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Rainbow Peanut Noodles

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This rainbow peanut noodles recipe is made with colorful fresh veggies, your choice of noodles, and the most irresistible peanut sauce. Delicious served warm or cold!

Rainbow Peanut Noodles

If you’ve never tried my rainbow peanut noodles before, it’s time! ♡

I’ve been making this Thai-inspired peanut noodles recipe for nearly a decade now. And while the gorgeous rainbow of colorful veggies here always make this dish a showstopper at gatherings, there’s no denying that everyone falls in love with these noodles for one simple reason — that insanely irresistible peanut sauce. It’s perfectly balanced with the most delicious blend of sweet, savory, (slightly) spicy, tangy, nutty flavors and has this magical way of convincing even the pickiest eaters to enjoy a wide array of veggies.

I’m also a big fan this recipe because it’s easy to make and endlessly flexible. Serve these peanut noodles hot or cold, as a side dish or entrée, with or without meat, using whatever favorite noodles and veggies that you happen to have on hand. If you feel like adding in a protein, I’ve found that shrimp, chicken, steak and tofu mix in especially well here. I’m also especially partial to using these noodles for weekday lunch meal prep, making a big batch over the weekend and then portioning the extras into tuppers for the week ahead. And I’m telling you — the flavors in this sauce just get better and better as the week goes on.

I’ve updated the notes below to include new options for how to customize the noodles for gluten or, yes, even peanut allergies. Plus I’ve also added in suggestions for other fun ingredients (mango! Thai basil! fried garlic!) that you’re welcome to toss in too.

So round up your favorite colorful veggies and let’s make some peanut noodles together!

Rainbow Peanut Noodles Ingredients

Rainbow Peanut Noodles Ingredients

Here are some brief notes about the ingredients you will need to make this rainbow peanut noodles recipe:

  • Noodles: I usually make this recipe with whole wheat spaghetti or soba noodles, but rice noodles, ramen noodles, or just about any other type of noodles that you love best will work here.
  • Rainbow veggies: For the photos here, we used a mix of bell peppers (red and yellow), carrots, red cabbage and scallions. But this recipe is very flexible when it comes to veggies, so please see notes below about potential other veggies that you’re welcome to toss in too!
  • Peanut sauce: Made with a mix of natural creamy peanut butter, low-sodium soy sauce, lime juice, toasted sesame oil, honey, chili garlic sauce, fresh ginger and garlic. See notes below about ingredient substitution options if needed for this sauce.
  • Cilantro: I love loading this recipe up with lots of fresh cilantro. But if you are averse to the flavor of cilantro, you are welcome to leave it out (in which case I would recommend adding in some Thai basil if you have some).
  • Toppings: I love serving these noodles topped with finely chopped peanuts, extra cilantro and green onions, lime wedges, and/or toasted sesame seeds. Plus if you happen to have any crispy fried garlic on hand, it’s fabulous sprinkled on top too.

Mixing together rainbow peanut noodles

Potential Variations

Here are a few ways that you’re welcome to customize this rainbow peanut noodle recipe to your liking:

  • Add a protein: Add your choice of cooked chicken, shrimp, steak, pork, scallops, or tofu.
  • Add mango: Add diced or thinly sliced mango to the noodles along with the veggies.
  • Add Thai basil: If you happen to have any fresh Thai basil on hand, it’s an absolutely delicious addition to this recipe too.
  • Add different veggies: Add any other raw veggies that might go well here, such as avocado, bean sprouts, broccoli, radishes, red onions, snap peas, or zucchini.
  • Make it spicy: Increase the amount of chili garlic sauce to taste or feel free to toss in some thinly sliced or diced fresh chiles (such as Thai bird chiles, serrano peppers, etc).
  • Make it gluten-free: Use your preferred variety of gluten-free noodles and gluten-free tamari (in place of soy sauce).
  • Make it peanut-free: Use almond butter or sunbutter in place of the peanut butter.

Rainbow Peanut Noodles with Cilantro

More Favorite Noodle Recipes

Feel free to browse our full collection of noodle recipes for more inspiration, but here are a few of my personal faves:

Bowl of rainbow peanut noodles with lime, cilantro and peanuts

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Rainbow Peanut Noodles

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 9 reviews
  • Prep Time: 25 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 35 mins
  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

Description

This rainbow peanut noodles recipe is made with your choice of noodles, colorful fresh veggies, and the most irresistible peanut sauce. Delicious served warm or cold!


