Thai Noodle Salad with the Best Ever Peanut Sauce
Sylvia Fountaine
The combination of tender noodles, crunchy vegetables, and a creamy peanut sauce creates a harmonious balance of flavors and textures.
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Salad Ingredients
- 6 oz dried noodles (brown rice noodles, pad thai style rice noodles, soba noodles)
- 4 cups mixed grated vegetables (cabbage, radish, carrot)
- 1 red bell pepper (finely sliced)
- 3 scallions (sliced)
- 1/2 bunch cilantro (chopped, can substitute basil or mint)
- 1 Tbsp jalapeño (finely chopped)
- 1/4-1/2 cup roasted peanuts (optional)
Thai Peanut Sauce
- 5 thin slices fresh ginger (cut across the grain, about the size of a quarter)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 fresh orange)
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (can substitute Bragg's Liquid Amino Acids: tamari will turn this unpleasantly dark)
- 1/3 cup honey, agave, or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
- 1-1.5 tsp cayenne peppers (or sriracha sauce)
- 1 tsp salt
Cook Noodles: Cook pasta according to directions on package. ( See notes for rice noodles) Drain and chill under cold running water.
Blend the Peanut Sauce: while noodles are cooking, blend the peanut sauce ingredients together using a blender until smooth.
Toss: Place shredded veggies, bell pepper, scallions, cilantro and jalapeño into a serving bowl. Toss. Add the cold noodles to the serving bowl and toss again. Pour some peanut sauce over top and toss well to combine- no need to use all, just use enough to coat well. ( Save the extra sauce for any leftover salad-as it can soak up the sauce overnight.)
Taste: Adjust the salt (to your liking), add chili flakes if you want, or more lime, and serve, garnishing with roasted peanuts and cilantro and a lime wedge.
- Noodles: If cooking pad thai style rice noodles, add the noodles to a pot of boiling water. Turn heat off, stir and let steep 2-3 minutes until tender, drain and run under cool water. Alternatively, pour boiling water over the noodles in a baking dish, let soak until softened, drain.
- Salad will keep 4 days in the fridge.
This recipe is courtesy of Sylvia Fountaine at Feasting at Home.