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Peanut Noodle Salad

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4.7 from 7 reviews

This vegan Peanut Noodle Salad is loaded with fresh crisp veggies, perfectly al dente noodles, and a hearty drizzle of creamy, tangy peanut dressing. Garnish with chopped peanuts and sesame seeds for some added crunch! The best part is it takes less than 30 minutes to throw together!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 8 oz. fettuccine noodles
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup edamame, cooked and cooled
  • 1 cup matchstick carrots
  • 1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage
  • 1 cup chopped peanuts
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • Easy Peanut Dressing

Garnish:

  • sesame seeds
  • fresh chopped cilantro
  • lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta until al dente. Toss in olive oil and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
  2. Combine ingredients for the creamy peanut sauce. It’s SUPER simple and will take just a couple minutes.
  3. Add cooked pasta, red pepper, edamame, carrots, cabbage, peanuts, and cilantro to a large bowl. Pour half the peanut dressing over it and toss to combine.
  4. Drizzle with more peanut sauce. Garnish with peanuts, sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.

Equipment

Notes

Your pasta water should be as salty as the ocean. Yes, really. I’d recommend at least 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt and honestly I probably add closer to a 1/4 cup. Add it to the water after it comes to a boil, and just before adding the pasta. If all you have is regular table salt, try 1-3 tablespoons instead. Salting your pasta water is your first chance to season the pasta itself. And you will be surprised at what a difference it makes in the overall flavor of the pasta.

Cook the pasta just until al dente. Set your timer for 1 minute less than the recommended cooking time. So if your pasta should boil for 9-11 minutes, set your timer for 8 minutes and start testing the pasta then. Once it’s just al dente – tender but still has a bit of a toothsome bite – take it off the heat and strain it.

Toss the cooked pasta immediately in olive oil and add a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Then allow it to cool to room temp before assembling the salad. If you’re in a hurry, stick the pasta in the fridge for a few minutes to cool it down more quickly.

The dressing will thicken as it sits on the peanut pasta salad, so I recommend waiting to add the dressing until you’re ready to eat. If you end up with leftovers that are already dressed, you can add a splash of lime juice or soy sauce to loosen up the sauce and make it smooth and creamy again.