This dish has all the swoon-worthy, aromatic richness of the cold sesame noodles from your favorite Chinese restaurant, but with the modern, healthful, complete-meal appeal of a vegetable-packed rice bowl. On top of that, it is as easy to make as a basic pasta salad. Its key ingredients are everyday items you most likely have on hand: whole-grain spaghetti and peanut butter.
It's important to pour on the sauce right before serving, because if you dress the mixture ahead of time, it will become overly sticky. But you can make the noodle-vegetable mixture and the sauce up to three days ahead and store them separately in the refrigerator, which makes the dish an ideal make-ahead dinner or to-go lunch.
Allow them to come to room temperature, and stir each well before combining them and sprinkling a crunch of toasted peanuts on top.
Asian Noodle Bowl With Peanut Dressing
For the noodles:
Kosher salt
4 ounces dried whole-wheat spaghetti
1 teaspoon peanut or canola oil
2 tablespoons PLUS 2 teaspoons unsalted peanuts, for garnish
2 ounces snow peas, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise (1 1/2 cups)
1 carrot, scrubbed well and shredded into thin strips with a vegetable peeler
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
2 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced, separated
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons PLUS 2 teaspoons cup creamy natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 1/4 teaspoons plain rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon peeled, finely grated fresh ginger root
2 tablespoons water
Chile garlic sauce, such as Sriracha
For the noodles: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook (al dente) according to package directions. Drain, then toss with the oil and let cool.
Meanwhile, toast the peanuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool, then coarsely chop.
Transfer the noodles to a mixing bowl. Add the snow peas, carrots, bell pepper and the white parts of the green onions, tossing to incorporate.
For the sauce: Whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger and water in a medium bowl. Add the chile garlic sauce (to taste).
To serve, divide the noodle-vegetable mixture among individual bowls. Divide the sauce among them evenly, then sprinkle each portion with the reserved green onion tops and the toasted peanuts.
Makes 2 servings.
Food on 06/03/2015