Thai Peanut Protein Pasta Salad (Printable)

Colorful pasta salad with chicken, edamame, and creamy Thai peanut dressing. High protein, ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced (substitute firm tofu for vegetarian)
02 - 1 cup shelled edamame, cooked

→ Pasta

03 - 8 oz whole wheat or high-protein pasta (penne, fusilli, or rotini)

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 red bell pepper, julienned
05 - 1 cup shredded carrots
06 - 1/2 cup sliced cucumber
07 - 3 spring onions, sliced
08 - 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Peanut Dressing

09 - 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
10 - 2 tbsp soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
11 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
12 - 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
13 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
16 - 1-2 tbsp water, as needed to thin dressing
17 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Garnish

18 - 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
19 - Fresh lime wedges for serving

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain through a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to halt cooking. Set aside to drain completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, diced chicken (or tofu), edamame, julienned bell pepper, shredded carrots, cucumber slices, spring onions, and chopped cilantro until evenly distributed.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, maple syrup, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and water until smooth and creamy. Add water one tablespoon at a time to reach your preferred drizzling consistency. Stir in red pepper flakes if using.
04 - Pour the peanut dressing over the pasta and vegetable mixture. Toss vigorously until every component is thoroughly coated with the dressing.
05 - Transfer the dressed salad to a serving platter or divide among individual bowls. Scatter chopped roasted peanuts over the top and serve with fresh lime wedges alongside.
06 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together before serving. Stores well refrigerated for up to 2 days.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The peanut dressing comes together in about ninety seconds and tastes like something from a proper restaurant, not your weeknight kitchen.
  • It holds up beautifully in the fridge, making it one of those rare salads that actually tastes better on day two when the flavors have had time to mingle.
  • You can swap proteins and vegetables based on whatever needs using up, and it never disappoints.
02 -
  • Under season the pasta water and the whole dish will taste flat, no matter how good your dressing is, so be generous with the salt.
  • Rinsing the pasta is essential here because you want distinct, separate noodles, not a sticky mass that clumps when chilled.
03 -
  • Warm the peanut butter for fifteen seconds in the microwave before whisking and you will save yourself a lot of arm effort trying to blend cold, stiff paste.
  • Toast the chopped peanuts in a dry skillet for two minutes before garnishing and you will wonder why you ever used them raw.

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