Cold Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing
Don’t do this one if you are allergic to peanuts. Make ahed and let get very cold in the fridge but do not dress the salad with the peanut sauce until just before serving. I always make twice as much sauce as I might need for this disk because it is good on so many things.
Ingredients:
16 ounces soba noodles
1 medium zucchini or cucumber (about 6 ounces)l. peeled, thinly sliced matchsticks
1/2 pt of grape tomatoes, washed and halved
1 package of Birdseye frozen grilled veggies (eggplant, peppers and zucchini), slivered
1 bell pepper (any color), thin slivers
1 tablespoon sesame oil
½ cup roasted salted peanuts (about 2 ounces), roughly chopped
2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
Handful of cilantro leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges for serving
1 cup crunchy peanut butter (not natural) – smooth peanut butter is for sissies!
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons maple syrup
4 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime) ; key lime juice will work too
2 tablespoon sesame oil
~2 teaspoons chile oil, Sriracha or hot sauce, plus more to taste
1 Tbs grated ginger
1 garlic clove, grated
Directions
- Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the soba, stir to prevent sticking, and cook according to package instructions until just tender. Rinse under cold water until the noodles are completely cold.
- In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, 1/2 of sesame oil, Chile oil or hot sauce, and garlic. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk until the sauce is a pour-able consistency. Taste and add more chile oil or hot sauce as desired; set aside.
- Prepare zucchini or cucumber and radishes by cutting them into 1/8-inch thick slices, then cut into thin matchsticks. Slice the peppers into 1/8-inch pieces. Place them all in a large bowl.
- Loosen the soba noodles by running them under some water, then allow to drain again. Add them to
- the vegetables, add the remaining sesame oil and toss to combine.
When you are ready to serve, drizzle with spicy peanut sauce and top with peanuts, scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately, with lime wedges alongside.