Noodle Salad with Rainbow Veggies

If cold noodle salads are your thing, then you will absolutely adore this Noodle Salad with Rainbow Veggies!

It’s a colorful and exciting veggie noodle salad that’s ultra-refreshing and packed with rainbow colors and zingy, limey flavors. It’s so addictively delicious that you won’t even realize you’re eating a nutritious meal!

Tender-chewy rice noodles and cabbage-carrot slaw are tossed in a Vietnamese-inspired sweet and sour sauce, with crispy tempeh crumbles and edamame rounding this out into a complete meal. A generous dollop of the best vegan peanut sauce on top is the pièce de résistance, lending amazing textures and rich, nutty flavors to every bite.

Table of Contents:
1. Why this recipe works
2. Ingredient notes
3. Step-by-step instructions
4. Tips for making this recipe
5. Frequently Asked Questions
6. Recipe card with notes

Why this recipe works

Delicious Southeast Asian flavors 

This salad reminds me of the cold and always refreshing noodle salads we ate in Vietnam (we spent a month backpacking around the country nearly 10 years ago!). I dressed it in a limey, sweet, and sour noodle sauce that’s an easy vegan riff on the classic Vietnamese dipping sauce, nước chấm, which is typically made from fish sauce, sugar, water, chiles, and lime juice.

Meanwhile, a crunchy and fresh cabbage-carrot slaw adds brilliant colors to make you feel like you’re eating the rainbow. Lastly, a peanut sauce inspired by peanut sauces you’d find in certain Indonesian or Thai dishes is drizzled on top for rich, salty-savory goodness.

All these fun flavors make for a well-balanced dish that’s addictively delicious!

Nutrient-rich but still craveable! 

There’s no shortage of good-for-you ingredients in this noodle salad. But you’ll probably be too busy indulging in every peanut sauce-covered bite to notice so let me just lay the facts out. 

One of the plant-based protein sources here, tempeh, is a nutrition superstar. Not only is it one of the best plant-based sources of iron, but just 3 ounces contains 18 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. It’s also a fermented product, which means it has gut-healthy bacteria and probiotics that can improve your digestion and the overall health of your microbiome.

Edamame is the second plant-based protein in this salad, containing 18 grams of protein per 1 cup. It’s naturally low in calories and endlessly versatile. Use these green soybeans in noodle bowls, blend them into a delicious toast spread, or toss them in a protein-packed salad.

Last but not least are the cabbage and carrots in this slurpable noodle salad. They pack it with fiber, antioxidants, and a long list of vitamins and minerals. Cabbage is particularly high in vitamin C, which can benefit your heart health and protect you from certain cancers. The beta carotene in carrots (AKA vitamin A) is known for boosting your eye health but can also be beneficial to your immune system.

Easy to customize

Transform this cold noodle salad into a meal with all the customizations you want. Add even more refreshing and crunchy vegetables for bulk, or increase the protein. 

There’s already 25 grams of plant protein in this dish, but you can add even more by doubling the edamame.

Want a lighter side dish to serve a crowd instead? Make the recipe without the tempeh and peanut sauce. 

Ingredient notes 

Thin rice noodles

Rice noodles come in all kinds of thickness levels, but for the sauciest and tastiest Vietnamese rice noodle salad, thin rice noodles are best. When you’re shopping, look for rice noodles labeled as rice vermicelli, Vietnamese bún, rice sticks, or mung bean threads. 

There are two quantities of rice noodles in the recipe card. For a larger and heartier salad or to stretch the meal further, use the larger quantity. If you want a stronger flavor and more sauce in the salad, stick with the smaller quantity. 

Where to buy: You can find rice noodles at most major grocery stores, East and Southeast Asian grocery stores, or online (affiliate link). 

Tempeh

Tempeh is an underrated soy-based plant-based protein. It’s nutrient-rich, has tons of protein, and is just as versatile as tofu! A lot of vegans are missing out on tempeh, but this noodle salad (or my guide on How to Cook Tempeh) will make you want to try it ASAP!

Even though it has a natural nutty and bitter taste, tempeh is easy to make irresistible with the right cooking techniques. In this noodle salad recipe, the tempeh is crumbled into very small pieces and pan-fried in oil until it’s super crispy and tender. It’s the same method I use in my delicious Tempeh Tacos recipe!

