Lazy Day Peanut Noodle Salad

By jjadin

For an easy, casual meal, a recipe with "lazy day" in the title has to be a winner! Peanut dressing gives this cold noodle salad Asian flair.

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package soba noodles
• 1 bunch asparagus spears, ends trimmed then cut into 1/2-inch segments
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup brown rice vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
• Drizzle of toasted sesame oil
• Big pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• Big pinch salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 small bunch of spring onions or scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 12 ounces extra-firm organic tofu, cut into small cubes (Feel free to heat the tofu in a skillet if you like, but cold is good, too.)

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil the soba noodles per package instructions. In the last minute or so of cooking toss in the asparagus. Drain noodles and asparagus, run under cold water for about a minute to stop cooking, and set aside.

Make the peanut dressing by combining peanut butter, rice vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and salt in a medium bowl. Thin with hot water - the amount you'll need depends on the original consistency of your peanut butter. I like it the consistency of a thin (non-Greek) yogurt. Taste and season with a bit more salt if needed.

Gently toss the noodles, asparagus, spring onions, peanuts, and tofu with a big splash of the dressing. I reserve a bit of each ingredient to sprinkle on top of the serving platter to make it look nice. Add more dressing a bit at a time, until the salad is dressed to your liking, reserving any extra for another use. Taste, sprinkle with more salt if needed, and enjoy!