This Thai Pasta Salad recipe combines the vibrant flavors of fresh vegetables, fragrant herbs, and chewy noodles, tossed in a zesty, homemade peanut dressing. It’s a refreshing and satisfying dish that offers a perfect balance of tangy, spicy, and savory notes.
This Thai Peanut Noodle Salad is amazing!
Take your tastebuds on an adventure with this Thai Peanut Noodle Salad recipe. It starts with a noodle base (I used bow tie, but lean into the Asian inspired flavors and swap for rice noodles or glass noodles), topped with a burst of color and crunch thanks to plenty of flavorful veggies like cabbage, peppers, edamame, and plenty of fresh herbs.
And let’s not forget the peanut sesame dressing you’re going to want to DRINK! This dressing has all of the most wonderful savory, salty, umami ingredients that come together for the most velvety and flavorful dressing you can imagine. A similar dressing is also on this Spicy Thai Chicken Salad, these Spicy Peanut Noodles or this Oriental Chicken Wrap, too!
This Thai Peanut Noodle Salad is a great summer pasta salad that will satisfy your hunger. It’s hearty and healthy leaving you feeling really good. It’s the perfect dish for meal prep, a summer picnic or as a side dish at your backyard barbecue. But if you want a cozier dish, check out this Upgraded Ramen recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
- Noodles: The best noodles for this salad is whatever type of pasta you like best. I used farfalle, but see below for other options.
- Fresh Herbs: Cilantro, mint, and green onions.
- Crunchy Veggies: Purple Cabbage, red bell pepper or yellow bell peppers, jalapeño and edamame.
- Tangy Peanut Dressing: The Thai peanut sauce is the best thing EVER! The main ingredients include natural peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar. It has SO much flavor! There’s a touch of honey which you can swap with maple syrup to make this a vegan salad.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
There are plenty of ways to customize this salad. Here are a few swaps you can make:
- Noodles: Try glass noodles, brown rice noodles, udon noodles, soba noodles, chickpea pasta, ramen noodles or spaghetti noodles.
- Veggies: This Thai pasta salad is loaded with healthy veggies as is, but additions or swaps you could try include shredded carrots, chopped cucumbers, water chestnuts, fresh basil,
- Protein: Add extra protein like grilled chicken breast or rotisserie chicken, salmon or shrimp to make it a full meal.
- Dressing: Use almond butter or tahini in the dressing for a more muted nutty flavor. Or instead, try a carrot ginger dressing.
- Crunch: In addition to or in place of the crunchy peanuts add sesame seeds, crispy wonton strips, or roasted pepitas.
How to Make This Recipe
1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain the noodles and place in the fridge to cool while you prepare the rest of your fresh ingredients.
2. Use a vegetable chopper or knife/cutting board to prep all of the vegetables: red pepper, cabbage, carrots, cook edamame (if frozen), green onions, jalapeños, and fresh herbs. Add to large bowl with noodles.
3. Whisk together the peanut salad dressing in a jar until the peanut butter is completely combined and it’s a smooth dressing.
4. Drizzle the salad with thai peanut sauce. Serve cold, garnished with lime wedges, crushed peanuts, red pepper flakes, etc.
PRO TIPS
Don’t rinse your noodles after you drain off the pasta water! Rinsing removes the starch from the pasta, which is what helps the dressing stick to it.
Recipe FAQs
Store your thai salad in an airtight container for 3-4 days. The crunchy veggies are hearty enough that it won’t get soggy as it sits.
With the creamy peanut dressing, and fun shaped bow tie pasta, kids are sure to enjoy this Thai peanut salad recipe. I suggest shredding the cabbage super fine so it’s easier to eat and leaving out the jalapeño to accommodate sensitive taste buds. If you have picky eaters, you may want to serve the fresh herbs on the side if the distinct flavors are not something they will enjoy.
A whole head of cabbage produces a LOT of the shredded cabbage. With the what you have remaining from this Asian noodle salad recipe in this Quinoa Edamame Salad or make these Pulled BBQ Chicken Sliders and use it for the slaw.
Serving suggestions
Try this Thai Peanut Pasta Salad with Ninja Foodi Grilled Chicken or this Baked Asian Salmon on top. Or as a side to these Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps. It would go great with a side of Asian Carrots as well.
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Thai Peanut Noodle Salad
Equipment
- Sauce pot
- strainer
- Mixing Bowl
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- beaker or small bowl
- Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
Salad
- 8 oz farfalle, or noodle of choice
- 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup cooked edamame
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1 small jalapeño, finely sliced
- 1/2 cup green onion, diced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4` cup fresh mint, chopped
- 1/4 cup crushed peanuts
- 1 lime
- pinch red pepper flakes
Dressing
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbspq lime juice
- 1/4 cup warm water
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain the noodles and place in the fridge to cool while you prepare the rest of your fresh ingredients.
- Use a vegetable chopper or knife/cutting board to prep all of the vegetables: red pepper, cabbage, carrots, cook edamame (if frozen), green onions, jalapeños, and fresh herbs.
- Whisk together the peanut salad dressing in a jar until the peanut butter is completely combined and it’s a smooth dressing.
- Place all of the salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with thai peanut sauce.
- Serve cold, garnished with lime wedges, crushed peanuts, red pepper flakes, etc.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
If you’re using MyFitnessPal, search ‘A Paige Of Positivity’ and find Thai Peanut Noodle Salad calories and nutrition facts. Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
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SUCH a great recipe, especially for summer! The peanut butter dressing is drinkable.
I cannot stop making this!!! I love how easy it is to customize – I’ve changed it up every time I’ve tried it with different veggies, adding protein, changing up the herbs. SALAD OF THE SUMMER RIGHT HERE!