📋 Peanut Pasta Salad (with Leftover Spaghetti Noodles) Recipe
A little spicy, quick and full of veggies, this vegan Peanut Pasta Salad with spicy peanut sauce is a delicious way to use up leftover spaghetti noodles. It's fast and easy to make and is perfect for dinner, lunch boxes and potlucks!
Servings 8 servings
Calories 381kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Dressing:
- ½ cup chunky peanut butter (you can substitute creamy peanut butter)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar * I like it tangy! Use ¼ cup if you like it less tangy.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (minced)
- 3 cloves fresh garlic (minced) or use jarred minced garlic
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoon sriracha sauce *use more or less, depending how spicy you like it
- ¼ cup water
Salad:
- 4-6 cups cooked spaghetti noodles (cold noodles)
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1 cucumber chopped
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced into strips
- ½ cup green onions chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts
Garnish:
- cilantro springs
- unsalted roasted 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.½ cup chunky peanut butter, ¼ cup soy sauce, ⅓ cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (minced), 3 cloves fresh garlic (minced), 2 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 2 tablespoon sriracha sauce, ¼ cup water
- Combine cold, cooked pasta with sliced and chopped vegetables, cilantro and peanuts. Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables and mix well.4-6 cups cooked spaghetti noodles, 1 cup grated carrots, 1 cucumber, 1 red bell pepper, ½ cup green onions, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, ½ cup unsalted roasted peanuts
- Garnish with additional chopped cilantro and peanuts, if desired. Enjoy!*Add more or less sriracha to your preference.cilantro springs, unsalted roasted peanuts
Notes
Expert Tips:
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- Store your ginger and peanuts in the freezer: They will last much longer! You can take your ginger out and grate it (while still frozen) into food. This is so much easier!
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- Use leftover spaghetti: Let the noodles cool completely before mixing to prevent them from absorbing too much dressing.
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- Rinse with cold water: This stops the cooking process and prevents sticking.
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- Mix dressing separately: Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before adding it to the noodles to allow the flavors to meld.
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- Roast the peanuts: Lightly toast them for a deeper, nuttier flavor.
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- Add a protein boost: Grilled chicken, shrimp, tofu, or chickpeas make this a heartier meal.
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- Store dressing separately: If making ahead, keep the dressing separate until ready to serve to avoid soggy noodles.
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- Refresh leftovers: Add a splash of rice vinegar before serving to revive the flavors.
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- Peanut Butter. You can use smooth peanut butter or light peanut butter to reduce the fat content.
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- Spaghetti Noodles. You can substitute a different type of noodle, such as leftover vermicelli, fettuccine noodles or rice noodles.
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- Garlic. You can use store-bought minced garlic in a jar.
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- Olive oil. You can use canola, vegetable, or sesame oil (I wouldn't recommend using straight sesame oil, as it's very strong - just use a little mixed with another oil).
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- Rice Vinegar. You can use plain or seasoned rice vinegar.
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- Unsalted Peanuts. You can use raw, blanched, or boiled peanuts. But if you're using raw, it's recommended that you cook them first.
Nutrition
Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 584mg | Potassium: 452mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3260IU | Vitamin C: 25.2mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 3mg