Ingredients

Scale

Rainbow Pasta Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces whole wheat pasta (or soba, ramen, or rice noodles)
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 small bell peppers, cored and very thinly sliced (I used one red, one yellow)
  • 1 cup julienned carrots
  • 1 cup shredded red cabbage
  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (loosely packed)
  • optional toppings: finely chopped peanuts, cilantro, green onions, lime wedges, and/or toasted sesame seeds

Peanut Sauce Ingredients:


Instructions

  1. Make the peanut sauce. Whisk together all ingredients in a small mixing bowl until combined. Taste and sweeten with additional honey if desired.
  2. Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta in a large stockpot of salted boiling water until just barely al dente. (Try to avoid overcooking the noodles.) Transfer 1/2 cup of the starchy hot water to the peanut sauce. Reserve an additional 1/2 cup of the starchy water and set it aside for later. Drain the pasta, then return it to the large stockpot.
  3. Toss. Add the scallions, bell peppers, carrots, cabbage, cilantro, peanuts and peanut sauce to the pot. Toss gently until everything is coated evenly in the sauce. If the sauce seems too dry, add in some of the reserved starchy water and toss to combine.
  4. Serve. Serve warm, garnished with your favorite toppings.


Notes

Recipe edit: The peanut sauce recipe was slightly edited in 2022.

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90 comments on “Rainbow Peanut Noodles”

  1. Saw this on insta the other day and could not wait for the recipe! I love all your “rainbow” creations as they are healthy AND pretty. Peanut sauce is my fav of all time…this looks perfect!
    Gorgeous photos, as always. I love your signature clean, white look!

  2. I want to eat the rainbow with you!

  3. Colourful meals like this are the best – love!

  4. I’m all about eating the rainbow too! This looks so good. I think my kiddos would love it also. pinning ;)

  5. Oh my these noodles look delish, Ali! I need a big bowl of this rainbow right now!

  6. That peanut sauce sounds like a DREAM. Peanut sauces and dressings are one of the few things that make practically any vegetable delicious for me. I could eat salads for days with peanut sauce.

  7. This sounds fantastic and it’s so pretty! I love a good peanut sauce!

  8. I love all healthy veggies and the homemade peanut sauce! And you know I love me some pasta! Looks amazing!

  9. Gorgeous and delicious!!

  10. love that pasta and REALLY love peanut sauce. thank you,this looks great!

  11. Question – I have gobs of your Thai Peanut Sauce hanging out in my freezer – could I sub that sauce in this recipe just so I am not creating more sauce? Also, could you add shredded chicken? This recipe looks so delicious!!

    • And I definitely just realized this peanut sauce recipe may be the exact same one from the thai peanut sauce link…but let me know :-)

  12. This looks beautifully delicious! I bet it could be served cold too, for a potluck party.

  13. What a great way to incorporate pasta! It looks delicious! What sort of sauce substitute would recommend if were allergic to peanuts?

  14. I’ve made it through all of the pretty and delicious rainbow smoothies, pizza, pasta, waffles and even breakfast burrito… patiently awaiting the Rainbow Salsa recipes…

  15. The sauce sounds so yummy! Actually all dish :) And it looks so colorful..

  16. Love food like this. Can’t wait to try it

  17. Have you ever tried Fiber Gourmet pasta? I really like the varieties of pasta, and I use less pasta per serving due to the high fiber content. It tastes better to me than some of the whole wheat pasta I can find in my local grocery store. Thanks so much for the rainbow recipes!

  18. I love this rainbow recipe and I want to dive right into that bowl!

  19. I would happily eats this every single day. I love peanut sauce and all these colors are just too fun!

  20. SO pretty!!! I’m seriously loving all the beautiful colors. And I also have no-so-secret obsession with the movie Center Stage, the final scene dance? Pretty sure I’ve watching it like five hundred times.

  21. excuse me while I clean off my laptop screen, I just licked it!

  22. This is almost too pretty to eat!! But I’d still eat it… Because it looks absolutely delicious, too :)

  23. This is gorgeous. I want to dig in right now. Your photos are beautiful.

  24. This is gorgeous! I think at this point of the winter, everyone is craving some colors! I’d love to eat this rainbow!

