Leftovers are one my favorite things in this world! There isn't much that beats cooking once and eating twice, right? This healthy leftover noodle recipe for Spicy Vegan Peanut Pasta Salad uses leftover spaghetti noodles and lots of fresh veggies. I like to make this Vegan Pasta Salad the day after I make spaghetti because I inevitably end up with too many noodles.
And for years I had a hard time telling when my spaghetti noodles were actually done. I was told very early on (not sure by whom) to throw my pasta against the wall to determine if it's ready. Apparently, if it sticks, it's done. Have you ever thrown your spaghetti against the wall to test if it's ready? And, like me, did you ever wonder if this was actually a valid test or a make-work cleaning project?
Jump to:
I stopped throwing my spaghetti against the wall years ago, not because I thought it didn't work, but because it was a pain to clean up. But these days, and after 30+ years of pasta making, I can pretty much tell if my pasta is ready by its texture when I taste it. Have you heard the term al dente ? It essentially means your spaghetti is ready; it's a little tender but there's some resistance. In other words, it's not tough and it's not mushy. But I am convinced knowing if your pasta is ready is an acquired skill that takes years to master.
💭Click here to to find out if the spaghetti/wall test is a myth?
🍝Which type of Spaghetti to use
Then there's the question of which spaghetti noodles to use. Whole wheat takes a long time to cook and personally, I find it a bit too dense. I prefer to use "smart pasta" because it cooks faster than the whole wheat but you still get 4X as much fibre than if you ate white pasta. Although it's not quite as healthy as the whole wheat, you are still getting that fibre. And if you're not a fan of whole wheat, it's a good alternative.
Read more about smart pasta vs. whole wheat pasta HERE!
📖 Variations
- Use light peanut butter to reduce the fat content
- You can substituted leftover fettucine noodles
💭Leftover Spaghetti Noodles
I love that my leftover spaghetti noodles get a new life with this salad. And that is yet another beautiful thing about this leftover noodle dish - not having to eat the same dish twice. This pasta salad is fresh, full of veggies, vegan and most importantly, quick and easy to make! So, if you are wondering what to make with leftover pasta, give this recipe a try! It is also great for your lunch bag.
💭Storing
You can store this in the fridge for up to 2 days after you make it OR make it 2 days in advance. I would not recommend storing it for longer because the veggies will get soggy.
And if you're looking for more recipes with leftover spaghetti noodles, then try my Easy Thai Pork and Noodles Recipe!
Enjoy!
⭐ REVIEWS
Here's what others are saying:
"Great flavor. I added cherry tomatoes to the salad and a bit of sesame oil to the dressing. Will definitely be making this again."⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📋 Spicy Peanut Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Dressing:
- ½ cup chunky peanut butter
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon ginger /minced
- 3 cloves garlic /minced or use jarred minced garlic
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- ¼ cup water
Salad:
- 4-6 cups cooked spaghetti noodles (or you can substitute almost any other noodles)
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1 cucumber chopped
- 1 red bell pepper /thinly sliced into strips
- ½ cup green onion /sliced
- ¼ cup cilantro /chopped
- ½ cup unsalted peanuts
Garnish:
- cilantro springs
- unsalted peanuts
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, olive oil, sriracha sauce, water, minced ginger, minced garlic and brown sugar.
- Combine cooked and cooled pasta with sliced vegetables, cilantro and peanuts. Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables and mix well.
- Garnish with additional chopped cilantro and peanuts, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use light peanut butter to reduce the fat content
- You can substituted leftover fettucine noodles
Sue Slaght
What an excellent way to use leftovers, especially noodles.
Food Meanderings
Thanks Sue! Yes, LUV leftovers!
Sue Slaght
What an excellent way to use leftovers, especially noodles.
Food Meanderings
Thanks Sue! Yes, LUV leftovers!
thefoodblognet
This is a great way to use leftover noodles, which usually get thrown away at my house. I always seem to cook just the right amount of sauce but way too many noodles. Thanks for sharing!
Food Meanderings
Thanks - yes, I had the same issue!
thefoodblognet
This is a great way to use leftover noodles, which usually get thrown away at my house. I always seem to cook just the right amount of sauce but way too many noodles. Thanks for sharing!
Food Meanderings
Thanks - yes, I had the same issue!
Deborah @ Confessions of mother runner
Spicy peanut salads are one of my faves. I love that you can enjoy them hot or cold
Terri Gilson
Hi Deborah,
Thanks- me too!
Mindy
Looks delicious! Do you think I could substitute soba noodles for the spaghetti?
Terri Gilson
Hi Mindy- I don’t see why you couldn’t! Really, any noodles would work-enjoy!
jenny
This sounds amazing! I love peanut
Tiia
Great flavor. I added cherry tomatoes to the salad and a bit of sesame oil to the dressing. Will definitely be making this again.
Terri Gilson
Hi Tiia- glad you enjoyed it! And thanks for stopping by to comment- I love getting feedback ?Terri
fatragio
I have a bunch of leftover pasta that I’m trying to figure out what to do with for dinner tomorrow and can’t wait to try this recipe. Would you have any suggestions for what to eat along with it as a side?
Terri Gilson
Honestly, we eat this as a meal! But if you leave out the peanuts, it’s a great side salad with bbq pork or chicken ?
Carlos at Spoonabilities
Love the flavors of this vegan peanut salad pasta! The peanut gives such a savory nutty flavor!
Terri Gilson
Thanks- we love it around here too!
Jersey Girl Cooks
I have leftover noodles in the fridge. Now I know what to make with them!
GoldberryMcPhee
AWESOME.
Used leftover small bowtie noodles & finely grated the carrot, no cilantro & agave nectar instead of brown sugar - we paired it with sesame teriyaki soaked grilled salmon.
I cut up the second half of my salmon portion & mixed it in with my serving of leftover spicy peanut pasta.
YUM.
This was right up my 15 year old's alley to.
Win..win..lol
Terri Gilson
I'm so glad you liked it! Salmon sounds like a great pairing!
Monique
This salad is DIVINE! The ginger and cilantro just sing! It's also flexible and/or forgiving. I have mirin I rarely use, so I subbed some for the b. sugar. (I still had to add about 1 tsp of b. sugar to get my desired sweetness.) Didn't have enough RV, so made up the difference with WWV and lime juice. Added some cooked shrimp, a few chickpeas and avocado to the finished product. Wow! I'm keeping the dressing, pasta, and veggie mix all separate since I'm cooking for only 2 people, and this recipe made a lot of dressing. It was all so delicious. I can't say enough good things about it!
Terri Gilson
I'm so glad you loved it, Monique!