Zesty Peanut Zucchini Noodles (Print Version)

Spiralized zucchini and crisp vegetables blended with a creamy peanut dressing for a refreshing dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 4 medium zucchini, spiralized
02 - 1 cup shredded carrots
03 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
05 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
06 - 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped (plus extra for garnish)

→ Peanut Sauce

07 - 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, natural and unsweetened preferred
08 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
11 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
13 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili garlic sauce, optional
14 - 2 to 4 tablespoons warm water to thin

→ Garnish

15 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
16 - Lime wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine spiralized zucchini, shredded carrots, sliced red bell pepper, scallions, and chopped cilantro in a large mixing bowl.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, lime juice, sriracha if using, and 2 tablespoons warm water until smooth. Add more water as needed for a pourable consistency.
03 - Pour the peanut sauce over the vegetable mixture and toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Incorporate chopped peanuts into the salad and toss again to distribute.
05 - Transfer to serving bowls or a platter, sprinkle with sesame seeds and extra peanuts, then garnish with lime wedges and additional fresh cilantro if desired.
06 - Serve immediately as a cold salad or refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • You can make this entire dish without turning on a single burner, which means your kitchen stays cool and you stay sane.
  • The peanut sauce clings to every ribbon of zucchini and tastes like the best takeout you never ordered.
  • It keeps well in the fridge for a day or two, and somehow tastes even better cold the next morning.
02 -
  • If you make this more than an hour ahead, the zucchini will start to weep and water down the sauce, so either wait to toss it or drain off the liquid before serving.
  • The sauce should be thick enough to cling but thin enough to drizzle, if it looks like peanut butter straight from the jar, you need more water.
  • Taste the sauce before you add it to the vegetables because peanut butters vary wildly in saltiness and sweetness.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame oil in a dry pan for thirty seconds before adding it to the sauce, it wakes up the flavor in a way that surprised even me.
  • If the peanut sauce breaks or looks grainy, add a tiny splash of warm water and whisk hard, it'll come back together.
  • Spiralize the zucchini at the last possible moment to keep it from getting soggy and sad.
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