Cold Thai Noodle Salad

Philly Closet Cook's Note:

This is an easy crowd pleaser. I have been making it for years. This is my first attempt to write it down (I may come back and make some edits to the "dressing". I have always just kind of mixed things together. I have found that using some authentic ingredients does make it stand out. Fish Sauce and sriracha hot sauce are availabe in the Asian section of most supermarket today. White pepper is hit or miss. Spice stores and many ethnic grocery stores carry it. The French use it in white sauces so you get the pepper flavor, but you do not the specs. This is not an exacting recipe. If you want is spicier add more hot sauce. If not, use less. More tart add vinegar, etc. Add grilled chicken or cooked shrimp and make it a meal. Prep time is about 30 minutes. It does need to chill 2 hours before serving.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

• 1 lb spaghetti or 1 lb linguine

Dressing

• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup peanut oil (or canola or lite olive)
• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (substitute with 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons Asian chili sauce, recommend sriracha
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper (preferably white)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 bunch green onion, chopped (set aside half of chopped green tops)
• vegetables (snow peas - 1 cup, chopped Napa cabbage - 1 cup, bean sprouts - 1 cup) (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook noodles al dente (do not overcook - mushy noodles won't work).
2. Strain and rinse under cold water until cooled.
3. Mix or wisk together all "dressing" ingredients (peanut butter through garlic power)until blended.
4. In large bowl stir together noodles, 2/3 sauce (reserve 1/3 for later), and vegetables (reserve 1/2 chopped greens from green onion).
5. Chill minimum 2 hours.
6. Transfer to a bowl or platter, if you you want.
7. Before serving pour reserved "dressing" over noodles.
8. Sprinkle sesame seeds and reserved green onions (and cilantro if used).

Reviews

[Lucky in Bayview]

Wowza!!! I could eat this everyday! I added about 1T of grated ginger to the dressing and only used 2/3 of the dressing for the finished salad. I also used the beans sprout and toasted the sesame seeds.Oh..and didn't use the fish sauce, I'm not a fan. I LOVED this salad. DH doesn't like peanut sauce on anything and ate two servings. I'll be making this again. Thanks so much for this recipe.

[johnrapp69]

I love this! Thank you. I followed the recipe to the T (well I used oyster flavored sauce instead of fish sauce) except I made super tiny pork and sesame meatballs that I sauted in some butter and sesame oil, cooled them, fridged them overnight and added them when the pasta mixture and the meatballs were chilled. I cannot tell you how awesome it was. Thanks again!

[shadowgirl...]

Just got done making this for a Memorial Day party. I do have one problem. I'm afraid it won't make it to tomorrow. I've already picked on it a few times & it's not even cold yet. Love this recipe. Thank you for posting.