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Warm Peanut Salad

This warm peanut salad is a bright and aromatic vegan dish that offers a unique twist on legume-based cooking. By simmering raw peanuts until tender, they take on a soft, almost creamy texture that absorbs the zingy dressing beautifully. The combination of fresh tomatoes, citrusy lemon, and fragrant coriander provides a refreshing contrast to the nutty base, while finely minced Thai chillies add a gentle, lingering heat to every bite.

Perfect as a light lunch or a nutritious side dish, this recipe is naturally gluten-free and packed with plant-based protein. The contrast between the warm, softened peanuts and the cold, crisp vegetables makes it particularly satisfying. For the best flavour, serve it immediately while the peanuts are still warm to allow the dressing to mellow and infuse.

Continue reading below

Ingredients for Warm Peanut Salad

  • 450g raw peanuts in shell, shelled (425ml )

  • 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf

  • 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

  • 1 cup chopped fresh coriander (from 2 bunches)

  • 2 fresh small green Thai or serrano chillies (about 2 inches long), minced

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt

How to make Warm Peanut Salad

To skin peanuts, blanch in a 3-quart saucepan of boiling salted water 1 minute, then drain well. Slip off and discard skins using your fingers and transfer peanuts to a bowl.

Bring 1200ml water to a boil with bay leaf in same saucepan. Add peanuts and reduce heat to moderate, then simmer, covered, until peanuts are soft enough to crumble easily when pressed with tines of a fork, about 30 to 45 minutes. (Test 1 or 2 peanuts, leaving the rest intact.) Drain well.

When peanuts are almost finished cooking, stir together tomatoes, coriander, chillies, lemon juice, and sea salt in a bowl. Add drained peanuts and stir to combine.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.

Article history

The information on this page is peer reviewed by qualified clinicians.

  • 17 Jan 2026 | Originally published

    Authored by:

    UK recipe editors

    Peer reviewed by

    UK recipe editors
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