Cold Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing

This cold noodle salad is bursting to the brim with vegetables, it’s served with a very tasty peanut sauce and topped off with some seriously tasty toasted sweet peanuts.

This vegan cold noodle salad is great for picnics or pot lucks. It’s full of flavour and great for making ahead. It can be ready in under 30 minutes too! It’s also great for dinner when the weather is really hot. There isn’t much cooking involved which is always a bonus during the hot summer months.

This is a very flexible salad, you can mix and match the vegetables to your own taste, just keep them as raw and as crunchy as possible. The peanut sauce is one of my favourite things, there are a few ingredients in it but nothing you can’t find in the supermarket. If you have any leftover, you could maybe use it as a marinade for veggie skewers or a crispy tofu salad. 

Here’s What You’ll Need

There are two parts to this recipe the noodle salad and the peanut butter dressing. For the full list of ingredients please see the recipe card below.

~ For the noodle salad

• Noddles – you can use any noodles of your choice for this recipe. We love whole wheat noodles, ramen noodles, rice noodles. 
• Vegetables – the options are endless here, but I recommend you keep it crunchy and raw. Peppers, red cabbage, onions, carrots and radish all work really well. I also add sugar snap peas which I blanch for a minute or two first. If you want to skip this you could use mange tout instead. Baby spinach is milder in flavour so this is best too. I add some fresh herbs to this too and coriander (cilantro) is great in this but if you’re not keen you can leave it out.
• Nuts – I use jumbo peanuts for this recipe, unroasted is best. If you don’t like peanuts you could also use cashews instead they work really well too.

~For the peanut butter dressing

• Peanut Nut Butter – smooth peanut butter is best for this dressing. I use 100% natural peanut butter with no added sugar. 
• Sweet Chilli Sauce – I use a sweet chilli sauce that has a bit of a kick to it, you can use a mild version if you want. And if you are watching your sugar intake there are reduced sugar versions available.
• Soy Sauce – light soy sauce is best, you can use reduced-sodium if you like.
• Ginger, Garlic, Chilli – fresh is best here, and you can add more garlic if you want. 
• Lime juice – again, fresh is best and 1 medium lime should do the trick.

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: Toast the peanuts – roughly chop the peanuts. Add them to a dry pan and toast over medium heat until golden. Add a tablespoon of maple syrup to the pan and stir into the nuts. Once the nuts are sticky turn off the heat. Transfer the nuts to a plate or bowl and sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the nuts.

Step 2: Cook the noodles + make the dressing – cook the noodles according to the pack instructions drain and leave to cool. Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a bowl and whisk together. Add a little water to loosen the dressing. Keep adding a tablespoon of water one at a time until you have a smooth runny dressing. Set aside until you are ready to use.

Step 3: Chop the veggies – you can chop, shred or cut your veggies into ribbons if you want. I cut the carrots into ribbons and slice or shred everything else. I leave the sugar snap peas and spinach intact unless the leaves are really big and then I chop them up. Add everything to a large bowl along with the coriander and toss well.

Step 4: Add noodle + dressing – add the cold noodles to the vegetables, then add the dressing. Toss everything together. Serve with the toasted peanuts and lime wedges. 

FAQs and Tips

• Switch up the veggies – there are so many ways you can switch this up! Courgettes (zucchini), edamame, french beans and Brussel sprouts would all be great in this.
• Add-ins – crispy tofu is really good in this. You could also serve this with some Katsu tofu on top.
• Make it gluten-free – this is easy to make gluten-free, just use your favourite gluten-free noodles and swap the soy sauce for tamari.
• Peanut allergy? swap the peanut butter for almond butter and the toasted peanuts for cashews.
• Make it ahead – you can make the dressing and the toasted nuts the day before, keep the dressing in the fridge and the nuts in an airtight container can be left in a kitchen cupboard. The noodles are best cooked fresh. You could prep the veg earlier that day if you want.
• Storing/leftovers  – if you’re making this to take on a picnic or pot luck I would not add the coriander. Keep the salad in a covered bowl in the fridge. I would keep the nuts separate they can be kept in an airtight container on the kitchen counter. Leftovers will keep for about 2 or 3 days.

More Tasty Vegan Salads

• Falafel Bowls – Perfectly crispy falafel salad bowls with brown rice and veggies. Served with creamy tahini sauce, these falafel bowls are great for a tasty vegan lunch or dinner.
• Moroccan Couscous Salad – With roasted vegetables and chickpeas this tasty, spiced Moroccan couscous salad is packed with amazing North African flavours.
• Avocado Quinoa Salad – A fresh and zesty salad with warmly spiced crispy chickpeas and a tangy dressing.

