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A white ceramic bowl filled with a vibrant rice noodle and vegetable salad.
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5 from 3 votes

Chilled Rice Noodle Salad with Spicy Coconut-Almond Butter Sauce

Brimming with colorful, crunchy vegetables, this vibrant and refreshing rice noodle salad is a feast for the eyes. With lots of options for substitutions, it's destined to be a favourite in your rotation of refreshing (and healthy!) summer meals to revisit all year round.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: lunch, Salad
Cuisine: Asian, Thai
Servings: 4
Calories: 488kcal

Ingredients

Spicy Coconut-Almond Butter Sauce

  • 1/4 c almond butter
  • 1/4 c coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
  • 2 tbsp sriracha or gochujang
  • 2 tbsp honey or brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 3 tbsp lime juice about 1 juicy lime

Salad

  • 8 oz dried flat rice noodles (pad thai)
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper
  • 2 large carrots peeled
  • 4 whole scallions thinly sliced
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds optional

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the noodles, stir to prevent sticking, and cook according to the package instructions until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water until the noodles are completely cold. Toss with 2 tablespoons of sesame oil to prevent sticking, set aside.
  • While the noodles are cooking make the sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, sriracha, honey, fish sauce and lime juice. Set aside.
  • Slice the zucchini and carrots into very thin matchsticks. The easiest way to accomplish this is with a julienne peeler or a mandoline, but a sharp knife and careful cutting works too. Slice the bell pepper in half and cut away the core, seeds and excess pith; discard. Lay the pepper halves on the cutting board, skin-side down, and use a sharp knife to thinly slice into matchsticks. Place all of the sliced vegetables into a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the noodles and sauce to the bowl with the sliced vegetables. Toss to coat. Divide between bowls and top with chopped cilantro, sesame seeds and scallions. Serve chilled with extra lime wedges on the side.

Notes

 
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
  • Almond Butter:If you don’t want to use almond butter, you can use any nut or seed butter, such as peanut, cashew, or even tahini.
  • Rice Noodles: My favorite noodles to use for this salad are dried flat rice noodles (the same ones used for pad thai). That being said, you can really use almost any style of noodle or pasta for this salad. Soba noodles would be great, even a gluten-free brown rice spaghetti or linguine. The only type I would advise against is vermicelli rice noodles as they are very delicate and might not hold up as well to the thick and creamy almond butter sauce.
Storing Instructions: 
  • Chilled Rice Noodle Salad will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The almond butter sauce thickens as it sits. To refresh it, add a tablespoon or two of water to loosen up the noodles and sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 813mg | Potassium: 554mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 7207IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 3mg