Vegan Rice Noodle Salad with Plant-Based “Steak”

In this vegan rice noodle salad, strips of beefy-style vegan plant protein, cucumbers, cilantro, and an optional hint of mint star in a Thai-inspired cold dish that’s both hearty and refreshing.

Don’t be daunted by the length of the ingredient list — this is an easy cold dish to literally toss together. This is a fantastic buffet dish that can stand for a few hours at room temperature (if it isn’t immediately devoured!); double the recipe for an impressive dish to share at potlucks.

Do to use the optional mint — it adds a distinctive flavor that pulls the other ingredients together. Fine Asian rice noodles have a lovely light mouth feel, but you can always substitute angel hair pasta if unavailable.

Vegan steak-style protein: Look for steak-style plant protein in your natural foods store or online. I like the Viana brand; this Complete Guide to Vegan Steak gives you some other options; and of course, seitan works well too. Use packaged or try this site’s easy homemade seitan recipe.

Excerpted from Plant-Powered Protein: 125 Recipes for Using Today’s Amazing Meat Alternatives by Nava Atlas, © 2020. Reprinted with permission of Grand Central Publishing. All rights reserved. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.

Yield: 4

Vegan Rice Noodle “Steak” Salad

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Rice noodles join forces with strips of beefy-style vegan plant protein, cucumbers, cilantro and a hint of optional mint in Thai-inspired cold dish.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

Chili-lime dressing

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, to taste
• Juice of 1 lime, or more, to taste
• 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
• 2 to 3 teaspoons minced fresh or squeeze-tube ginger

Vinegary cucumber

• 1 medium cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon natural granulated sugar

The rest

• 4- to 6-ounce bundle fine or wide rice noodles
• 6 to 8 radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• Mint leaves from several sprigs, optional
• 1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil or dark sesame oil
• 8 to 10 ounces steak-style plant protein or seitan, cut into thin strips
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Chopped peanuts or sesame seeds for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Combine the ingredients for the chili-lime dressing in a small bowl. Stir together and set aside.
2. Combine the cucumber, vinegar, and sugar in a small container and toss together. Set aside.
3. Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. When done, drain and rinse under cold running water until fairly cool. Drain well again, and transfer to a serving bowl. Cut the noodles here and there with kitchen shears, since they’re very long.
4. Add the radishes, scallions, and cilantro to the bowl along with the cucumbers, liquid and all, as well as the chili-lime dressing. Toss together. 
5. Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the plant protein and sauté over medium-high heat, stirring often, until golden and crisp on most sides. Stir into the noodle mixture while still hot. Season with salt and pepper and serve. Garnish individual servings with chopped peanuts or sesame seeds if desired.

Notes

Heres' this site's Easy Homemade Seitan recipe.

If you like rice noodles, you might also enjoy …

Vegan Singapore Noodles

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