Noodle Salad with Sweet Asian Dressing

 

When I posted the recipe for this sweet Asian salad dressing last summer, I called it “versatile,” since, hey, it’s salad dressing. You can put it on just about anything you like. Recently I poured it over a noodle salad with thinly sliced vegetables. It was delicious.

I kind of just used whatever long noodles and whatever vegetables I had on hand to make this salad. I’ve made it with linguine, which was quite nice, but when I took the photos for this post, I had used a spaghetti rigate (spaghetti with grooves or lines on it). Not exactly Asian, but still just fine. You could use Asian rice noodles as well, of course. I just tend to have Italian-style noodles on hand so I use those most of the time.

As far as the vegetables go, you can use whatever can be sliced into long, thin pieces. I used cabbage, scallions and green bell peppers here (and probably something else I’ve forgotten). You could also use carrots, celery, bok choy, red or yellow or white onions, radishes, or any vegetable you like to eat raw and can cut appropriately to lay nicely alongside long noodles. You could also season the salad further by adding chopped cilantro, thinly sliced Thai basil, or some fresh chile pepper.

 

I also added chopped peanuts to this salad, but you could entirely skip those if you want. You could also replace them with sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds (how about some of those Tamari or wasabi-flavored almonds?!), or even pumpkin seeds.

 

There’s no reason to get too fussy about this one. Just toss together a few things on a hot day and enjoy.

 

 

Noodle Salad with Vegetables and Sweet Asian Dressing

This recipe is as adaptable as it is simple. Use just about any seasonal vegetable that can be thinly sliced. I particularly like cabbage, carrots, and bell peppers, but add whatever you like and have on hand.

1 recipe Sweet Asian Salad Dressing, prepared and chilled

8 ounces long noodles or pasta (such as fettuccine, linguine or long rice noodles)
3-4 cups thinly sliced vegetables and/or herbs of your choice
¼ cup chopped salted peanuts (optional)

 

1. Cook the noodles in salted water according to package directions until they are just a little more firm in texture than you would normally like to eat them. (They should soften a little more when they soak up some of the dressing later.) Drain and allow to cool slightly.

2. In a very large bowl, toss the noodles and sliced vegetables. (The noodles should still be slightly warm.) Add about ¾ of the prepared Sweet Asian Dressing and toss to coat. Allow to stand for 30 minutes or so. If the dressing seems to have been soaked up by the noodles (some of it should be), add more and toss to coat, or add more dressing to taste as desired. Cover and chill.

 

Makes about 6 servings. Keep refrigerated for a few days.


Other recipes like this one: Sesame Noodle Salad, Noodles with Cilantro, Green Onions and Peanuts (warm), Warm Noodles with Cilantro and Coconut Lime Dressing

One year ago: Chicken Wraps with Spicy Citrus-Mint Slaw