Asian Noodle Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

Amarante

Wed, Aug 26 2020, 4:55 pm

This was easy dish especially for summer since everything can be made ahead.

Asian Noodle Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes • TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes • YIELD: Serves 4 to 6

For the Salad:

6 ounces dry soba noodles or whole grain spaghetti or linguine noodles
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (about 2 medium breasts)
1 (12-ounce) package broccoli slaw (about 4 cups) - I subbed Cole law mixture
3 cups shredded carrots (about 1 pound or 6 medium)
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
2 green onions, thinly sliced (about ⅓ cup)
½ cup dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the Dressing:

¼ cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons Sriracha or sambal oelek (fresh chili paste), plus additional to taste

1. Make the salad: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles until al dente, according to the package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Drain the remaining pasta and rinse the noodles briefly with cool water. Shake out as much water as possible, then transfer to a large serving bowl. Top with the chicken, broccoli slaw, carrots, and bell pepper.

2. While the pasta cooks, whisk together the dressing: the vinegar, soy sauce, peanut butter, sesame oil, olive oil, honey, ginger, garlic, and Sriracha. Pour over the noodle mixture and, with a long pair of tongs, toss to combine. Add the green onions, peanuts, and cilantro and toss once more. If the pasta is stickier than you would like, splash in a little of the reserved pasta water to loosen it. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

MAKE-AHEAD & STORAGE TIPS:

Prepare the dressing up to 3 days in advance and store in the refrigerator. Whisk back together just before topping the salad.

Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. The noodles tend to absorb some of the dressing, so if you know you’d like leftovers and want to keep them nicely coated, make one-and-a-half times the dressing, then reserve a portion for topping the leftovers.