Peanut Noodle Salad
Peanut noodle salad is one of my favorite pasta salads to make. Peanut sauce is my jam already, I really enjoy the creamy texture, umami flavors and I find it just goes so well with tons of veggies so I love incorporating that sauce in this peanut noodle salad. This is totally a feel-good salad. One that you can add to and customize to your liking effortlessly with different veggies, this combination just happens to be my favorite. The colors of this salad make it so inviting and the crunchy texture makes it ever better!
I find spaghetti to work best for this peanut noodle salad, I also like to keep the noodles long vs cutting them in half before boiling. But of course, you could switch to whatever pasta you choose and/or cut them into smaller pieces if you find it easier to eat.
This peanut noodle salad is also GREAT to take on picnics, to work for lunch, or even for a potluck. Major tip if you plan on traveling with this salad or making it in advance, keep the dressing separate. This keeps the veggies and pasta from getting soggy.
I love using these veggies in my Peanut Noodle Salad
Napa cabbage – It has a crunch that is studier than lettuce but more tender than red or green cabbage, so I love it in salads like these
Carrots
Edamame
Red bell peppers – you could also use orange or yellow but I love the pop of red in here
Persian cucumbers – My favorite kind and pretty much the only kind of cucumber I use. They have a great flavor, teeny tiny seeds and thin skin
Herbs like green onions, cilantro and Thai basil – the Thai basil makes a HUGE difference here. I like to bring the stems home from pho restaurants and plant them in the backyard so I always have Thai basil growing in the yard! They also sell it at some Asian grocery stores. If you can’t find it, you can use regular basil or omit it altogether
If you love dishes like this peanut noodle salad, you’re going to love these, too!
Summer rice salad
Tortellini salad
Middle Eastern potato salad
Freekeh salad with shrimp, corn and Middle Eastern chimichurri
When you make this peanut noodle salad, comment down below and rate this recipe to let me know your thoughts! Also share a picture or tag me on Instagram @thebitewithjackie, I love seeing your remakes!
Peanut Noodle Salad
Ingredients
- 16 oz spaghetti
- 1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
- 1-2 carrot julienned
- 3 Persian cucumbers cut into thin half moons
- 5 green onions chopped
- ½ head of Napa Cabbage chopped finely
- 1 cup shelled Edamame
- Thai basil
- ½ – 1 bunch cilantro finely chopped
- 1 cup roasted peanuts chopped
For the dressing:
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Rice vinegar
- Juice from ½ lime
- 1-2 Tablespoons fresh ginger grated
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 2 Tablespoons Sesame oil (optional)
- 2 Tablespoon Honey
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous pinch of salt. Cook the pasta until al dente, drain and rinse well to stop the cooking process and set aside while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare the dressing by mixing all ingredients together. If you’d like the dressing thinner, add 1 Tablespoon of water at a time to achieve your desired consistency.
- Combine noodles, veggies, peanuts and herbs into a large bowl and add the dressing right on top. Mix well to combine and serve!
