You’ve probably never had a salad quite like this before!
The term “salad” tends to conjure up images of undressed lettuce and raw vegetables. However, noodles can also be the main ingredient in a delicious salad. Just like any other salad, this Thai-inspired noodle salad has plenty of veggies, and it comes with a delicious dressing to pour on top and mix through. The only difference is that everything revolves around noodles rather than lettuce.
This noodle salad has as many flavors as it does colors. It has no shortage of ingredients, yet it’s easy to put together for a weekday lunch or quick dinner. You just cook the noodles, add the vegetables, and then pour the dressing on top. Rice noodles are a staple in Thai cuisine, used in dishes like pad thai, pad see ew, and various noodle soups. Combined with the vibrant dressing and aromatics like ginger and garlic, this salad’s flavor has depth and complexity, as well as a crunch from the fresh veggies, and a spicy kick from the sriracha. Once you’ve tried it, you may never look at salads the same way again.
Is Asian Noodle Salad Healthy?
With so many fresh vegetables, this Thai-inspired noodle salad is a healthy recipe. It can be made vegan-friendly if you swap the honey for your favorite sweetener, and it can be made gluten-free if you can find gluten-free soy sauce in your local grocery store or online. Virtually every ingredient contributes something positive to the nutrition profile, with lots of fiber from the veggies, and vitamin C from the bell pepper. There might be a little too much sodium in this recipe for some people, so just use less soy sauce if this is a worry.
Choose your Veggies
As with any salad, this noodle salad gives you the opportunity to choose what vegetables you want to add. In addition to the carrots and bell pepper in the recipe, feel free to throw in one or two other vegetables that you like. For example, shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, and broccoli are common additions because they can add both flavor and texture to the dish. Depending on your personal tastes, green onions, sugar snap peas, grape tomatoes, and edamame are also good options.
How to make ahead and store
Put any leftover noodle salad in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also prepare the vegetables and dressing up to 1 day in advance, just make sure to store them separately, and make the noodles fresh before combining everything and serving.
Serving Suggestions
For some people, this Asian noodle salad is more than enough food to be the main course. However, it also pairs well with other dishes as a side dish or appetizer. Personally, I love topping the salad with teriyaki chicken. For those who don’t eat meat, I would recommend combining this noodle salad with a seafood dish like air fryer coconut shrimp or air fryer salmon. You could also pair the salad with some crispy air fryer egg rolls, or with a simple fried egg on top.
If you’re a fan of noodle-based dishes, but are trying to cut down on carbs, try this recipe for zucchini noodles with pesto and a fried egg, or this new twist on an old favorite, vegan mac and cheese with butternut squash noodles.
Ingredients
- 8 oz rice noodles
- 1 cup carrots shredded
- 1 red bell pepper julienned
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
Instructions
- Cook rice noodles according to package instructions, then drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Toss them with a small splash of oil to keep them from sticking together.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, ginger, garlic, and sriracha to create the dressing.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled noodles, carrots, red bell pepper, and cilantro. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Garnish with chopped peanuts.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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