Save The first time I made zucchini noodles, I was skeptical. A friend had insisted they weren't just rabbit food, that the right sauce could make them genuinely exciting, and I remember standing in my kitchen thinking she was overselling it. Then I whisked together that peanut sauce—the warmth of sesame oil hitting the bright lime and tangy vinegar—and suddenly I understood. These spiralized ribbons weren't trying to be pasta; they were their own thing entirely, fresh and alive in a way that felt like eating summer itself.
I brought this to a potluck last summer, unsure if anyone would touch it next to the pasta salads and casseroles. A colleague I barely knew came back twice, asked for the recipe, and told me it was the only thing she'd actually wanted to eat. That moment stuck with me—not because of the compliment, but because I realized how a truly good, simple dish can just quietly win people over.
Ingredients
- Zucchini: Four medium ones, spiralized into delicate ribbons that cook themselves when you dress them—no heat needed, which is the entire point.
- Carrots: Shredded adds color and a subtle sweetness that balances the tangy sauce beautifully.
- Red Bell Pepper: Slice it thin so it stays crisp and bright, providing crunch that won't disappear by lunchtime.
- Scallions: Use both the white and green parts for a gentle onion note that doesn't overpower.
- Fresh Cilantro: This is not optional if you like cilantro; it brings the whole dish alive with an herbaceous snap.
- Peanut Butter: Natural and unsweetened is non-negotiable—you're controlling the sweetness with honey, so commercial brands with added sugar will throw off the balance.
- Soy Sauce or Tamari: This is your umami anchor, the deep savory note that makes people wonder what you did to make it taste so good.
- Rice Vinegar: It's gentler than white vinegar, almost sweet, and it won't turn the sauce harsh if you use a little extra.
- Honey or Maple Syrup: Just enough to round out the spice and vinegar, not enough to make it a dessert.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: The real deal, not the light kind—this is where the nutty warmth comes from, so don't skip it.
- Lime Juice: Squeezed fresh, always, because bottled tastes like regret.
- Sriracha or Chili Garlic Sauce: Optional, but I always add it because a little heat makes everything taste more vibrant.
- Roasted Peanuts: Chopped coarse for texture, and they stay crisp even after dressing if you add them at the end.
- Sesame Seeds: For garnish, because eating with your eyes first is half the pleasure.
Instructions
- Spiralize and chop:
- Spiralize your zucchini into noodles—if you don't have a spiralizer, a julienne peeler works just fine, though it takes longer. As you chop the other vegetables, notice how different each one is: the carrot's slight resistance, the pepper's waxy smoothness, the bright snap of a scallion under the knife.
- Make the magic:
- In a separate bowl, whisk the peanut butter with soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and lime juice. Add just 2 tablespoons of warm water at first—you're aiming for a sauce that pours but clings to the noodles, not something that pools at the bottom of the bowl.
- Toss everything together:
- Pour the sauce over the vegetables and toss with your hands or two spoons until every strand of zucchini is coated and the colors start to meld slightly. This is the moment it stops being separate ingredients and becomes something cohesive.
- Finish with flourish:
- Scatter the chopped peanuts over top, sprinkle with sesame seeds, add a pinch of fresh cilantro, and set out lime wedges so people can add brightness to their own taste.
- Rest or serve:
- You can eat it immediately while the vegetables are crisp, or chill it for 20 to 30 minutes so the flavors deepen and the zucchini softens slightly into something closer to traditional noodles. Both are right.
Save There's a quiet moment in cooking when you realize a recipe isn't just instructions anymore—it's become something you own, something you can adjust and make yours. For me, that happened the second time I made this, when I added extra sriracha because I was feeling bold, and suddenly it wasn't my friend's recipe anymore; it was mine.
Building Layers of Flavor
The genius of this salad is that nothing is cooked, which means every ingredient keeps its own voice. The zucchini stays delicate and slightly watery, which sounds like a flaw until you realize it means the sauce soaks right in instead of sliding off cooked pasta. The vegetables don't soften and blur together; they stay distinct, which is why the salad stays interesting bite after bite instead of becoming bland the way some dressed salads do by the end of a meal. You're tasting color as much as flavor—the bright red pepper, the deep orange carrot, the pale green zucchini all playing different roles in your mouth at once.
Making It Your Own
Once you understand how this sauce works, you can drift in almost any direction. I've added shredded chicken and edamame for more protein, swapped the zucchini for spiralized cucumber in summer when I wanted something even lighter, and experimented with sunflower seed butter on nights when peanuts were the wrong move. The sauce is so good that it holds up to almost any vegetable combination you throw at it, so don't be afraid to use what's in your crisper drawer instead of following this exactly.
Timing and Temperature
This is the kind of salad that works in multiple moods—serve it immediately while the vegetables are at their crispest and coldest, or let it chill and soften for a more comfortable, almost noodle-like experience. There's also something wonderful about making it in the morning and eating it straight from the fridge at lunchtime, when the flavors have had hours to settle into each other and everything tastes more cohesive. The sriracha mellows slightly as it sits, and the cilantro gets earthier, so if you're serving it later, you might add a touch more lime juice right before eating to wake everything back up.
- Make the sauce with warm water, not cold, or the peanut butter won't mix smoothly.
- Add the peanuts and sesame seeds right before serving so they don't get soggy.
- Lime wedges on the side let people adjust the brightness to their own taste, which is always the move.
Save This salad has quietly become my go-to move when I want to feed people something that feels generous and thoughtful without being complicated. It's the kind of dish that reminds you that the best meals aren't always the ones that take forever.
Recipe FAQs
- → What vegetables work best with peanut sauce?
Spiralized zucchini, shredded carrots, and thinly sliced bell peppers complement the creamy peanut sauce well, adding texture and freshness.
- → Can I adjust the spice level?
Yes, add or reduce sriracha or chili garlic sauce to match your preferred spice intensity.
- → How can I make the dish gluten-free?
Use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep it gluten-free without sacrificing flavor.
- → What can I add for extra protein?
Grilled tofu, shredded chicken, or edamame are great protein additions to this dish.
- → How to store leftovers?
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Toss gently before serving to redistribute the sauce.
- → Are there allergen considerations?
This dish contains peanuts and soy; for a nut-free alternative, substitute sunflower seed butter and omit peanuts.