spicy peanut noods
summertime spice hits juuuuuust right for a day in the sun
Are you sick of hearing about, reading about, or living through the Summer 2024 Heatwave? I hear you, but I’ve gotta say as a current Los Angeleno, this heatwave brought us out of June gloom a bit early and straight into the fiery desert summer we’re known for out west. I wasn’t expecting this many hot, sunny days until August and we’ve already been to the beach twice this month! If you’re out there still seeking refuge into your air-conditioned abode, never fear. I’ve got just the meal for you that’ll brighten any afternoon or evening: quick, refreshing, delicious, perfect for leftovers, and best of all: no oven necessary.
This noodle dish was an experiment based off of a deli salad I purchased long ago on a quick lunch break from the deli section of a grocery store, but I have never forgotten how delicious it was that hot summer day, sitting next to the Mississippi River soaking up midday rays and scarfing this down between work meetings. While a big bowl of noodles may not be revolutionary in concept, you’ll be so glad you added this to your repertoire, especially for these sweaty summer months.
The most effort this dish calls for is to boil water. Yes, that involves a stove and yes, that’s technically a heat source, but that part will be over before you’re finished packing your beach bag. After a little veggie slicing, this noodle salad comes together in mere minutes and only gets better while it sits refrigerated (him and me both, amirite?) It also holds up well to packing so you can take it anywhere and not worry about soggy noodles: sandy beachside hangs, pool party BBQs, air-conditioned museum dates. It’s got the freshest crunch to keep you coming back for more and the bit of sweet heat is to die for, no matter how high the actual air temperature soars.
You can get a bit creative with sauce ratios to your personal preferences, like adding more chile oil for higher heat or substituting nut-free butter to accommodate peanut allergies. It’s also easy to alter the chopped veggie mix-ins to whatever is chilling in your fridge: chopped snap peas, celery half-moons, shelled edamame, or sliced mushrooms. This big bowl o’ noods is perfect all on its own for a quick lunch by adding some shredded rotisserie chicken or cubed, marinated tofu; it’s also perfect served as a side alongside any grilled protein for a more complete, sharable meal.
Just in time for your 4th of July barbecues, I recommend mixing this together a day prior or the morning-of your party, and by the time you serve it to guests in the afternoon, everything will have come together perfectly. How often can you say that of your summer break activities? Here’s a big ol’ cheers to the midway point of summer, and to one of the most moving speeches from a [fictional] president. Fingers crossed we can all find some time in front of a large body of water to relax, unplug, and enjoy a little cold noodle salad. ~L
INGREDIENTS
Noodle Salad
8 oz of long, thin noodles (soba, spaghetti, vermicelli, etc)
1 medium cucumber or zucchini
5 radishes
1 red bell pepper
1/4 head of red or purple cabbage, finely sliced
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts (roughly chopped)
2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro
1-2 limes, cut into wedges for serving
Sauce
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar or honey
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp chile oil or hot sauce, plus more to taste
1 tbsp cayenne, more to taste
1/2 scant tsp fish sauce
1 garlic clove, grated
INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a pot of salted water to boil and add noodles. Cook until al dente and rinse under cold water.
In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar/honey, lime juice, chile oil/hot sauce and garlic. Add 1/4 cup water 1 tbsp at a time and whisk until the sauce is a pourable consistency. Taste and add more chile oil or hot sauce and salt as desired. Set aside.
Cut the zucchini or cucumber and radishes into 1/8” thick slices and then cut them into matchsticks. Slice pepper into 1/8” pieces. Place them all in large bowl.
Loosen noodles by running under cold water again, and drain completely. Add them to the vegetables with 1 tbsp of sesame oil and toss to combine.
To serve: drizzle noodle and vegetables with spicy peanut sauce and toss to combine. Add chopped peanuts, a handful of chopped cilantro, and scallions. Serve with lime wedges alongside.