My Thai spaghetti salad is a fun mashup between an American potluck classic and a refreshing Thai-style noodle salad ~ this one’s a summer winner!
I get some of my best recipe ideas from the deli counter at my favorite market. They make surprisingly good salads and we like to pick 2 or 3 and call it dinner during the summer months when it’s too hot and sticky to cook. I chose three last week and I loved them so much I’m recreating each one for the blog. This Thai spaghetti salad is a twist on a potluck staple, spaghetti salad.
Readers love this Thai spaghetti salad
🌟 This Thai spaghetti salad recipe is on REPEAT in my house!!!!
🌟 Wonderful flavor, easy to put together! We are having a heat wave and this was ideal for dinner.
🌟I used GF pasta (celiac husband) with perfect results.
🌟 This was such a hit I was asked to make it for my daughter’s graduation party ~ for 100 people!
Ingredient notes & substitutions
This is a mash up between American spaghetti salad and a Thai noodle salad. It’s a true hybrid!
- spaghetti
- I like to use regular spaghetti, not thin nor thick. It’s just the right consistency for this salad.
- red cabbage
- make sure your cabbage is thinly sliced, and the shreds aren’t super long for best eating experience.
- veggies & herbs
- shredded carrotsgreen onions
- cilantro leaves
- basil leaves
- roasted peanuts
- sesame seeds
The peanut dressing is a simple rice vinegar, veg oil vinaigrette with smooth peanut butter, garlic, and a touch of cayenne for pop.
You asked
YES this salad can be made ahead of time: the flavors actually benefit from hanging out in the fridge.
YES it’s a great choice for outdoors: there’s no mayo to spoil outdoors, either.
YES you can serve it as dinner, just add extra protein in the form of shredded rotisserie chicken or grilled shrimp.
Thai flavors are incredibly refreshing
While this is not an authentic Thai recipe, the famously refreshing Thai flavor profile is represented. The Thai flavors make it unique but the salad is still familiar. It’s a great ‘starter’ Thai recipe for newbies or kids.
Fresh basil and cilantro are essential for this salad, so make sure you have some on hand. Better yet, buy small herb plants at your local nursery and keep them on the windowsill or back porch so you’ll always have fresh herbs available.
tips for making Thai spaghetti salad
➡ For the best texture, shred your carrots in a food processor fitted with the shredding blade. A box grater can make wet, mushy shreds.
➡ I slice the red cabbage on a mandoline set to 1/8 inch. You’ll get fine, crisp shreds that hold their texture. If the shreds are very long, slice them in half.
➡ Use regular spaghetti, not thin or thick. Thin spaghetti can turn mushy, while thicker spaghetti can feel too starchy and overpower the vegetables.
➡ Cook the spaghetti just to al dente. It will continue to soften a bit after you dress and chill the salad.
Add The View from Great Island as a Trusted Google Source
Spicy Thai Spaghetti Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti, broken in half, cooked in plenty of salted water to al dente and rinsed well with cold water
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 bunch (about 6-8) green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 handful cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 handful basil leaves, thinly sliced, use Thai basil if you can find it.
peanut dressing
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp (heaping) smooth peanut butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
make the dressing
- To make the dressing put all the ingredients in a small bowl and use an immersion blender to process into an emulsified dressing. Thin with more oil or vinegar, if necessary. Taste to adjust any of the flavors.
make the salad
- Make sure your pasta is fairly dry (not dripping wet) and add to a large bowl. Toss with a little of the dressing.
- Then add the rest of the salad ingredients and toss well with more dressing.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with extra peanuts and fresh herbs.
Notes
Nutrition
more colorful summer potluck salads
They’re some are some of the best eating out there…the most successful ones are sturdy, have mass appeal, and can be made ahead.
Red White and Blue Watermelon Salad
Red white and blue watermelon salad with watermelon stars, blueberries and a pop of feta (or cotija) cheese is the best 4th of July side dish!
Chopped Italian Salad Recipe
This Chopped Italian Salad is crisp, colorful, and loaded with classic Mediterranean ingredients ~ it’s my favorite way to eat the rainbow.
Spring Millet Salad
Spring Millet Salad is a fresh, lemony grain salad packed with herbs and crisp vegetables ~ light, healthy, and naturally gluten-free.
Mediterranean Bean Salad
Mediterranean Bean Salad ~ you don’t need a new diet, you just need to eat more beans! This salad is colorful, crunchy, and keeps well for days!
Cowboy Caviar Recipe
Cowboy Caviar ~ whether you call it Texas caviar, black bean salsa, black-eyed pea salad, or Southwestern bean dip, this all-American cross between a salsa and a salad is just plain GOOD!
Yum! I just went and made this- and I’d just had lunch. I can see where you can vary the ingredients to suit what items you have on hand. I grated in some fresh zucchini because I have so much. However, the cilantro and dressing are a must! I did add a splash of sesame oil as one reader suggested and it mellows out the tartness a bit. Absolutely delicious!
Trader Joe’s has a shredded bag mix with shaved brussels sprouts in it that would be fantastic in this since I would need to add more veggies and as you suggested chicken. Yum.
Great idea 🙂
Hello! I substituted yellow squash for the spaghetti. I was not sure if sesame seeds needed to be toasted & didn’t put them in the recipe. I also added broccoli.
My picky 21 year old daughter absolutely loves this salad. ?
This was a winner – yum! Doubled sauce & used some to marinate chicken breast pieces. Then put it in grill pan and added to the salad – very tasty!! (Used sriracha instead and left out cabbage & used other veggies that I had in my fridge!) You can adjust the sauce to your preferred taste prior to adding!!
Hi – this looks perfect for a weekend salad – was wondering if you’d recommend adding some sesame oil to the dressing ? Perhaps half veg/half sesame oil to intensify flavor? I don’t want to overwhelm the veggies,though.
THNX!!
Definitely, that would be delicious, just go easy as it is intense. I’d add it to taste, usually a tablespoon would be enough.
My husband and older kids loved this (the toddler did not). I thought it was okay. I served it with leftover teriyaki chicken and still thought it was not super impressive. But my family was happy with it, and it was a nice, easy recipe. Thank you!
I saw your recommendation for regular size spaghetti noodles and not thin, but can you substitute it with whole wheat spaghetti noodles?
Sure, you can use just about any type of strand noodle you like.
Has anybody be ever tried anything besides basic spaghetti noodles? Maybe like an Asian egg noodle to give it a more cultural feel?
You could definitely use an Asian noodle, any type you like.
How is this Thai? That’s pretty much the definition of Cultural Appropriation. This is not okay.
Wow Bear ????.
I guess “Bear” didn’t read the whole page about this salad. She wasn’t saying it was authentic Thai, but Thai flavored because of the dressing. Sheesh! Can you believe his comment? My family and I really enjoyed it, with some sprouts and Chinese peas thrown in. BTW, double the dressing – it’s very versatile.
This was a joke, right?
Booooo!
Good Lord, the flavors are Thai, get a grip – besides, in case you hadn’t noticed, your constitutional rights are about to be stripped away…perhaps you should concentrate on standing up for them
Yeah Kel!! I was just thinking the same thing!!
This was a delicious salad with all the wonderful flavors of Thai food. Thank you!
THIS LOOKS SOOOOO GOOD! DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE THE BREAK DOWN OF THE NUTRITION VALUE?