Cold Peanut Noodle Salad

Name: Cold Peanut Noodle Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 4 ounces Rice Noodles (Pad thai shape); 2 Mini sweet peppers (thinly sliced); 1 cup Purple cabbage; ½ cup Regular cabbage; ½ cup Shredded carrots; ½ cup Shelled edamame; 1 tbsp Cilantro (chopped); 1 tbsp Peanuts (chopped, roasted and salted. ); ¼ cup Creamy peanut butter; 1 tsp Chili garlic sauce sambal; 1 tbsp Toasted sesame oil; 1 tbsp Agave nectar; 1 tbsp Soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos); 2 tbsp Lime juice; ½ tsp Minced ginger or ginger paste

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You won't be able to get enough of this Cold Peanut Noodle Salad this summer! This recipe is done in 20 minutes or less, making it perfect for picnics, cookouts, or even meal prepping. Using lots of fresh, crunchy veggies as well as a creamy peanut sauce makes this the ultimate summer salad!

Photo of peanut noodle salad with chopsticks in the noodles in a black bowl

I love this peanut noodle salad on a hot day (or even on a cold day!), it is so good. Often, recipes with this sort of flavor profile and lots of ingredients are very complicated. But this recipe is SO easy. The hardest part is boiling the noodles–and anyone can do that!

I highly recommend doubling or even tripling this recipe, and you'll definitely want to make extra peanut sauce! This recipe is also easily customizable. Increase or decrease the spice level, use different kinds of noodles, add a variety of veggies, and you can even use almond butter in place of peanut butter!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

It is so easy - The hardest part of this recipe is boiling the noodles. And that's not even hard!
Easily customizable - This recipe can be changed easily. Use different kinds of noodles if you like (soba noodles would be great!), add more or less spice, or throw in extra vegetables!
Perfect for summer! Make this and bring it to BBQs, picnics, the pool, or anywhere that you'll want to beat the heat!

What You Need For This Recipe

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Rice Noodles - I love using the Pad Thai style rice noodles. You can also use vermicelli noodles, regular noodles, or soba noodles!
Sweet Peppers - Thinly sliced bell peppers of whichever color you like best!
Purple and Green Cabbage - For added crunch.
Carrots - I used pre-shredded carrots, but feel free to shred your own!
Edamame - I buy mine pre-shelled in the refrigerator section.
Chili Garlic Sambal Oelek - This sauce is delicious and adds a great flavor and spice. Sriracha can be used in its place.
Toasted Sesame Oil - Regular sesame oil or olive oil will suffice if necessary.
Agave Nectar - Substitute maple syrup or honey if needed.
Soy Sauce - For a gluten-free choice, use tamari or coconut aminos.
Lime Juice
Ginger - Using ginger paste will be the easiest, but grating or finely mincing fresh ginger is also great!
Creamy Peanut Butter - Natural peanut butter is the best consistency. Almond butter works too!
Cilantro - Fresh, chopped.
Chopped Peanuts - Roasted and salted peanut pieces. Cashews work as well.

Tools:

How To Make This Recipe

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients

Begin by boiling the rice noodles according to your package instructions. If there is the option to boil the noodles or soak them, I recommend boiling them.

How to cook rice noodles in the Instant Pot:

If you want to cook rice noodles in your instant pot, add 4 ounces of rice noodles with 1 ½ cups cold water. Close the lid and set to sealing. Pressure cook on HIGH for 1 minute, then immediately quick release. Stir the cooked noodles, drain, and rinse with cool water. If the noodles are not 100% cooked after removing the lid, set the Instant Pot to 'sauté' and let it simmer for a few more minutes.

Drain and rinse the rice noodles with cold water.

Thinly slice the peppers longways, removing the stem and seeds.

Finely chop or slice the purple and green cabbage, resulting in a texture that looks shredded.

Chop the cilantro and any other ingredients that need preparation.

Step 2: Make the Peanut Sauce

In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together creamy peanut butter, chili garlic sambal, toasted sesame oil, agave nectar, lime juice, soy sauce, and ginger (minced or paste).

Whisk this together until completely incorporated. Add a small amount of water to thin the sauce.

Step 3: Put it All Together

In a large mixing bowl, add the rice noodles along with all of the vegetables, cilantro, and chopped peanuts.

Photo of noodles and ingredients before combining in a glass bowl.

Toss these all together.

Then, add the peanut sauce and fully combine with the rest of the ingredients.

If the noodles feel to stuck together, drizzle a bit more toasted sesame oil to help break them apart.

Photo of the peanut noodle salad combined

Add to a bowl and garnish with more cilantro and chopped peanuts.

Expert Tips

Increase the spice level by adding more of the chili garlic sambal, throw in diced jalapeños, or drizzle sriracha on the top!
Almond butter can be used in place of peanut butter if needed! I recommend using the creamiest/runniest natural nut butter you can find, it will be easier to work with.
Make this gluten-free by using rice noodles and switching out soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos!

Recipe FAQs

What goes with peanut noodles?

These peanut noodles are great on their own, but they also make a great base to be topped with tofu, chicken, or shrimp!

Do you have to soak rice noodles before cooking?

In my experience with rice noodles, it is not necessary to soak before cooking. However, soaking before boiling the rice noodles will make it easier to work with and they will cook faster.

Is peanut butter vegan?

Yes. Always check the label to confirm, but almost every peanut butter is vegan as well as gluten-free.