  25. this pasta looks so gorgeous and delicious!

  26. I made this tonight and WOW! My fiance and I loved it! We used an additional pepper instead of the cabbage as I wasn’t sure what to do with the rest of the cabbage I didn’t use. We also added chicken – super delish!

  27. So many pretty colours!! I love peanut sauce =)

  28. This was amazing, the consistency of the sauce was just right and not too peanuty. I didn’t have edamame so I subbed that with snap peas, added a little chicken breast and made it a meal. Yum, thanks for this recipe!

  29. AHHHH this recipy is TO Delish to handle :) love your blog and im following now.

    Check out my blog today…my all time fav. lasagna recipy :)

    Have a fab week dear

    LOVE Maria at inredningsvis – it’s, Swedish for decor :)

  30. Okay this one is going on the MUST make list! love peanut sauce anything!

  31. This is gorgeous, I love vibrant dishes like this :) and that peanut sauce sounds tasty!!

  32. Thank you for this recipe! I made it last night and we loved it! I did sub brown sugar for honey since I was out of it- delicious!

  33. OMG – made this for dinner tonight and it was fantastic!

  34. This recipe looks fabulous. Also, I am so excited that DeLallo pasta is used in it! I am from the small town in PA (30 miles outside of Pittsburgh)where the DeLallo Market is located and their Italian products are amazing! It is nice to see other people discovering it!

    I can’t wait to try this recipe!

  35. This was a great way to get my veggies in! My husband went in for seconds.

  36. Hi. I have been looking for an easy recipe to take in to my kids’ school for this month’s Asian-themed Teacher Appreciation luncheon. Everything I’ve come across so far, has been a little complicated or consists of foreign ingredients I’ve never heard of. So I’m thrilled to have found yours! Thank you for the picture near the top, showing the bowl of rainbow veggies right next to your recommended pasta. Just seeing that one picture made it seem do-able. I appreciate the visual aids! Can’t wait to make this tomorrow.

  37. Oh yum, and what an easy and great way to get more veggies in. I will be making this soon.

  38. This is amazing! I found this recipe on Pinterest and am so happy I came across it and your blog! I don’t usually make vegetarian meals but this is so good I can’t wait to make it again! So simple and absolutely delicious!

  39. Just made this last night! So easy and delicious!!!! I added shrimp and can’t wait to eat the leftovers! Love your site and recipes. Thanks

  40. Hi, This looks amazing and I’m going to bring it to a supper this Saturday. Was wondering if you’ve ever substituted soba noodle for the linguine?

    Thanks!

  41. My daughter is allergic to peanuts. Can I just leave them out of the sauce?

  42. This was SO good! Thanks for sharing. I can’t cook at all and I even I pulled it off :)

  43. Planning to make for a potluck this week, I imagine it would be great at room temp?  I think veggies would be wilty in a crockpot.

  44. I saw this recipe this morning and decided to make it for dinner. It is AMAZING! I am certain that it is the best thing I have ever tasted!

    Thank you so much for creating this recipe! :D

  45. I saw this on Pinterest yesterday & was fascinated by the beauty of it. HAD to make it for dinner last night. My family and I LOVED it! BTW, as I chopped the veggies, I arranged them in a rainbow like you did, made me enjoy the prep process even more. :)

  46. Hi,

    This is such a wonderful recipe.  I tried this today and we all loved it.  Especially the peanut sauce and the crunchiness due to nuts and sesame seeds made it even more delightful! 

  47. My husband and I had this tonight, and while they tasted good, as is the concept, they were a bit of a letdown. The peanut sauce is yummy, but that is ALL that you taste. None of the other awesome flavors come through. And even adding all the pasta water didn’t keep it from still feeling like it was glopped on the noodles, not at all like the pictures. My husband doesn’t like bell peppers at all, and he liked this, so thank you. Definitely gonna fiddle with the recipe, because if it gets my husband to eat peppers, then it’s a keeper for me.

    • Hey Rachel, I’m sorry you weren’t crazy about it, but hopefully next time will be a charm! I’m glad your husband was able to eat peppers because of it though! : ) Thanks for giving the recipe a try.

  48. WOW!  That was fantastic, and especially with a little sriracha!  Thank you for this recipe.  I tried it with rice noodles, and it was easy and tasted great.