Peanut Veggie Pasta Salad

I originally found this recipe on Tasty and tried to follow the recipe exactly. But, to make the recipe easier, I’ve provided some notes below.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. Sriracha [Jen’s Note: Omit for less spice. People can add the Sriracha on if they want it spicy.]
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. ginger /minced
3 cloves garlic /minced [Jen’s Note: This is a lot of garlic, but pasta can take a lot of garlic, just be prepared for the garlic after taste.]
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Box Whole Grain Linguine (or any pasta will do)
1 cup carrots /finely cut into matchsticks
2 cucumbers /shaved using vegetable peeler [Jen’s Note: I didn’t want long pieces of cucumber, so I cut cucumber lengthwise, scooped out the seeds, then cut into 1/4″ thick crescent shaped pieces.]
1 red bell pepper /thinly sliced into strips
1 yellow bell pepper /thinly sliced into strips
1/2 cup green onion /sliced
1/4 cup cilantro /chopped
1/4 cup peanuts /chopped

Directions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to instructions on the box. Drain and run cooked pasta under cold water to cool. [Jen’s Note: Break the noodles in half so it’s easier to cook, mix and even easier to eat later. I used regular spaghetti and it worked great.]

In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, Sriracha, water, minced ginger, minced garlic, and brown sugar. [Jen’s Note: Don’t try to wisk this together. It makes one heck of a mess. Instead, use a high powered blender to get the consistently creamy sauce that will incorporate the sauce ingredients better for even flavor.]

Combine pasta with sliced vegetables. Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables and mix well. Cover and chill for at least one hour before serving. [Jen’s Note: Use a deep bowl for combining and one with a lot of space over the top otherwise you’ll find it’s hard to mix this all together.]

Garnish with chopped cilantro and peanuts. [Jen’s Note: Also consider adding 2 tablespoons sesame seeds for added crunch and texture.]

I’ll see you at the table!