Thai Noodle Salad with the BEST EVER Peanut Sauce- loaded up with healthy veggies! Vegan and Gluten-Free!
Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable. ~Mary Oliver~
The other day I got a hankering for an old standby we used to have on the Mizuna menu, the vegetarian restaurant my friend Tonia and I started together way back when. Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce. Here it’s made with rice noodles and a boatload of crunchy veggies- cabbage, carrots, bell pepper and radish, then tossed in the most flavorful, balanced peanut sauce eeeeeeeeeever!
This Thai Noodle Salad is great made-ahead, and keeps well for 3-4 days in the fridge -perfect for midweek meals and lunches, or potlucks and gatherings. Top this with flavorful Sesame Ginger Tofu or baked chicken for added protein if you prefer. So delicious!
How to Make Thai Noodle Salad! |30-second Video
Yes I may be biased – I’ve had many versions of Thai peanut sauce, here and throughout Thailand, but this Thai Peanut Sauce is still hands-down my all-time very favorite! Not too sweet, perfectly balanced.
The secret ingredient is fresh orange juice, giving it a delicious brightness. I highly recommend making a double batch of the Thai Peanut Sauce to use with spring rolls or buddha bowls. If you are like me you will be eating it by the spoonful. It’s that good! ( Also know that this works with almond butter too!)
It starts with 6 ounces of dry noodles. So here again, the salad is actually, by volume more veggies than noodles! My kind of salad.
Use linguine, soba noodles, pad Thai-style rice noodles, brown rice noodles or seriously any pasta you have in your pantry. Toss the pasta with 4 cups of shredded veggies. Add scallions, jalapeño and cilantro (or basil) and toss with the flavorful peanut sauce. Top with toasted, crushed peanuts.
The salad gets more and more flavorful each day.
Veggies like cabbage, carrots and radishes, stay crunchy in the salad, even over several days. The light and creamy peanut sauce is a nice contrast.
Make this as spicy as you want. I love adding fresh, finely chopped jalapeño to the salad for a little added heat.
Toss it up and serve it in a cute serving bowl.
Garnish with the roasted crushed peanuts and chopped scallion at the end ( so they stay fresh and crunchy).
Healthy, delicious and filling- I love having this Thai Noodle Salad on hand for a quick healthy snack too!
Here it is with the Sesame Ginger Tofu….so good!
A fridge full of make-ahead salads, that’s what we’ve been feasting on at home this week. Super handy and time-saving, these are easy mid-week meals! Make a batch on Sunday and have throughout the week!
RELATED: MAKE-AHEAD VEGAN SALADS!
Hope you enjoy this one and if you do, please pin or share!
xoxo
Sylvia
SHOP! Serve your beautiful salad in our Wooden Bowls or Ceramic bowls – both found at our Bowl and Pitcher Store!
Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce
A simple delicious recipe for Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce, loaded up with healthy veggies. Vegan and Gluten free, this make-ahead salad is perfect for midweek lunches or large gatherings. Add Sesame Ginger Tofu for added protein!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Vegan, Salad
- Method: Tossed
- Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients
- 6 ounces dry noodles (brown rice noodles, pad thai style rice noodles, soba noodles, linguini)
- 4 cups mix of cabbage, carrots and radish, shredded or grated
- 1 red bell pepper, finely sliced
- 3 scallions, sliced
- ½ bunch cilantro, chopped (or sub basil and mint)
- 1 tablespoon (or less, or more) jalapeño, finely chopped
- ¼–½ cup roasted, crushed peanuts ( garnish)
Thai Peanut Sauce ( make a double batch and save the rest for another use)
- 3 thin slices ginger- cut across the grain, about the size of a quarter.
- 1 fat clove garlic
- ¼ cup peanut butter ( or sub almond butter!)
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice ( roughly ½ an orange)
- 3 tablespoon fresh lime juice ( 1 lime)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or GF Braggs Liquid Amino Acids (Note: Tamari will turn this unpleasantly dark)
- 3 tablespoons honey or agave
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- ½ –1 teaspoon cayenne pepper ( or a squirt of sriracha sauce)
- ½ teaspoon salt
Sesame Ginger Tofu ( Optional) Go to Link
Instructions
Cook pasta according to directions on package. ( See notes for rice noodles) Drain and chill under cold running water.
In the meantime, blend the peanut sauce ingredients together in a blender until smooth.
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 the peanut sauce over top and toss well to combine.
Taste, adjust the salt and serve, garnishing with roasted peanuts and cilantro and a lime wedge.
Notes
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.
Keywords: thai noodle salad, thai noodle salad recipe, thai salad, best peanut sauce, peanut sauce recipe, vegan thai noodle salad recipe
Delicious!! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
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Thanks Anna -so happy you liked it!!!
The third recipe I have tried from your site and each one was a hit!!!
This salad rocks the boat!!
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Your recipes are all keepers! My entire family loves this salad. My soon-to-be 17 year old daughter even requested it for her birthday dinner. Thank you for sharing your creativity with us!
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Thanks Nic! And great to hear, so happy your family is enjoying. Love that you cook for them. xoxo
This was good and I will make again. I added more peanut butter, two garlic cloves, and a lot more chili sauce.
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Nice. You can eat a lot of this
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Sylvia, my husband said that your recipes thai noodle salad with peanut sauce was the best salad he ever ate, thank you and I want to signs up with your other receipes.
Great to hear- thanks Olga!
I made this but since it was chilly and rainy I stir fried the veggies so everything was warm. The colors were awesome and everyone loved the peanut sauce. I’ll definitely make this as a salad in warmer weather!
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Hi Sylvia. I am curious what is that small blender you have? It looks like a baby vita mix.
In the video? I think it is a mini Cuisinart.
Excellent, next time will add mandarian oranges. Served with Instapot Asian chicken thighs.
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thanks sounds good!
Very nice !
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This salad is the real deal! And the peanut sauce – perfection! Thanks!
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This was fabulous, now one of my standard makes for my family.
My favourite sauce!! Sooo much flavour! Thank you!
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Yay Maggie! Happy you enjoyed!
Really yummy peanut sauce! Used brown rice and stir fried the veggies on a cold night. Loved it!
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Stephanie, thanks for giving me a great idea!!!~
yummiest dressing ive had…. superb…thx a ton…
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Great
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I love this salad! The dressing is amazing. I also add a little rice vinegar to give it a little more zing.
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This recipe was so great!! It’s a staple go to for any Asian dish!!
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Trying this today! When premaking – do you add the dressing just before serving?
You can add it right away and let it marinate!
This is a delicious recipe. I made two batches of the peanut sauce and used them both, since it was so good. Thanks for sharing!
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Made this for the first time last night. Followed the directions exactly. It was amazing! No changes needed!
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