Home » Blog » Uncategorized » Cold Peanut Noodle Salad

Cold Peanut Noodle Salad

Load on the flavor with this cold peanut noodle salad! Chuck full of colorful veggies, al dente rice noodles, crunchy peanuts and the most delicious peanut dressing you’ll ever have.

The cold peanut noodle salad in a serving bowl.

This post contains affiliate links

Not only is this cold peanut noodle salad bursting with flavor, it’s also really easy to make. The only thing that requires cooking are the rice noodles, which need just a few minutes, and you can use precut carrots and cabbage to save on prep time.

This cold peanut noodle salad is a fun alternative to pasta salad. It is perfect for summertime but can really be enjoyed all year round. I like to make this noodle salad as a side dish, but it can also be bulked up with shrimp or chicken and enjoyed as an entree.

Definitely give this cold peanut noodle salad a try in lieu of pasta salad at your next summer gathering and let me know what you think!

Cold Peanut Noodle Salad Ingredients

Rice noodles: I used pad Thai style rice noodles, but you can also use spaghetti, soba noodles or ramen.
Red and green cabbage: I used a pre-shredded slaw mix to save on prep work.
Bell pepper: you want to slice the bell pepper super thin since it will be raw and crunchy!
Carrots: I used pre-cut matchstick carrots to save time on prep work.
Scallions and cilantro: I love the bright fresh flavors scallions and cilantro add to this recipe.
Peanuts: peanuts add a different kind of crunch to this noodle salad.

Peanut Dressing Ingredients

Ingredients for the peanut dressing.

Peanut butter: opt for natural peanut butter where the only ingredients are peanuts and salt. I used crunchy peanut butter for texture.
Ginger and garlic: the aromatics used to make this peanut sauce so flavorful.
Soy sauce: soy sauce gives this sauce a rich umami flavor.
Brown sugar: balances out the saltiness from the peanut butter and soy sauce.
Sesame oil: adds a deep nutty flavor that is different from the peanut butter to add complexity.
Lime juice: adds a bit of freshness to this sauce, making it more suitable for a noodle salad.

Equipment

Saucepan
Strainer
Cutting board and knife
Measuring cups and spoons
Whisk
Serving bowl and tongs or serving spoons

The ingredients of the peanut noodle salad with the dressing drizzled over the top.

Instructions

In a glass measuring cup, combine the peanut butter, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and lime juice. Whisk everything together until well combined and set aside.

Cook rice noodles in boiling water according to package instructions. Drain the water and rinse the noodles to stop the cooking process.

Transfer noodles to a large mixing bowl. Add the red and green cabbage, bell pepper, carrots, scallions, cilantro and peanuts. Drizzle over the peanut dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated in dressing.

What to Serve with Cold Peanut Noodle Salad

Appetizer: Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Shrimp Skewers
Entree: Thai Turkey Meatballs
Dessert: No Bake Almond Coconut Bars

A forkful of noodles above a serving bowl of noodles.

Tips

  • Cook the noodles just until al dente and then quickly drain and rinse noodles to stop the cooking process. Over cooking the noodles will result in a mushy pasta salad.
  • If the dressing is too thick to pour, stir in one tablespoon of water at a time until the dressing is thin enough to pour.
  • Store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge for up to five days.
  • Save any extra dressing to redress any leftovers. Noodles will absorb sauce over time.

Substitutions

Rice noodles: spaghetti, soba noodles, ramen noodles or knife cut noodles would also work.
Peanut butter: almond butter or sunflower seed butter can be used in place of peanut butter.
Brown sugar: an equal amount of honey or maple syrup can be used instead of brown sugar to balance out the saltiness of the dressing.
Add ins: proteins such as chicken or shrimp, extra veggies like edamame or bok choy, additional garnishes such as thai basil, sesame seeds and chili oil for a kick.

An overhead shot of the cold peanut noodle salad.

More Recipes You’ll Love

If you make this Cold Peanut Noodle Salad, be sure to leave a comment below and rate this recipe! If you snap a pic, be sure to tag me on Instagram @thechowdown! I love seeing your creations!

Cold Peanut Noodle Salad

Load on the flavor with this cold peanut noodle salad! Chuck full of colorful veggies, al dente rice noodles, crunchy peanuts and the most delicious peanut dressing you'll ever have.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Thai
Keyword: Cold Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing, Peanut Noodle Salad, Thai Peanut Noodle Salad
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 oz rice noodles
  • 1 bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage
  • 1 cup carrot matchsticks
  • 5 scallions chopped
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
  • 1/3 cup peanuts chopped

Peanut Dressing

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 lime juiced

Instructions

  • In a glass measuring cup, combine the peanut butter, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and lime juice. Whisk everything together until well combined and set aside.
  • Cook rice noodles in boiling water according to package instructions. Drain the water and rinse the noodles to stop the cooking process.
  • Transfer noodles to a large mixing bowl. Add the red and green cabbage, bell pepper, carrots, scallions, cilantro and peanuts. Drizzle over the peanut dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated in dressing.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating