Thai Peanut Noodle Salad Recipe

Packed with crunchy veggies, edamame, rice noodles and a scrumptious garlicky, gingery peanut-lime dressing, this Thai Peanut Noodle Salad recipe is make ahead ready and simple to pull together! This recipe is vegetarian, vegan + gluten free

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Thai

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Asian Peanut Noodle Salad, Peanut Noodle Salad, Thai Noodle Salad

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 5

Total Time 30

Servings Servings

Calories 326kcal

Author Traci York

Ingredients

For the Salad

1/2 C (65g) Cashews or peanuts
1 C (140g) Shelled Edamame frozen
4 oz (110g) Rice Stick Noodles
1-2 tsp Sesame Oil optional, *see note
1 1/2 C (155g) Red or Yellow Bell Pepper about 1 large, I like to mix red and yellow
1 C (45g) Carrots shredded
3 C (190g) Cabbage green and purple mixed, shredded
1 C (100g) Sugar Snap Peas or snow peas, sliced into bite size pieces on the bias
1/2 C (30g) Green Onions sliced thin on the bias
Herbs such as Thai basil, mint and cilantro use to taste - I like a combo of all three, fine chop about 4 Tbs. Use whole leaves to garnish.

For the Dressing (makes about 1 C (260g))

1 inch (2.5cm) Nub Fresh Ginger peeled
2 Plump Cloves of Garlic
6 Tbs (100g) Peanut Butter smooth, natural
2 1/2 Tbs Lime Juice from about one lime
3 1/2 Tbs Tamari **soy sauce may be used if desired (see note)
2 Tbs Maple Syrup or honey
2 tsp Sriracha or 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
3-4 Tbs Hot Water to thin the dressing

Instructions

For the Salad

Preheat oven to 350F (180C) and toast the cashews for 8-9 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool. Rough chop. Set aside 2 Tbs for garnish.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Once boiling add the frozen edamame. Set a timer for five minutes and cook the edamame on high heat. The water should return to a boil. Set a strainer inside a large bowl to retain the water from the edamame. After 5-6 minutes of cooking and the edamame is tender, strain the edamame reserving the water in a large bowl. Rinse the edamame under cool running water. Set the edamame aside.
Working quickly, into the reserved water, add the rice noodles. Allow the noodles to soak for 4-6 minutes in the previously boiled edamame water. Loosen with a fork and check on them every few minutes. They should be tender, not mushy, when ready. Strain and rinse with cold running water, tossing, until the water runs clear. Wipe the bowl dry and add the rice noodles to the bowl. Drizzle with sesame oil if using and toss. Otherwise, add the edamame to the rice noodles.
To the mixing bowl add the cashews, peppers, carrots, cabbage, peas, onions and herbs. Set in the refrigerator while making the dressing.

For the Dressing

Into the bowl of a food processor, add the ginger, garlic, peanut butter, lime, Tamari, maple and Sriracha. With the processor running drizzle in a few Tbs of hot water. Process until smooth. Check consistency. The dressing needs to be thick enough to stick to the noodles and veggies. If too thin, it'll sink to the bottom of the bowl. Add up to two more Tbs of water if desired.

To Assemble

Pour the dressing over the salad, holding out about 1/4 C. Toss salad thoroughly so that all the noodles and veggies are covered. Add additional dressing if desired. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle additional herbs and 2 Tbs of cashews over the top. Serve with lime wedges and Sriracha.
Thai Peanut Salad holds well in the fridge for up to three days. If desired, set out at room temperature at least 30 minutes prior to serving to allow the fats to soften.

Video

Notes

*Optional, but drizzling a bit of oil over the noodles after draining helps keep them from sticking while they cool in the fridge. If not used, the noodles will loosen once the dressing is poured over the salad and tossed. I will say, the sesame oil adds a nice dose of flavor!

**Tamari: The salty component in this recipe, and can be adjusted to taste. Start with 2 tablespoons as add as desired. Note the dressing will be distributed over the entire salad, so the dressing will taste salty before dressing the salad.

Nutrition