This spicy Thai noodle salad combines rice noodles, crisp carrots and bell pepper, baby spinach, and a sweet and spicy peanut sauce. Molasses gives the dressing a deeper flavor, while fresh lime, ginger and garlic keep it bright. Serve it warm after tossing, or chill it for a cold noodle salad.
Sweet and spicy peanut sauce. Crunchy vegetables. Serve warm or cold.
Real Talk
Use regular molasses here rather than blackstrap. Its milder flavor works with the peanut butter, lime and Sriracha. You can serve this salad warm or cold, so choose what fits the meal.
Why This Recipe Works
- Molasses gives the peanut sauce its character. Its deeper sweetness pairs with the heat of Sriracha and the tang of lime.
- The vegetables add crunch and freshness. Carrot ribbons, sliced bell pepper and green onions balance the rich dressing.
- It works warm or cold. Make it for dinner, or refrigerate it for a meal you can serve without reheating.
Ingredients
Noodles and Vegetables
- 14 oz. Thai rice noodles
- 2 carrots, ribboned
- 4 oz. fresh baby spinach
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
Peanut Sauce
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup gluten-free soy sauce
- ¼ cup regular molasses
- 2 tablespoons Sriracha
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
Toppings
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced on an angle
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts, crushed
- 1 lime, for garnish
Ingredient Notes
The recipe card below has the full quantities. These are the ingredients that make the biggest difference to the finished salad.
- Rice noodles: This recipe uses Thai Kitchen Gluten Free Stir Fry Rice Noodles. Prepare them according to the package directions. Different noodle shapes and brands can need different cooking or soaking times.
- Creamy peanut butter: This is the base of the dressing. Whisk it with the other sauce ingredients until everything is combined.
- Regular molasses: I use regular molasses rather than blackstrap because its flavor is milder. It supplies sweetness as well as the deeper flavor that distinguishes this sauce.
- Sriracha: This supplies the heat. The recipe uses 2 tablespoons, and the finished heat depends on the brand and your tolerance.
- Soy sauce: Use a product labeled gluten-free to keep the salad gluten-free. The rice noodles alone do not settle that.
- Fresh ginger, garlic and lime juice: These give the sauce its fresh, sharp flavors. Use fresh ginger for this recipe; a microplane makes grating it easy.
- Vegetables: Make ribbons from the carrots with a vegetable peeler, thinly slice the red bell pepper, and slice the green onions on an angle. The baby spinach goes in with the carrots and pepper.
- Roasted peanuts: Crush them for the topping. They add crunch alongside the green onions.
Dress the Noodles While Warm
Have the peanut sauce ready when the noodles are done. Drain and rinse the noodles, then add the sauce while they are still warm, before they become sticky. Toss thoroughly to coat them.
How to Make Thai Noodle Salad
Step 1: Prepare the noodles and peanut sauce
Cook the rice noodles according to the directions on their package. While they cook, whisk together the sesame oil, creamy peanut butter, gluten-free soy sauce, molasses, Sriracha, lime juice, fresh ginger and minced garlic in a small bowl.
Step 2: Dress the noodles while they are warm
Drain and rinse the noodles, then put them in a large mixing bowl. Add the sauce while the noodles are still warm, before they become sticky. Toss thoroughly so the dressing coats the noodles.
Step 3: Add the vegetables and toppings
Add the carrot ribbons, baby spinach and sliced bell pepper, then toss to combine. Top with the green onions and crushed roasted peanuts. Serve warm, or refrigerate and serve cold.
Expert Tips
- Have the dressing ready when the noodles are done. Toss the noodles with the sauce while they are still warm, before they stick together.
- Follow the noodle package rather than assuming they all need boiling. Rice noodles may use a hot-water soak. The goal is tender noodles that still hold their shape.
- Keep the fresh ginger. It is part of the sauce's flavor, rather than just another way to add heat.
Make Ahead and Storage
You can make this salad ahead, cover it and refrigerate it until ready to serve. It can be served cold straight from the fridge; reheating is not required.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours of preparation or serving, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. These are the USDA guidelines for handling leftovers.
FAQs
The dressing contains 2 tablespoons of Sriracha, with peanut butter and molasses alongside it. Expect heat as well as sweetness. Sriracha brands differ, and the same sauce can feel mild to one person and hot to another.
Yes. The recipe is meant to work warm or cold. Toss the warm noodles with the sauce as directed, then refrigerate the finished salad if you plan to serve it cold.
With the rice noodles and gluten-free soy sauce specified here, the recipe can be both. Check the labels on your sauce ingredients. Whole-wheat noodles make the salad no longer gluten-free, and honey in place of molasses makes it no longer vegan.
Yes. Cook them according to their package instructions. This variation is not gluten-free.
Maple syrup or agave are options, but they change the flavor because they do not have the same depth as molasses. Honey is also an option if you do not need the salad to be vegan. Regular molasses is my preference for this sauce.
Replace the 2 tablespoons of sesame oil with 2 tablespoons of water. The sauce will have less sesame flavor.
More Plant-Based Meals
Tofu Stir Fry with Sweet and Spicy Peanut Sauce is another dinner built around peanut sauce.
Vegan Chickpea Curry with Spinach and Tomatoes turns canned chickpeas into a warm, saucy meal.
Air Fryer Portobello Mushrooms can be served as burgers, wraps or bowls.
Did you make this Thai Noodle Salad?
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📖 Recipe
Spicy Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 14 oz. Thai rice noodles
- 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup soy sauce gluten-free
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 Tbsp. Sriracha
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 tsp. fresh ginger peeled, grated
- 1 Tbsp. garlic minced
- 2 carrots ribboned
- 2 green onions thinly sliced diamonds
- 4 oz. fresh baby spinach
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts crushed
- 1 limes for garnish
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to directions listed on package.
- Meanwhile, for the sauce - In a small bowl, add sesame oil, peanut butter, soy sauce, molasses, Sriracha, lime juice, ginger, and garlic. Whisk to combine.
- Drain and rinse noodles, then add to a large mixing bowl. While still warm (and before they become sticky), add sauce and mix well to coat thoroughly.
- Add carrots, spinach, and bell peppers and mix to combine. Then top with green onions and peanuts.
- Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Katie
Great recipe! I love the flavors of the peanut sauce.