too many times to count, I decided I should probably try making my own version at home, which I’ve done with a couple other Whole Foods salads including the Garlicky Kale Salad and the Crackling Cauliflower.
So here’s my version of the Whole Foods kale pad Thai salad!
I haven’t done a side by side taste test to see if the flavor is spot on, but I do know that this homemade version is delicious.
Normal pad Thai is certainly tasty, but it’s pretty carb heavy. In this recipe we’re replacing the rice noodles with kale and cabbage for a veggie-loaded, fiber packed dish that you can feel good about loading on your plate. I don’t know about you, but I’m totally a volume eater so vegetable packed dishes like this are great. They allow me to eat a lot of food so I feel full and satisfied, but not stuffed or heavy.
I also like how bright and colorful this salad is. The orange carrots, green kale, red bell pepper and onions are so beautiful. Added bonus: filling your plate with colorful foods means your getting a ton of different nutrients, but it can also boost your mood! Win, win.
All of the veggies included in the salad are tasty on their own, but what really makes this salad is the dressing. It has all the flavors you’d expect from a Thai peanut dressing, but I used Bragg’s liquid aminos in place of soy sauce and skipped the fish sauce, which is a usual suspect in Thai sauces. So this dressing is soy free and vegan!
Yum! Isaac and I have been eating it as a side with lunch and dinner over the past couple days and absolutely love it. I can’t wait for you to try it as well.
PS – If you love pad Thai, I have two other veggie based versions you should try: zucchini noodle pad Thai and lightened up pad Thai with cabbage noodles.
If you make this kale and cabbage pad thai salad please be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Your feedback is so helpful for the EBF team and other readers.
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This was such a great combination of flavors! I used a handful of pre-cut coleslaw and a handful of pre-cut kale to speed things up. Made for a delicious fresh lunch! Thanks for a great recipe!
Woo! I’m so glad you loved this salad, Melissa! Thanks for coming back to leave a star rating + review. I so appreciate it!
The flavor in this was absolutely delicious. Definitely took me longer than 15 minutes to prep but next time I might cut corners by purchasing pre shredded / cut items. Will definitely keep in rotation!
Hey Courtney – So glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + review. I so appreciate it!
Made this salad last night I really enjoyed it having left overs today for lunch. Loving the vegan raw food receipts you give. Thanks so much.
Yay! I’m glad you’re enjoying this recipe, Leeanne. Thanks so much for leaving a review and star rating, I really appreciate it.
Made this last night for dinner and leftovers are already in everyone’s lunches for today. Great recipe, budget-friendly, and easy to add different proteins.
Woo! I’m so glad this recipe was a success for you, Janet! Thanks for sharing your review, I appreciate it!
I love this salad! Very easy to make, so flavorful and fresh, and very filling! This will be a new go to recipe! Thank you 😊
Ah yay! This makes me so happy to hear, Laurie! So pumped this salad was a hit. Thanks for the review!!