Here is the thing, I have a love & hate relationship with salads – this is coming from a vegan. I know.
Now before I get judged, hear me out, what I don’t like about salads is that it does not fill me up and when I think of salads, it is immediately considered as a side. Not a meal to eat on its own. Perhaps it’s because I’m, one, Filipino and we live off of rice for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack time. Two, being born and raised on Guam – it’s basically the same thing.
So the challenge is to come up with a salad recipe that will fill me up. And what better way to create a recipe that hits the essential macronutrients? Carbohydrates, protein, and fat. On top of all the fun benefits of plant foods from other vegetables. I wanted to create something that would satisfy me and make sure it’s not one of those salads that will be put to the side.
Because after all, nobody puts my recipes in the corner. HA!
So behold, a wholesome-ish Thai-Inspired Peanut Salad.
Made with vermicelli noodles, browned tofu, edamame, a whole lot of colorful veggies drizzled in a savory/sweet umami peanut dressing. What more can we ask for?
Thai-Inspired Peanut Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup Peanut Butter Used crunchy for texture
- 2 tbsp Agave / Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Sriracha
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce tamari for gluten free option
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- Splash of Water
For the Salad
- 2-3 cups Vermicelli noodles
- 1 block Extra firm tofu cut into cubes
- 1 cup Romaine Lettuce chopped
- 1 Red bell pepper julienned
- 1 carrot julienned or shredded
- 1 cucumber julienned
- 1 cup edamame with no shells
- 1/2 cup red cabbage shredded
- 1 tsp cilantro & green onions for garnish
Instructions
- In a small sauce bowl, mix in all peanut dressing ingredients and whisk until well combined. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water for your desired consistency. If the sauce is too runny, add a little more peanut butter.
- Boil the vermicelli noodles according to instructions in the packet. Strain and set aside.
- Chop all vegetable ingredients and tofu.
- Brown the cubed tofu to add a little bit of color on medium heat on a skillet or griddle. You can also marinade a little with the peanut sauce or sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper – we chose to just sprinkle it with a little salt and pepper for this.
- Prepare all ingredients on a salad bowl. Start by adding your noodles on the bottom and work your way around with the rest of the vegetables.
- Drizzle with peanut dressing until your heart’s content. Garnish with some cilantro, green onions, and squeeze a little lime juice before serving.