This cold peanut noodle salad is the perfect meal prep for sunny picnics in the park, camping trips, and beach days. It’s packed with fresh spring vegetables including carrots, bell peppers, and snap peas (but feel free to add in other produce such as purple cabbage, edamame, and avocado). Drizzle it with the easiest 5-ingredient peanut sauce for a refreshing and flavorful meal.
Celiac Tip: Perfect Travel Meal
One of the struggles of living with celiac disease is that I always need to be prepared with celiac-safe food when I travel. Most of the time my bags are filled with granola bars, fruits, nuts, and other shelf-stable snacks, but sometimes I just want “real” food. Because this peanut noodle salad is best enjoyed cold, it has become one of my go-to recipes for camping trips, airplane rides, road trips, and picnics.
Cold Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce
Equipment
- Dry Measuring Cups
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Cutting Board
- Chef’s Knife
- Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula
- 1.5 Quart Mixing Bowl
- 2 qt Saucepan
- Mesh Strainer
- Tongs
- 16 oz Mason Jar
Ingredients
- 8-12 ounces dry rice noodles (sub brown rice noodles or 100% buckwheat soba noodles)
- 16 ounces firm tofu (cut into 1" cubes, sub cooked chicken, chickpeas or tempeh)
- ½ lb snap peas (ends trimmed)
- 1 bell pepper (sliced)
- 2 medium carrots (thinly sliced or shredded)
- 3 scallions (sliced, green parts only)
- ½ bunch cilantro (chopped)
- ¼-½ cup peanuts (chopped, sub cashews)
Peanut Sauce
- ½ cup peanut butter (creamy, sub almond or cashew)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten free)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce or sriracha
- water (as needed)
Instructions
Soak Rice Noodles
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the noodles and remove the pot off of the heat. Let the noodles sit according to the package instructions. Check 1-2 minutes prior to the recommended cooking time to ensure they don’t over cook.
- Drain noodles into a colander. Rinse with cold water to stop the noodles from cooking further.
Prepare Vegetables
- Prep vegetables as noted below. Once prepped, vegetables can all be added into a large mixing bowl.
- Wash the snap peas thoroughly and trim the ends.
- Remove the ribs from the bell pepper and slice into 1/2” pieces.
- Wash (or peel) the carrots and thinly slice (or shred).
- Wash the scallions and thinly slice the green parts at an angle.
- Wash the cilantro and roughly chop.
Peanut Sauce
- In a microwave safe bowl or mason jar, add everything but the water (peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar, lime, and chili garlic sauce). Microwave for 20-30 seconds. Whisk together with a fork until smooth.
- Whisk 1-2 tablespoons water (as needed) to create a thinner consistency.
Toss the Noodles
- Add the noodles, bell pepper, snap peas, carrots, scallions, and 1/2 the peanut sauce together in a large bowl. Use a pair of tongs to toss until well combined. Add more sauce if needed. Top with cilantro and crushed peanuts and serve!