This refreshing Thai sweet potato glass noodles salad uses crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs and a savory cashew dressing. Perfect for summer nights, easy meal prepping or a no refrigeration meal!
This cold glass noodle salad is vegan, paleo, gluten free, peanut free and refined sugar free.
Inspired by the cold vegan Pad Thai from I Love Juice Bar. They introduced me to sweet potato glass noodles and fueled my obsession for nutty sauces in asian pasta salads.
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Key Ingredient Tips
Sweet Potato Glass Noodles: Korean sweet potato glass noodles are made using only sweet potato starch and water. They are super easy to cook and have a great glass noodle texture that keeps their shape without being overly firm. They are also high in fiber, calcium and iron. 2-3 ounces of dry noodles is considered 1 serving by most.
Cashew Dressing: The homemade Thai cashew dressing is a key ingredient bringing the perfect balance of tangy, sweet, nutty and bold flavors. Since peanuts are a common allergen, it uses freshly roasted cashews that have a rich nutty flavor that is very similar to peanuts. Cashews are super nutritious, they are rich in fiber, protein & healthy fats. They are also easier to digest when roasted!
Herbs: Cilantro, mint and basil are super important to this recipe because they add a lot of flavor. Basil is the most important herb in this recipe and if you can, try and find Thai basil which has a more potent flavor. Not only do these herbs add lots of flavor and color to this salad, but they also have impactful health benefits. Cilantro can help with detoxification and reduce inflammation. Mint offers support with digestion issues. Basil is known for its ability to help fight harmful bacteria.
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
- Sweet potato glass noodles substitute - any noodles that are typically used in Asian pasta dishes should work for this recipe but they will add a slightly different flavor and texture to the recipe. Most cellophane or glass noodles are a great substitute if you can't find sweet potato glass noodles. Kelp noodles and miracle noodles are also good substitutes if you enjoy their crunchy texture. I do not recommend using Pad Thai rice noodles, they do not hold their texture well enough for this dish. 2-3 ounces of dry pasta is considered 1 serving by most.
- Cashew dressing or peanut sauce - if you don't want to make the homemade cashew dressing you can use your favorite peanut sauce blended with water until it's the consistency of a creamy dressing.
- Protein variations - add in your favorite protein! I like to add grilled chicken or shrimp.
- Herb variations - if you can't find fresh cilantro, basil and mint do not substitute with dried herbs. These fresh herbs bring so much flavor to the dish, but if you can't use all three try to use at least one or two. The most impactful herb to try to include is basil (ideally Thai basil but that can be tricky to find).
- Hot or cold? It's recommended to eat this salad cold but it can easily be made into hot stir fry by sautéing the cabbage, carrots and bell peppers before adding the noodles and dressing to the pan before serving. Top with fresh herbs once plated.
Expert Tips
- Glass noodles dry out easily so if they are being stored in the fridge after they are cooked make sure they are covered in the dressing or add some water to keep them hydrated. After they are removed from the fridge you may beed to some water to rehydrate the noodles and dressing because the noodles likely absorbed some of the liquid.
- Meal prep - I love to meal prep these cold glass noodle salads in quart 32 ounce wide mouth mason jars. It's important to mix the noodles and dressing before putting them into the bottom of the jars so that the noodles don't dry out. I then layer the rest of the vegetables on top. Give the salad in a jar a good shake when you are ready to eat. You can eat the salad right out of the jar or pour it onto a plate. If the noodles absorbed too much of the liquid in the dressing simply add a little water to rehydrate the noodles and dressing.
- Leftover mint? Add it to a glass of water!
FAQs
3-5 days when stored properly in air-tight container.
Yes!
I've seen Korean sweet potato glass noodles at some grocery stores - Wegmans, Star Market and Asian grocery stores. I buy mine from Amazon and like the SUNGIVEN brand for thicker noodles or the Chung Jung One brand for thinner noodles (these ones are pesticide & sodium free).
More healthy meals you'll love!
I hope you love this Thai sweet potato glass noodle salad! If you make it I’d love if you could leave a rating & connect with me on Instagram @passthesprouts!
Recipe
Thai Sweet Potato Glass Noodles Salad
Equipment
- grater or shredder most food processors have a shredder disk
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked sweet potato glass noodles 8-12 oz uncooked
- 2 cups creamy cashew dressing substitute favorite peanut sauce mixed with water
- 1 cup purple cabbage shredded
- 1 cup carrots shredded
- 2 cups bell peppers thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- 4 tablespoons basil chopped
- 4 tablespoons mint chopped
Instructions
- Prepare Thai cashew or peanut dressing: make homemade cashew dressing or buy a Thai peanut sauce. If the store-bought sauce is thick, whisk or blend it with water until it's the consistency of a creamy dressing.
- Prepare glass noodles: cook glass noodles according to their package directions. I like to boil water and then let the glass noodles soak in the hot water until soft.
- Assemble: combine all ingredients! If making individual servings each will have 1 cup glass noodles, ½ cup dressing, ¼ cup shredded cabbage, ¼ cup shredded carrots, ½ cup sliced bell peppers and 1 tablespoon of each herb.
Recipe Notes
- Sweet potato glass noodle substitutes - cellophane noodles or glass / vermicelli noodles.
- Want to add more protein? I usually all grilled shrimp or chicken.
- The glass noodles dry out easily so if they are being stored in the fridge after cooking make sure they are covered in the dressing or add some water. You may also need to add a tablespoon of water before eating them if the noodles absorbed some of the moisture from the dressing.
- Hot or cold? It's recommended to eat this salad cold but it can easily be made hot by sautéing the cabbage, carrots and bell peppers before adding the noodles and dressing to the pan before serving. Top with fresh herbs once plated.
- Storage: store for 3-5 days in the fridge in an air-tight container.
Alisha Phipps says
OK this sweet potato glass noodle salad is out of this world delicious!!! Super flavorful, fresh and crunchy. It's the perfect light, fresh, crunchy summer meal that I'll be serving on repeat at my house. It also makes an easy and impressive dish to serve for guests. I'm going to make the cashew sauce to just keep on hand for any Asian dish (like dipping gyoza) or to dress a regular salad. It was so so so YUMMY!! My mouth is literally watering just thinking about it.