Main Dishes, Salads, Thai Cuisine
Vegan Thai Noodle Salad With Thai Peanut Sauce
Thai cuisine is renowned for its vibrant flavors and fresh ingredients, and our Thai Noodle Salad exemplifies this culinary tradition. This dish bursts with colors and textures, offering a delightful blend of sweet, savory, and spicy notes. Let’s dive into creating this mouthwatering salad that’s perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients & Substitutions:
Ingredients play a crucial role in any recipe, and the vegan rainbow bowl is no exception. Here are the ingredients needed to prepare this colorful and scrumptious dish:
Ingredients:
- Grated carrot
- Diced cucumber
- Mango, cut into small strips
- Red cabbage, grated or thinly sliced
- Mint, cilantro, or Thai basil (or use all three!)
- Dried vermicelli noodles
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Crisp Tofu
- Extra firm tofu (pressed)
- Nutritional yeast
- Cornstarch
- Coconut aminos or soy sauce
- Hoisin sauce for coating tofu (optional)
Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce
- All-natural peanut butter
- Coconut aminos or soy sauce
- Lime juice
- Pure maple syrup or agave
- Sriracha
- Water to thin the sauce
Helpful Tools
To prepare this recipe, you’ll need:
- Air fryer (optional)
- Tofu press
- Shallow bowl for marinating tofu
- Small bowl for dry mixture
- Large mixing bowl for veggies and noodles
- Jar for mixing peanut sauce
- Chef’s knife and cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
How To Make This Vegan Thai Noodle Salad
How To Make This Recipe
Begin by preparing the tofu.
Cut the pressed tofu into slices and coat them with cornstarch and soy sauce.
Air fry or pan fry the tofu until crispy and golden. Toss cooked tofu in hoisin sauce.
Cook vermicelli noodles according to package instructions.
Rinse and set aside.
In a blender, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, maple syrup, sriracha, ginger, and garlic to make the peanut sauce.
Assemble the salad by combining noodles, vegetables, herbs, and tofu.
Drizzle with peanut sauce and garnish with peanuts and sesame seeds.
Serve and enjoy your delicious and colorful vegan rainbow bowl!
Tips & Tricks
- Pressing tofu before cooking will help it absorb more flavor and give it a better texture.
- Make sure to coat the tofu in the dry mixture evenly to ensure a crispy exterior.
- If you don’t have coconut aminos, you can use soy sauce instead.
- Adjust the level of spiciness in the peanut sauce to your liking by adding more or less sriracha.
- Don’t overcook the vermicelli noodles or they will become mushy.
- For added flavor, you can marinate the veggies in a little bit of soy sauce or rice vinegar before assembling the bowl.
FAQ: Thai Noodle Salad
Yes, you can use any protein you like such as tempeh, chickpeas, or seitan.
Yes, you can use any type of noodle you like such as rice noodles, soba noodles.
Use tamari instead of soy sauce and ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
No, this recipe is best eaten fresh and leftovers may become soggy.
To add more spice to your vegan rainbow bowl, try adding chili flakes, hot sauce, jalapeños, cayenne pepper, Sriracha, or a spicy Thai peanut sauce. Use different types of peppers, but adjust the spice level to your liking.
Vegan Rainbow Bowl With Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 large grated carrot
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 mango cut into small strips
- 1-2 cups red cabbage, grated or thinly sliced
- 1 handful mint, cilantro or thai basil (or use all 3!)
- 100 grams dried vermicelli noodles
Crispy Tofu
- 1 brick extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 2-3 tbsp hoisin sauce for coating tofu (optional)
Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce
- ½ cup all-natural peanut butter
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or agave
- 2-3 tbsp sriracha (to your own spice preference)
- 3 tbsp water to thin the sauce if needed (use 1 tbsp at a time)
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 clove minced garlic
Optional Garnishes
- ¼ cup chopped salted peanuts
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cut the pressed tofu into 10 equal slices and place in a shallow bowl. Add soy sauce and cornstarch and toss to combine so all pieces are evenly coated.
- Air fry the tofu at 400 degrees for 9-12 minutes flipping halfway. (OR pan fry with a little oil for 3-5 minutes per side.) Add the cooked tofu into a bowl and toss with hoisin sauce to combine.
- Slice the cooked tofu into bite-sized strips.
- Cover the vermicelli noodles in boiling water and leave for 3-5 minutes. (check the package instructions, this can vary). Then drain them and rinse with cold water.
- Next, make the peanut sauce by mixing all ingredients together in a jar or in a blender. Adjust the consistency with water 1 tbsp at a time if needed.
- Assemble the bowls by adding in veggies, herbs, noodles and tofu, and top with a generous drizzle of the peanut dressing. Top with chopped peanuts and sesame seeds if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Whole grains. Make this meal complete by adding whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice, rice noodles, couscous, bulgur, or millet.
- Lots of veggies. Get your daily vitamins and fiber through a variety of vegetables. Try peppers, cabbage, pickled onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, leafy greens, green onions, roasted root vegetables, and more!
- Don’t be scared to add fruit. Adding fruit like mangoes or strawberries can really elevate a rainbow bowl!
- Protein. Rainbow or buddha bowls are typically vegan. Look for a protein source like tofu, tempeh, or chickpeas.
- Dressing. A great homemade dressing makes all the difference! This recipe has a spicy Thai dressing, but check out this creamy lemon tahini dressing for something different.
- Healthy fats. Add avocado, hemp hearts, seeds, or nuts to get some omegas and healthy fats in the bowl.
Conclusion: Thai Noodle Salad
In conclusion, the Thai Noodle Salad is a delightful dish that brings the flavors of Thailand to your table. It’s versatile, healthy, and bursting with vibrant colors and textures. Whether enjoyed as a main course or a side dish, this salad is sure to impress.
This Thai bowl is my husband’s fave as well as mine! It’s obviously ☺️extremely healthy as you can easily tell by the variety of colour! And you can definitely make extra for the next day! This will be a regular vegan dish at our house! Thanks spicyveganfood! You da best!💖
I’m SO glad you guys love this bowl!! Such a great idea to make extra for meal prep! Thank you so much 🙂
Loved this rainbow bowl!! Very easy to customize and the peanut sauce was delicious I made a double batch 😋
Hi Kristen, thank you so much for the feedback! I love the Thai peanut sauce as well, it goes well with many other items as well!
This recipe is so great and so easy to customize loved the peanut sauce. So fresh and delicious
I’m thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the recipe and found it easy to customize! The peanut sauce does add a wonderful touch, bringing freshness and deliciousness to the dish. If you ever want more recipes or have any questions about customization, feel free to ask. Happy cooking!