Bright, crisp and spicy, this salad has been a family favorite for decades! Originally made with wheat noodles, gluten-freeing this salad only required an easy swap with thin rice noodles. On a hot day, these spicy noodles with crisp veggies add a burst of coolness; on a cold day, the gentle heat of this dish will warm you up. When I don’t have noodles in the house I will often make this as a slaw or swap the noodles with rice. The recipe may or may not require all of the dressing, which to me is not a problem since I am happy to use it in myriad other ways!
Spicy Noodle Salad
- September 27, 2021
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces rice noodles
- 1 red pepper, julienned (thin strips about 1.5” long)
- 3 stalks celery cut thinly on bias
- 4 green onions sliced on bias
- 1 carrot julienned
- 3 c. thinly shredded napa cabbage*
- ½ cup sugar snap peas, blanched and sliced on bias*
- ¾ c. cilantro roughly chopped (include some stem)
- ½ cup chopped peanuts
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
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Dressing: - 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons tamari
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or sriracha
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
Directions
- Step 1
- Measure all dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar and whisk until well combined.
- Step 2
- Season to taste adding sweet, heat or acid until balanced to your preference.
- Step 3
- Add all of the veggies and ⅓ of dressing in a large bowl and toss until combined.
- Step 4
- Cook noodles as directed on package.
- Step 5
- Rinse noodles to cool. Toss noodles with another ⅓ of dressing.
- Step 6
- Add dressed noodles to with veggies and mix well.
- Step 7
- If time allows, refrigerate a few hours to allow flavors to blend.
- Step 8
- Mix in half of the cilantro peanuts and sesame seeds.
- Step 9
- Taste and add extra dressing as needed before serving.
- Step 10
- Top with remaining cilantro, chopped peanuts and toasted sesame seeds.
- Step 11
- * Optional. Have fun with the veggies. This is a recipe that welcomes variation. Change the napa cabbage for purple or green cabbage. Snow peas for sugar snap peas for. Add water chestnuts if you like! More carrot, more celery, the choice is yours. Add a protein such as everyday shrimp or everyday chicken or even tofu! Consider this recipe a canvas to become your own original masterpiece!
