Quick and easy Thai peanut noodle salad recipe! A no-cook, vegan rice noodle salad loaded with crunchy veggies and tossed in an amazing peanut sauce dressing.
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Hi, Rhubarbarians! A fabulous, quick and easy vegan meal for you today. A cold, peanut noodle salad inspired by Thai flavors!
This one is loaded with veggies, rice noodles, herbs, and a homemade peanut sauce dressing that you'll want to drizzle on everything. So delicious and perfect for a light summer dinner or weekly meal prep for lunches.
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Rice noodle salad with peanut dressing
We call this one a rice noodle salad because it is loaded with raw veggies! Colorful veggies and peanuts give this salad a fabulously crunchy veggie texture.
It's all topped with a simple Thai inspired peanut sauce dressing and tossed together with fresh herbs.
Have you tried this easy Italian vegan pasta salad recipe yet?
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Here's what you'll need
Ingredients: (Full recipe instructions are listed in the recipe card below)
- Rice stick noodles. AKA pad thai noodles. Look for the ones that are about 1 centimeter thick and flat. We like these rice noodles!
- Water. For softening the noodles and thinning the peanut sauce.
- Peanut butter. Unsalted creamy is best!
- Soy sauce. Our favorite is Kikkoman soy sauce.
- Pure maple syrup.
- Sesame oil.
- Fresh garlic.
- Fresh ginger.
- Freshly squeezed lime juice and lime slices.
- Salad veggies: cabbage, carrot, green onion, and orange bell pepper.
- Shelled edamame. Thawed frozen or fresh.
- Peanuts. Roasted and unsalted.
- Fresh herbs: mint, cilantro, and basil.
- Sriracha or hot sauce for serving (optional).
Equipment:
- Large heat safe bowl. For softening the noodles. We like these metal mixing bowls!
- Kettle or pan for boiling water.
- Bowl or jar. For making the peanut sauce dressing. We like to use glass canning jars.
- Whisk or fork. For whisking the peanut sauce dressing. These small whisks are great to have!
- Cutting board. For chopping veggies.
- Sharp knife. For chopping veggies.
- Tongs or salad tossing utentil. For tossing the noodle salad.
Prepare the noodles
The rice noodles are very simple to prepare! No cooking required, just some boiling water. (See full instructions in the recipe card below.)
What kind of noodles do I use? We like using pad thai noodles! They are rice stick noodles that are flat and about 1 centimeter wide. These flat noodles hold up well to the veggies and dressing without sticking together or falling apart.
To soften the noodles, place them in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them sit until they are al dente, about 15 minutes.
Pro tip: Rinse the noodles in cold water after they are soft so that they don't stick together!
Make the dressing
This peanut sauce dressing is absolutely delicious! It's inspired by Thai peanut sauce, but thinned out a bit with water to coat the salad. (Full instructions are listed in the recipe card below)
To make it, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, and lime juice. Thin out with a little bit of water and whisk everything together.
Feel free to add some Sriracha or other cayenne pepper to the dressing to make it spicy!
Make the salad
Once you've got the noodles softened and the dressing made, the salad comes together very easily! (Full instructions are listed in the recipe card below)
Chop/prep all of your veggies and herbs and place them in a large mixing bowl. Top with your noodles and then pour the peanut sauce dressing over the top.
Combine everything together gently and enjoy! That's it!
Recipe notes and substitutions
- You can make this salad spicy one of three ways:
- Add Sriracha or cayenne pepper to the peanut sauce dressing.
- Add minced jalapeno or serrano pepper to your salad.
- Serve with Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce.
- We prefer to eat this salad cold, which may require cooling the salad in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes after tossing it together. It's great room temperature right after it's made too!
- If you can't have peanuts, substitute the peanut butter for almond butter in the dressing. Then swap out the peanuts for chopped almonds in the salad.
- Want to make this salad an even quicker meal? Buy bagged shredded cabbage and carrots at your grocery store! You can even use jarred peanut sauce thinned out with a bit of water if needed.
Prep ahead, storing, and freezing
- Prep ahead: All of the veggies can be chopped ahead and kept in the refrigerator. The sauce can be made ahead and kept in an air tight container. We recommend soaking the noodles right before tossing the salad together, as they can get gluey if they sit in the fridge. Also, toss the herbs in right before serving.
- Storing: Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This peanut noodle salad makes fabulous leftovers or meal prep lunches!
- Freezing: We don't recommend freezing this noodle salad, as the noodles don't freeze well.
FAQs
Swap the soy sauce for tamari sauce! The rest of the salad is naturally gluten free.
If you can't have peanuts, substitute the peanut butter for almond butter in the dressing. Then swap out the peanuts for chopped almonds in the salad.
Sure! You will most likely need to thin the sauce with a bit of water before tossing with the salad.
1. Add Sriracha or cayenne pepper to the peanut sauce dressing. 2. Add minced jalapeno or serrano pepper to your salad. 3. Serve with Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce.
Did you make this recipe? Leave us a review and star rating in the comments below! We read every single review and appreciate your feedback.
Recipe
Thai peanut noodle salad
Ingredients
For the noodles
- 6 oz Rice stick noodles (pad thai noodles)
- boiling water (enough to cover noodles)
For the dressing
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice (about one lime)
- 3 tablespoon water
For the salad
- 2 cups shredded purple or green cabbage
- 1 cup julienned or shredded carrot
- ½ cup chopped green onion
- ½ cup chopped orange bell pepper
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- salt and pepper
For serving
- lime slices, peanuts, and Sriracha for serving (optional)
Instructions
For the noodles
- Place the noodles in a large heat safe bowl and pour boiling water over them until they are covered. Let them soak in the boiling water for 15 minutes or until al dente. When softened to your liking, strain and rinse the noodles in cold water. Set in the refrigerator until you are ready to add the noodles to the salad.
- Meanwhile, make your dressing. Combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, lime juice, and water in a bowl or jar and whisk until combined. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, prep your salad ingredients and place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the noodles to the salad and pour the dressing over. Toss everything together to combine. Add a dash of each salt and pepper, combine, and add more to your taste if needed. Chill in the fridge until cold if desired.
- Serve with lime slices, additional peanuts, and Sriracha or hot sauce.
Nutrition
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