With warmer weather comes lighter cravings, and this incredibly fresh Pad Thai-inspired salad has been one of our go-to meals this summer.
Vegetables like carrots, cucumber, and cabbage are thinly sliced or “noodled” and tossed in a bright, citrusy peanut dressing with a kick thanks to red pepper flake. It’s like summer in a bowl. Let us show you how it’s done!
This 30-minute noodle salad begins with making the sauce, which is inspired by Thai flavors.
The creamy base is your choice of either peanut or cashew butter. Lime juice is added for tanginess, garlic for zing, and red pepper flake for heat. Coconut aminos add saltiness and depth of flavor, while maple syrup (or honey) rounds it out with a little sweetness.
The result: A sauce so good you might be tempted to eat it by the spoonful!
Next come the veggies!
For a rainbow of colors (and antioxidants), we chose red bell pepper, carrots, kale, cucumber, snap peas, and red cabbage. But these could be switched up depending on availability and personal preference!
And to complete the rainbow and add natural sweetness, we added fresh mango.
We used mostly raw veggies to keep the salad fresh and crisp. But to enhance the flavor of the snap peas, you can (optionally) choose to steam them. This, of course, means the salad is no longer raw.
For garnish, we add cilantro for freshness and sunflower and/or sesame seeds for crunch.
And for a more filling meal and extra protein, you could optionally choose to top with Peanut Marinated Tempeh or Almond Butter Tofu.
How to Make Veggie Noodles
To make veggie noodles, we like using a vegetable peeler, mandolin, and/or knife, depending on the veggie. Using a spiralizer is also an option for some veggies. These are our preferred methods:
- Bell pepper – knife or mandolin
- Carrot – vegetable peeler or spiralizer
- Cabbage – mandolin or knife
- Cucumber – vegetable peeler, mandolin, or spiralizer
- Kale – knife
We hope you LOVE this noodle salad! It’s:
Savory-sweet
Light
Vibrant
Versatile
Satisfying
& Fresh!
It’s the perfect plant-based side or meal for warmer weather! Serve on its own or with other Thai-inspired dishes such as our Green Pea Curry Hummus, Easy Tofu Pad Thai, or Pad Thai Spring Rolls.
More Noodle Salad Recipes
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Servings 2 (Salads)
SAUCE
- 3 Tbsp peanut butter or cashew butter (to keep this dish truly raw, use raw cashew butter)
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 – 1 tsp red pepper flake (adjust to preferred heat level)
- 5 Tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari, but start with lesser amount as its saltier)
- 2 tsp sesame oil (optional)
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup or raw honey, plus more to taste
SALAD
- 2 medium carrots, ribboned with a vegetable peeler
- 1 medium cucumber, very thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler or mandolin
- 1 cup (packed) red cabbage, very thinly sliced with a knife or mandolin
- 1 large red bell pepper, very thinly sliced with a knife or mandolin
- 2 cups chopped curly or lacinato kale
- 1 cup snap or snow peas
- 1 ripe mango, cubed
FOR SERVING
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with sunflower seeds and 1/2 cup cilantro and without optional ingredients.
Serving: 1 salad Calories: 514 Carbohydrates: 71.9 g Protein: 13.4 g Fat: 23.1 g Saturated Fat: 3.9 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 7.49 g Monounsaturated Fat: 9.99 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 757 mg Potassium: 1388 mg Fiber: 12.4 g Sugar: 51.2 g Vitamin A: 16983 IU Vitamin C: 252.16 mg Calcium: 197.73 mg Iron: 3.76 mg
