Spicy Thai Pasta Salad (Printable)
Colorful pasta tossed with fresh veggies and a bold spicy peanut dressing, ready in 30 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 8 ounces rotini, fusilli, or linguine pasta
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
03 - 1 medium carrot, julienned or grated
04 - 1 cup snap peas, sliced
05 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
06 - 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
07 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
→ Spicy Peanut Dressing
09 - 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
10 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
12 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
14 - 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - 1 to 2 teaspoons Sriracha or chili garlic sauce, adjusted to taste
17 - 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water, as needed to thin
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to halt cooking. Set aside to drain completely.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, lime juice, honey, minced garlic, and Sriracha. Add 2 tablespoons of warm water and whisk until smooth and creamy. Add additional warm water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dressing reaches a pourable consistency.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, sliced red bell pepper, julienned carrot, snap peas, green onions, and shredded purple cabbage until evenly distributed.
04 - Pour the spicy peanut dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss vigorously until every strand and piece is thoroughly coated.
05 - Fold in the chopped cilantro and toss once more. Transfer to a serving platter or bowl and sprinkle the chopped roasted peanuts over the top as a garnish.
06 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and intensify before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in about sixty seconds and tastes like something you would pay sixteen dollars for at a cafe.
- It is endlessly flexible so whatever sad vegetables are lingering in your crisper drawer have a purpose now.
- Cold noodles mean zero pressure about timing everything to land on the table hot.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta is not optional here because residual heat will keep cooking the noodles and turn them mushy under the dressing.
- The dressing thickens in the fridge so always save a splash of water to loosen it up if you are making this ahead.
03 -
- Taste the dressing before you pour it over the noodles and adjust the heat, salt, or sweetness because fixing it afterward is much harder.
- Warm the peanut butter for fifteen seconds in the microwave before whisking and it will blend into the dressing with almost no effort.