This crunchy, nutty Tempeh Cold Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing showcases roasted tempeh cubes against a backdrop of soft noodles, crunchy vegetables, and a flavorful peanut dressing. Packed with nutrition, this Thai salad inspiration is like a meal in one, and perfect for meal prep, potlucks, picnics, and easy meals during the week. Just roast tempeh cubes in a flavorful easy peanut dressing and toss with cooked soba noodles, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, snap peas, cilantro, and peanuts. Yummy! Colorful and packed with flavor, this hearty vegan noodle salad is a winner! Plus, you can make this healthy salad recipe in just 30 minutes. Swap out the ingredients based on what you have available–try asparagus, cauliflower, and bell peppers. You can make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free rice noodles and gluten-free soy sauce.
What is Tempeh?
This recipe features roasted tempeh (pronounced temp-ay), which is a traditional, fermented Indonesian soy and grain food that comes in a neatly pressed block, perfect for slicing into dishes as a meat replacement. It has a tangy (thanks to fermentation), mild, nutty taste and firm texture. You can increasingly find tempeh next to tofu in the refrigerated section of many supermarkets.
Nutrition Highlights
Made of whole, real plant foods (soy and whole grains), tempeh is nutrient-rich and can be an important asset to your healthful diet. One of the beauties of tempeh is its nutritional profile: A 1/2-cup serving has 160 kcal, 15 g protein, and 9 g total fat, not to mention vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytochemicals, and live active cultures due to fermentation. In addition, the dressing, noodles and vegetables in this salad provide extra fiber, protein, healthy fats, vitamin A, Bs, C, and E, minerals, and phytochemicals that act as antioxidant compounds.
This healthy, crunchy Tempeh Cold Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing showcases roasted tempeh cubes against a backdrop of soft noodles, crunchy vegetables, and a flavorful peanut dressing. This salad is vegan, and can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free rice noodles and gluten-free soy sauce.
Peanut Dressing:
Tempeh Cold Noodle Salad:
8 ouncestempeh, sliced into small cubes (about 1/2 inches)
Prepare dressing by placing peanut butter, lime juice soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, red chili flakes, ginger, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Mix together with a whisk until very smooth. Set aside.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the peanut dressing over the tempeh, and toss well to distribute the dressing.
Place tempeh in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden and crunchy. Remove and cool slightly.
While tempeh is baking, prepare the soba noodles. Fill a medium pot half-full with water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add soba noodles, and cook about 7-8 minutes (according to package directions). Do not overcook. Immediately drain and rinse noodles and set aside to cool slightly.
While tempeh and noodles are cooking, prepare the other salad ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add cabbage, carrots, broccoli, snap peas, cilantro, and peanuts. Add cooked and cooled tempeh and noodles.
Drizzle remaining peanut dressing over salad bowl ingredients and toss with tongs to distribute dressing.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate in a covered container for up to 5 days.
Makes 10 servings (about 1 cup per serving).
Notes
This salad can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free rice noodles and gluten-free soy sauce.
