Asian Noodle Salad Recipe
Asian Pasta Salad
I like this pasta salad as a side dish because it is so simple, yet flavorful. Plus, it easily serves a large group of people and you can get pasta for cheap!
If you are making this for a smaller gathering, you may want to make only half the recipe amount, or just plan to have leftovers. 🙂 To give you an idea, I made the full amount as one of the side dishes at a potluck recently for about 20 people and it was just about right, no leftovers.
I used half whole wheat thin spaghetti and half white fiber thin spaghetti. It is nice to try to add some nutrition in there. I imagine that you could use nearly any pasta noodle in this recipe though. You could probably even use Ramen noodles, but they wouldn’t have the added nutrition. Find pasta coupons.
The dressing is simple with some spicy and sweet flavors and Asian inspiration. It is definitely not overly spicy though with the honey and cilantro in there. Just flavorful!
The candied nuts are a nice added sweetness too. I had some cashews around, so I used them in the salad this time, but peanuts are good in there as well. Maybe some candied slivered almonds would be a great option too! Yum.
This salad can be really versatile. Feel free to add your own spin on it. I would love to hear about your successful adaptations in the comments!
I got this recipe from the sister (Jen) of my friend, Shannon. Jen brought it to a luncheon and I liked it, so I got the recipe from her, made it myself, and now I am sharing it here!
Starfrit Silicone and Stainless Steel Tongs
Asian Noodle Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1.5 pounds spaghetti or angel hair
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Dressing
- 6 tablespoons honey
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ bunch cilantro chopped
Candied Nuts
- 1 cup raw peanuts
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the nuts, sugar, and water over medium heat, stirring often, until sugar is crystallized. Reduce heat and keep stirring, scraping up any syrup from the bottom of the pan and coating the nuts, until the sugar is caramelized. But don't let it smoke and burn! Transfer nuts to a sheet of parchment paper, spread into a single layer and let cool.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions.
- In a small sauce pan, heat the oils and red pepper until fragrant. Add the oil mixture to the cooked noodles.
- In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, salt, and cilantro. Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture. Add the cooled candied nuts to the salad as well. Toss with tongs to combine.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.