Description
A refreshing Thai-inspired cold noodle salad featuring vibrant vegetables, tender noodles, and a creamy peanut sauce that perfectly balances sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 ounces dry noodles (brown rice noodles, pad thai style rice noodles, soba noodles, or linguini)
- 4 cups mixed red cabbage, carrots, and radish (shredded or grated)
- 1 red bell pepper, finely sliced
- 3 scallions, sliced
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (or substitute basil and mint)
- 1 tablespoon jalapeño, finely chopped (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup roasted, crushed peanuts for garnish
- 5 thin slices fresh ginger, cut across the grain
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (or almond butter)
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (roughly 1 large orange)
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (roughly 2 limes)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce or liquid amino acids
- 1/3 cup honey, agave, or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or sriracha sauce)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. For rice noodles, follow package instructions carefully to avoid overcooking. Drain and rinse under cold running water until completely cool. Drain thoroughly.
- While noodles cook, add all peanut sauce ingredients to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. This sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
- Slice the red bell pepper into thin strips. Grate or shred the cabbage, carrots, and radish. Slice scallions and chop cilantro and jalapeño finely.
- Place all prepared vegetables, bell pepper, scallions, cilantro, and jalapeño in a large serving bowl. Toss well. Add cold noodles and toss again to distribute evenly.
- Pour peanut sauce over the mixture, using enough to coat generously. Toss well to combine. Taste and adjust salt, add chili flakes if desired, or more lime juice. Garnish with roasted peanuts and cilantro.
Notes
- Rinse cooked noodles thoroughly with cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking
- Make the peanut sauce first so flavors can meld while you prepare other ingredients
- Cut vegetables into similar-sized pieces for even distribution and better presentation
- Reserve some peanut sauce separately since the salad absorbs dressing over time
- Toast peanuts yourself for better flavor – simply heat in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes
- Rice noodles can go from perfect to mushy quickly, so watch them carefully during cooking
- The peanut sauce should be smooth and pourable – add water if it’s too thick
- Fresh herbs make a significant difference in flavor compared to dried alternatives
- This salad is naturally gluten-free when made with rice noodles instead of wheat pasta
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-cook
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/6 of recipe)
Keywords: cold noodle salad, Asian noodle salad, peanut sauce noodles, summer salad recipes, Thai cuisine, rice noodle salad, vegetarian Asian dishes, make-ahead salads