Have you made this recipe? Please leave a comment below to let me know how it went. I love getting your feedback.

Cold Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing

Cold noodle salad with veggies and a creamy peanut dressing. Topped with sweet toasted peanuts. Great for lunch, picnics, BBQs and potlucks.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main

Cuisine: Vegan

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 388kcal

Author: Michelle Alston

Ingredients

For the salad

• ▢ 150 g dry weight (approx 2 cups of cooked noodles) I used whole wheat noodles
• ▢ 110 g (5oz) of baby spinach
• ▢ 60 g of red cabbage (1 cup shredded) finely shredded
• ▢ 2 medium carrots peeled then cut into ribbons
• ▢ 50 g (½ cup) of radishes sliced thinly
• ▢ ½ a medium (60g) red bell pepper thinly sliced
• ▢ ½ a medium (60g) yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
• ▢ 110 g (¼ cup) sugar snap peas blanched
• ▢ 1 handful of coriander (cilantro) leaves roughly chopped
• ▢ 2 tbsp spring onions (scallions) sliced + more for garnish
• ▢ 80 g (1/2 cup) of peanuts unroasted, I used jumbo peanuts
• ▢ 1 tbs maple syrup
• ▢ ⅛ tsp sea salt flakes

For the dressing

• ▢ 4 heaped tbsp smooth peanut butter I use a 100% natural sugar-free peanut butter
• ▢ 2 tbsp light soy sauce or tamari
• ▢ 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• ▢ ½ tbsp toasted sesame oil
• ▢ 2 cloves of garlic put through a garlic press or finely grated
• ▢ 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger skin peeled off and finely grated
• ▢ The juice of 1 lime
• ▢ ½ tsp red chilli pepper finely chopped
• ▢ 50 ml (¼ cup) of water more if you need it
• ▢ Lime wedges to serve
• ▢ salt and black pepper for seasoning

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Instructions

For the salad

• Cook the noodles according to the packet, drain and leave to cool.
• Blanch the sugar snap peas in boiling water for 2 minutes, remove to an ice bath, then leave them aside until you are ready to add them to the salad.
• Toast the peanuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat, tossing occasionally. When they start to turn golden brown turn down the heat a little then add a tablespoon of maple syrup. Stir the maple syrup and nuts together until they are golden brown and sticky. Transfer them to a small bowl to cool. When they have cooled you will need to break them up a bit then sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt flakes over them.

Make the dressing

• Add the 4 heaped tablespoons of smooth peanut butter to a bowl. Add the garlic, ginger and chopped chilli. Pour in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce, ½ a tablespoon of toasted sesame oil and the lime juice.

  Whisk everything together. Start adding the water one or two tablespoons at a time, whisking all the time. Keep adding water until you have a smooth pouring consistency.

Assemble the salad

• Place all the vegetables and the chopped coriander in a large salad bowl and toss well.
• Add the noodles then pour in the dressing. Toss everything together.
• Serve with the sweet toasted nuts and lime wedges.

Notes

• Switch up the veggies –  Courgettes (zucchini), edamame, french beans been Brussel sprouts are also great in this.
• Add-ins – crispy tofu cubes are great in this. You could also add some Tempah if you like. 
• Make it gluten-free – this is easy to make gluten-free, just use your favourite gluten-free noodles swap the soy sauce for tamari.
• Peanut allergy? swap the peanut butter for almond butter and the toasted peanuts for cashews.
• Making ahead – make the dressing adn the toasted nuts the day before and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to use them. The noodles are best made fresh. You could prep the veg earlier that day if you want.
• Storing/leftovers  – if you’re making this to take on a picnic or pot luck I would not add the coriander. Keep the salad in a covered bowl in the fridge. I would keep the nuts separate they can be kept in an airtight container on the kitchen counter. Leftovers will keep for about 2 or 3 days.
• Nutritional Information  - is calculated using an online tool all information is approximate.
• Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients if possible for best results.

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 32.6g | Protein: 12.8g | Fat: 25.7g | Saturated Fat: 4.3g | Sodium: 238mg | Potassium: 622mg | Fiber: 5.9g | Sugar: 8.3g | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 4mg

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*This recipe was first published in May 2017. Updated May 2021 with new photos, step by step instructions and nutritional information.