Easy Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing

Thai noodle salad makes a healthy, bright, refreshing side dish, or a light main. It’s packed with flavor and texture thanks to the crunchy vegetables, chewy noodles, and creamy peanut dressing. This salad is naturally gluten-free, plant-based, and can be made oil-free as well. If you are allergic to peanuts, simply use tahini, cashew, or almond butter instead of peanut butter.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can give or take as many veggies as you want here, based on what you have at home. Radishes, edamame, broccoli florets, green or Napa cabbage, cucumber, zucchini, or even kale can be an awesome addition to this salad. Feel free to add extra protein such as raw or fried tofu, vegan chicken, or tempeh.

Play around with the ratio of your salad dressing ingredients, and make it as tangy, sweet, or spicy as you like. If you like your salads extra saucy, simply double the dressing.

This Thai Noodle Salad can be served immediately, or kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. It makes a great lunch for the office or school as well. If you want your veggies to stay extra crunchy, make sure to store the dressing separately, and only add it to the salad when ready to serve.

Need an extra budget-friendly version?

• Choose whatever noodle is the cheapest in your supermarket. Rice noodles, mung bean noodles, soba noodles, or even ramen noodles work here if you don’t mind a not-so-authentic salad.
• Use a frozen veggie mix. Simple thaw veggies, or steam them for a couple of seconds.
• Skip the fresh herbs, chili, and toasted sesame oil.

Want to make your salad especially healthy?

• Choose brown rice noodles, instead of white ones
• Double the amount of veggies you use!
• Feel free to add extra veg and fruit to your salad. Edamame, broccoli, radish, green cabbage, spinach, zucchini, or mango all work great here.
• Omit the sesame oil for an oil-free version

Looking for a deluxe version?

• Make your own peanut butter for the dressing. Don’t forget to roast your peanuts first for an extra deep flavor.
• Or try using cashews. Either as cashew butter for the dressing or simply as a topping.
• Vegan chicken or beef are awesome additions to this salad as well.
• This salad looks especially pretty when served in cabbage or lettuce leaves.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes

Vegan Thai Noodle Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

For the noodles:

• 5 oz/150 g rice noodles
• 2 cups of shredded cabbage
• 1.5 cups of chopped bell peppers
• 1 cup of matchstick carrots
• 1/2 cup of chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup of chopped peanuts + more for serving
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds + more for serving
• 1 small bunch of fresh herbs (such as cilantro, thai basil, or mint) + more for serving

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 inch/2.5 cm piece of ginger, grated
• 1 chili, minced
• salt

Instructions

1. Prepare rice noodles according to package instructions. Rinse with cold water, then drain, and add to a large salad bowl.
2. Add cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, green onion, peanuts, sesame seeds, and herbs to the noodles.
3. Whisk together peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and chili. Add enough water to get a dressing consistency (1/2-1 cup). Taste, and season with salt, if needed.
4. Pour dressing over the noodles and veggies, and mix everything well together. Serve immediately, or chill for up to 3 days.

Nutritionals 

Calories 308 | Total Fat 14.5g | Saturated Fat 2.4g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 442mg | Total Carbohydrates 40.1g | Dietary Fiber 7.7g | Total Sugars 14.8g | Protein 9.9g | Calcium 126mg | Iron 4mg | Potassium 498mg |