Asian Cold Noodle Salad

Nothing screams summer more than a crispy, crunchy, Asian cold noodle salad, infused with cilantro and a peanut and lime dressing… mmm refreshing! Today, this was on the menu as per my hubby’s request.

I am not a huge fan of pasta salad because I like my pasta to be warm (and loaded with cheese)! So I thought I would feel the same with a noodle salad. However, the first time I tried cold noodle salad, I was pleasantly surprised. My first taste was at Costco. We happened to be shopping close to dinner time aka. the best time to shop at Costco. So you know what that means… all the aisles were set up with little tables of samples to try. It was then and there that I knew I had to recreate this sweet and tangy salad that brought excitement to my taste buds. I was lucky to have my husband as my guinea pig for project “recreate cold noodle salad” since he just happens to be a veteran when it comes to eating this stuff! He made sure my Asian cold noodle salad turned out just right. 🙂

The gorgeous, vibrant colours make this salad such a beautiful addition to our dinner table. But this salad doesn’t just look pretty, it taste pretty! If pretty had a taste…

I think it is the creamy, peanut dressing that makes it taste “pretty”. It is to die for! Just note that if you take a taste of the dressing before it is mixed into the salad, it may taste a little strong. But do not be alarmed, once it is tossed into the salad, it evens out perfectly.

The absolute best part about this salad? It tastes just as good the next day. All it needs is a quick re-toss because some of the dressing may have sunk to the bottom of the dish. So what that basically means is that you can take this colourful dish to work the next day. Not having to think about what I am going to prepare for lunch is a huge plus for me.

Add some protein

Add some protein from one of these recipes for a complete meal:

• Pan-fried Garlic Prawns with Soy Sauce
• Healthy Lemon Chicken
• Grilled Chicken Garden Salad – just make the chicken from this recipe

Asian Cold Noodle Salad

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★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Sam | Ahead of Thyme
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: Salad
• Cuisine: Asian

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Description

Nothing screams summer more than a crispy, crunchy, Asian cold noodle salad infused with a refreshing peanut, cilantro and lime dressing.

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Ingredients

• 5 cups dried chow mein noodles (roughly 6 oz.)
• 1/2 cup cucumber, cut into thin 2 inch strips
• 1/2 cup carrots. cut into thin 2 inch strips
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons peanuts, coarsely chopped

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 2 and 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 and 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon honey (or brown sugar if vegan)
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper powder (optional)

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Instructions

1. Cook the noodles in a medium sized pot according to the package directions.
2. Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water. If the noodles you have used are not pre-cut in short pieces, cut them into 2 or 3 inch pieces and set aside.
3. In blender, add the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, honey, garlic and red pepper powder. Blend until smooth.
4. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the noodles.
5. Pour in the salad dressing and toss until all ingredients are fully coated. Serve cold.