Asian Inspired Pasta Salad – served warm or cold. Made with angel hair pasta, green onions, peanuts, edamame, bell pepper, and all the good Asian flavors. Make an infused hot pepper oil for extra spice. This is the one that everyone asks for!
The Dilemma
Have you ever been invited to a party or potluck and cringed- wondering what, as a plant-based eater, you are going to take and share?
What if people act all judgy about your vegan food? What if nobody else likes it? Well, worry no more! Just make this delicious flavorful Asian Pasta Salad, put it on the table, and wait for the compliments and recipe requests to roll in!
That’s right. This Asian Pasta Salad with Peanuts has everyone asking for more and it’s so easy to make! Infuse the oils with red pepper flakes, slice and chop the vegetables, make your sauce, and boil some noodles. That’s all there is to it! This is, along with my Coleslaw with Red Wine Vinegar Dressing and Easy Vegan Italian Pasta Salad are my go-to’s when invited to a pot-luck or barbeque and have become my most requested dishes.
Pro Tips and Suggestions:
Read on for some pro-tips and suggestions to make the Best Asian Pasta Salad that will have everyone asking for more:
First – a note about the angel-hair pasta:
- Angel-hair pasta cooks very quickly. If you do not want mushy overcooked pasta, follow the suggestions below.
- Make sure to read and carefully follow the instructions on the box.
- Watch your time carefully.
- Give the pasta a cold rinse after it is drained.
- And very importantly, wait until everything else is mixed and assembled before putting the angel-hair pasta into the boiling water.
- The first step is to infuse the oils by adding in the red pepper flakes and cooking on low for about five minutes. My family does not think the flavor is too hot using the ingredients as written in the recipe. If you are worried about the heat from the red pepper flakes, make the following adjustments:
- Try using fewer red pepper flakes.
- Strain out the red pepper flakes and just use the infused oil.
- Put the infused oil in the refrigerator after it is finished so that the temperature begins to cool down. If you have time, you can also infuse the oil the night before and refrigerate overnight.
- Mix together the soy and teriyaki sauces along with the agave and put in the refrigerator to begin the cooling process. If you have time the night before, you can mix these up and refrigerate.
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Serving Suggestions:
- While there is no need to highlight that is Asian Pasta Salad is vegan-friendly, do let people know that it contains peanuts.
- This pasta salad can be served warm or cold. If it sits on a buffet table, it will not need to be kept absolutely chilled and it will still taste good.
- If I’m taking my salads to a pot-luck or dinner party, I transport in a tightly closed container and then transfer to this serving dish. I like it because it’s plastic and cheap – so you can leave it and not worry – yet has an elegant look about it. Elegant just makes the food taste better – right? (Affiliate link)
- This pasta salad is also great for meal prep. Tightly cover each portion and refrigerate for up to five days. I like to take it to work with me on days I don’t have time to go into the staff room and use a microwave. I can just pull it out cold and eat it at my desk.
This Asian Pasta Salad works well for meal prep. You can serve it cold or warm it up.
Items I Found Helpful Making this Asian Pasta Salad (affiliate links):
If you liked this recipe, let me know in the comments below. And 5 stars is always appreciated!
Asian Pasta Salad with peanuts
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1/2 cup sesame oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup agave liquid
- 1/3 cup soy sauce low sodium
- 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
- 16 ounces angel hair pasta
- 3/4 cup red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup shelled edamame if frozen, thaw
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped
- 1/2 cup green onions chopped
- 1 cup cocktail peanuts dry roasted and salted
- toasted sesame seeds sprinkled on top
Instructions
- Combine oils and crushed red pepper flakes and heat over low heat for about 5 minutes. You can strain out the red pepper flakes if you are sensitive to a little extra heat. Leave them in for full flavor. Set aside in refrigerator while prepping other steps.
- Combine agave, soy sauce, and teriyaki sauce. Set aside in refrigerator while prepping other steps.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Do not overcook! Remove from heat, drain, and run under cold water. Set aside.
- While water is boiling you can get started on the vegetables. (Just watch your time if the pasta has started boiling. If only takes 3 minutes.) Dice red bell pepper. Chop green onions, and cilantro. Set aside.
- Add cooked cooled pasta, chopped peppers, edamame, cilantro, green onions, and peanuts to a large bowl.
- Pour cooled oil mixture and soy sauce/teriyaki mixture on top. Toss together.
Notes
Nutrition
How can I make an oil free version?