Summer Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce (Dan Dan Noodles)

This is an amazingly refreshing cold summer salad that has crunchy elements of cucumber, carrots, and peanuts that mesh with the cold pasta and creamy peanut sauce. The semi-spicy peanut sauce is very light – due to the addition of Sichuan peppercorns. I strongly recommend using them in this recipe, even if you have never used them before. Their spice is like nothing I have ever tasted and truly makes this salad special.

I recommend using linguini – if you are gluten free rice noodles work just as well – use medium width, I have found that the very thin noodles do not do well in this salad.

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Summer Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce (Dan Dan Noodles)

For the Sauce:

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (I like Jif), warmed in the microwave for 30 seconds

1/4 – 1/2 cup veggie broth (can sub water)

1/4 cup reduced sodium tamari (or soy sauce)

the juice from 2 limes

2 tablespoons honey

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/8th to 1/4 tsp ginger powder

1 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, diced

1 tsp sambal olek (chili paste), click on the pink for my favorite

3  Tbsps. Sichuan peppercorns, lightly toasted in a skillet, then crushed with mortar and pestle (or you can use the bottom of a glass like I did!)

For the Salad:

12 ounces of Linguini noodles (for gluten free use rice noodles), cooked and set aside

1/2 shredded carrots

4 green onions, diced

1 cucumber, sliced thin on a mandolin

2 cups fresh spinach

1/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

Cook the pasta, drain, rinse and set aside.

In a small skillet, roast the Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant – this takes no longer than 5-7 minutes. You will be hit with their amazing fragrance and know they are done. Crush the roasted peppercorns in a mortar and pestle – or like I did, in a bowl with the bottom of a glass. They do not need to be crushed into powder but just broken apart. The smaller the pieces the better. You can also use a spice grinder.

Warm the peanut butter in the microwave in a small bowl for 30 seconds. Whisk in the veggie broth (water), honey, tamari (soy sauce), lime juice, sambal olek, garlic and Sichuan peppercorns. If the sauce seems to thick (it should be a very thin consistency) add more broth or water.

Arrange the noodles and cucumbers in a large bowl. Pour in dressing. Add onions, spinach, carrots and peanuts. Mix well. Garnish with cilantro. Lasts for an entire week in the fridge!!

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Summer Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce (Dan Dan Noodles)

Author: Gay Van Beek for Canterbury Cottage Designs

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter I like Jif, warmed in the microwave for 30 seconds
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup veggie broth can sub water
• 1/4 cup reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce
• the juice from 2 limes
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/8 th to 1/4 tsp ginger powder
• 1 jalapeno seeded and ribs removed, diced
• 1 tsp sambal olek chili paste, click on the pink for my favorite
• 3 Tbsps. Sichuan peppercorns lightly toasted in a skillet, then crushed with mortar and pestle (or you can use the bottom of a glass like I did!)

For the Salad:

• 12 ounces of Linguini noodles for gluten free use rice noodles, cooked and set aside
• 1/2 shredded carrots
• 4 green onions diced
• 1 cucumber sliced thin on a mandolin
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta, drain, rinse and set aside.
2. In a small skillet, roast the Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant – this takes no longer than 5-7 minutes. You will be hit with their amazing fragrance and know they are done. Crush the roasted peppercorns in a mortar and pestle – or like I did, in a bowl with the bottom of a glass. They do not need to be crushed into powder but just broken apart. The smaller the pieces the better. You can also use a spice grinder.
3. Warm the peanut butter in the microwave in a small bowl for 30 seconds. Whisk in the veggie broth (water), honey, tamari (soy sauce), lime juice, sambal olek, garlic and Sichuan peppercorns. If the sauce seems to thick (it should be a very thin consistency) add more broth or water.
4. Arrange the noodles and cucumbers in a large bowl. Pour in dressing. Add onions, spinach, carrots and peanuts. Mix well. Garnish with cilantro. Lasts for an entire week in the fridge!!