Substitute: With a sweet-and-sour noodle sauce AND an umami-rich peanut sauce, you will hardly notice you’re eating tempeh (in crispy nugget form, no less). But if you still hate the idea of tempeh, you can either (1) omit it and double the amount of edamame; (2) cube up some store-bought baked tofu; or (3) serve this noodle salad with my pan-fried tofu or baked tofu. 

Cabbage and carrots 

The two main veggies in the noodle salad. Both are finely sliced or shredded for super thin and uniform slices that are easy to chew, not to mention faster to prep.

Substitute: To save time, replace the whole cabbage and carrots with pre-shredded cabbage and carrots. These are usually sold together as a coleslaw mix. And if you don’t want to use red cabbage, use green cabbage or Napa cabbage instead.

Lime juice 

The tangy tart flavor of freshly squeezed lime juice is a staple in Vietnamese noodle salads. You need a generous amount, so stock up on those limes!

Tip: When shopping for limes, seek out juicy limes. Juicy limes tend to have thin, smooth, undimpled skin and feel heavy for their size. When you gently squeeze them, they should be slightly soft and squishy.

Soy sauce 

Soy sauce is used both in the peanut sauce and noodle sauce. It balances the flavors and adds an addictive depth of savoriness.

Gluten-free? Use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce instead (the rest of this recipe is gluten-free). 

Peanut butter

For the peanut sauce, of course! Use smooth and creamy peanut butter with no added sugars, salt, or oils for the best results. If your peanut butter is salted, start the peanut sauce with a bit less tamari/soy sauce, then add more to taste. 

Substitutes: Peanut allergy? Almond butter (or cashew butter) works just as well and has a great flavor. Nut allergy? Experiment with sunflower seed butter instead. Keep in mind that most varieties have added sugar, so start with 2 teaspoons of sugar in the sauce, then taste and adjust as needed. 

Tamarind paste

Tamarind is a tropical pod fruit that’s used in many cuisines, including South Asian (particularly South Indian cuisine), Southeast Asian, Latin American, and Caribbean cuisines. It adds distinct tart, tangy, and slightly sweet flavors to curries, beverages, chutneys, and many more dishes.

Tamarind paste or tamarind concentrate is used in the peanut sauce. You only need 1 tablespoon, but it really makes an impact!

Where to buy: You can find tamarind paste or concentrate in the international aisle at well-stocked grocery stores, at South Asian and Southeast Asian grocers, and online (Target and Walmart also sell it)(affiliate link).

Can’t find tamarind? Use freshly squeezed lime juice from the limes you zested instead. The sauce will still be delicious. 

Step-by-step instructions 

Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain well, then toss them in a bowl with toasted sesame oil. Cook the edamame according to the package instructions. 

Slice or shred the cabbage and carrots. 

Crumble the tempeh into small pieces about the size of a pine nut. To make the crispy tempeh, heat a wok over medium-high heat until it’s starting to smoke, then add the oil. Add the tempeh and cook until the small crumbles are golden brown and crisp, stirring only occasionally.

Transfer the fried tempeh to a paper towel-lined surface to absorb excess oil.

Meanwhile, make the noodle sauce by stirring the lime juice, tamari, and agave together.

Scoop out 1 1/2 tablespoons of this sauce into a bowl; stir in the cooled tempeh.

To the rest of the noodle sauce, stir in the toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds.

To assemble, add the cooked rice noodles to a large bowl along with the cabbage, carrots, and cilantro. Pour the noodle sauce over top and toss together. 

Add the fried tempeh nuggets and edamame, then toss again. Before serving, spoon some peanut sauce over each serving. 

Tips for making this recipe 

Use thin rice noodles

Thicker varieties don’t absorb the noodle sauce as well as the thin noodle varieties. The thicker the noodles, the drier and chewier your noodle salad will be.

Small tempeh crumbles are ideal

You want to aim to crumble the tempeh into pine nut-sized pieces. Small crumbles get nice and crispy when fried and turn out less dense and chewy.

Thinly slice the vegetables

I highly recommend thinly slicing or shredding the cabbage and carrots for easy eating. I like to use a mandolin for thin and uniform slices, but you can also use these methods:

• In a food processor, use the slicing disc to finely shred the cabbage and the shredding disk to grate the carrots.
• Use a box grater to finely shred both the cabbage and carrots.
• Slice the cabbage with a sharp chef’s knife as thinly as you can.
• Use a julienne peeler for thin carrot slices.

Make it more weeknight-friendly 

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Frequently Asked Questions

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