Vegan Asian Noodle Salad in a Jar

This Asian-inspired salad is great for meal prepping. You can make four at a time with this recipe. They are filling, packed with veggies, and easy to grab on the go. This Asian Noodle Salad in a Jar will be your new favorite lunch. Watch out, your coworkers may be jealous! LOL.

The typical lunch box meal consisting of a sandwich, apple, chips, and brownie is old news. Don’t get me wrong, my husband enjoys a hefty sandwich in his lunch for work. But, a sandwich every day certainly can become boring!

The good news is that there are simple options that can make your life easier and your lunchtime more delicious! 

The perfect combination of crunchy vegetables, creamy peanut butter, and flavorful Thai-inspired dressing come together to make this power salad.

Asian cuisine is known to have stronger flavors. Some common ingredients found in Asian food include ginger, garlic, and soy sauce which are all found in this salad.  

Have you heard…the newest trend is easy to get on board with. It’s lunch in a mason jar! What’s not to like about this updated meal? Once you try making your meals in jars, you’ll never go back to that dull brown lunch bag! 

Why You Will Love This Cold Asian Noodle Salad

They are easy to meal prep. Make a few at a time and you’re all set for four days of easy salad lunches!

They are healthy. With 5 different fresh vegetables, this colorful salad will help you stay on track with your health goals.

They are easy to store. Just place them on the shelf of your refrigerator, it’s as easy as that.

They are quick. Easy grab-and-go lunch! With little prep time and cooking involved, you can whip these up in 15 minutes or less.

They are jam-packed with flavor. Asian pasta salad beats any salad out there! The peanut butter flavor and the variety of vegetables come together nicely in this recipe.

They are customizable. Add or take away any ingredients. Some substitution ideas include shredded carrots, red onions, red cabbage, cashews, cilantro, sesame seeds, and jalapeno.

They are easy to pack. All you need is a bowl, fork, and a jar!

They are pretty! You can see through the jar and admire all of the goodness you’re about to consume! 

What are the Ingredients?

Whole wheat noodles: I would recommend fusilli or penne pasta for this Asian Noodle Salad. They are the perfect bite-sized noodles!

Snap peas or snow peas: One of my favorite additions to this salad is the crunchy, fresh snap peas. Yum!

Spinach: That’s because I like to add greens to every meal I make. And, with the addition of spinach, I can call this a salad, right?

Edamame: Use shelled edamame beans for your sanity. Haha. I purchase a bag of them from Trader Joe’s and they are lightly salted.

Red bell pepper: I recommend red bell pepper over green for this recipe. The red pepper chunks add a delicious crunch to the salad.

Dry roasted peanuts: I like to use salted peanuts but feel free to use unsalted. Also, shoot for using “dry roasted” varieties with no additional ingredients added to them.

Green onions: I enjoy the little kick that these lighter onions provide to this salad. You could replace them with shallots or very thinly sliced red onion, but I recommend green onion.

Asian peanut sauce: One of my favorite salad dressings, this peanut sauce is absolutely delicious. The ingredients include creamy peanut butter, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey or maple syrup, soy sauce, fresh minced garlic, fresh minced ginger, and water.

Optional: I like two lime wedges at the top of the noodles. When it’s time to eat, I squeeze a bit of juice over top and lightly mix it up.

How to Make This Salad

Step one-Grab a large pot and cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Once they are cooked, drain them and then run cold water over them for about a minute to quickly cool them off. Leave them in the sink to continue draining while making the salad.

Step two-Grab a small bowl and add all of the dressing ingredients to it. Use a whisk to mix it up well. The goal is to have a creamy mixture. (The dressing starts out chunky but eventually blends nicely).

Step three-Add all of the salad ingredients to a large bowl. Top it with the dressing and toss everything up.

Step four-Transfer 1/4 of the salad into mason jars or any airtight container, secure the lids, and place them in the fridge. You’ve now got yourself cute little grab-and-go salad jars.

How to Eat the Salad

This cold salad should last up to four days in the fridge. Make sure to store them in airtight containers such as mason jars.

You’ll want to pack a bowl and fork in your to-go-lunch box. Keep the salad in the fridge until you are ready to eat it. Simply shake it up with the lid secure and pour it into a bowl. That’s it! Super simple and great for a quick lunch.

If the whole family is enjoying this salad, simply serve it in individual bowls and enjoy

If you are a sauce person, I would suggest making extra dressing and including a little side of it with your packed lunch. Pasta is known to soak up liquids. I personally love the salad more creamy.

More Vegan-Friendly Lunch Recipes

Chickpea Smash Toast with Fresh Herbs is one of my favorite sandwich recipes. Loaded with protein-packed garbanzo beans, fresh herbs, and citrusy lemon, you’ll love this lunch!

If you need some salad inspiration, check out these 7 Healthy Salads You Need To Eat in 2023!

Enjoy!

XOXO

Michelle