If you’re tired of soggy meal-prep lunches by Wednesday, this one is going to fix that. This Spicy Peanut Noodle Salad Meal Prep stays crisp and vibrant for days because the vegetables go in raw, not cooked, and the peanut sauce only gets better as it sits. Each serving brings 33 g of protein and 10 g of fiber, mostly from the edamame and soba noodles, and the whole batch comes together in 25 minutes. Pack it cold for lunch, or let it sit out for 10 minutes if you prefer it closer to room temperature.
Why I love this recipe (as a nutritionist)
- High-protein: 33 g per serving, mostly from the edamame and soba noodles, which is what makes this hold up as a real lunch rather than a side salad
- Fiber-forward: 10 g per serving from the edamame, cabbage, and carrots, roughly a third of what most of us need in a day
- Oil-free: the sauce gets all its richness from peanut butter, so there’s no added oil anywhere in the recipe
- Stays crunchy for 3 days: the vegetables go in raw, which is the whole reason this doesn’t turn limp in the fridge like most prepped salads
- 10 plant points per batch: soba, edamame, cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, peanut, ginger, lime, cilantro, and sesame all count toward plant diversity for your gut
- Gluten-free option: 100% buckwheat soba or rice noodles slot straight in with no other changes
Ingredient notes
- Soba noodles: nutty and hearty, and they hold their texture in the fridge far better than wheat pasta. Most soba is a wheat and buckwheat blend, so check the packet if you need it gluten-free
- Edamame: the protein backbone of this salad, plus a pop of green. Frozen edamame is usually already cooked, so it only needs the last few minutes in the pot
- Cabbage and carrots: these bring the crunch that keeps the salad from going soft over three days. Shred the cabbage finely so it tangles through the noodles rather than sitting in chunks
- Peanut butter: the base of the sauce, creamy and rich enough that no oil is needed. Tahini works as a straight swap if you’re avoiding peanuts
- Ginger and lime: these keep the sauce bright and sharp against the richness of the peanut butter. Grate the ginger if you’re whisking by hand instead of blending
How to make this recipe (summary)
Prep the vegetables first. Finely shred the cabbage, julienne the carrots, thinly slice the bell pepper, and roughly chop the cilantro. A julienne peeler makes short work of the carrots if you’re doubling the batch.
Cook the soba noodles to the packet instructions, adding the edamame for the last 2 to 3 minutes so they share the same pot. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cool, which stops the cooking and keeps the noodles from clumping.
Blend the peanut butter, ginger, lime juice, reduced-sodium tamari, sriracha or gochujang, maple syrup, and soy milk until smooth and creamy. Add a splash more soy milk if it needs loosening.
Toss the noodles, edamame, cabbage, carrots, and bell pepper together in a large bowl, then pour over the sauce and mix until every strand is coated.
Pack the salad into three airtight containers and top each with cilantro and black sesame seeds. Straight into the fridge, and lunch is sorted for the next three days. View recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Variations and tips
- Adjust the spice: sriracha gives a brighter, sharper heat, gochujang gives something deeper and slightly sweet. Both work, they just take the sauce in different directions
- Make it lower-sodium: swap the reduced-sodium tamari for coconut aminos and look for no-salt-added noodles if you can find them
- Make it nut-free: use tahini in place of the peanut butter, same quantity, same method
- Double the batch: it keeps for 3 days, so a double batch covers most of a working week if you prep on Sunday and again midweek
- Serve it warmer: if you don’t love cold noodles, let a container sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before eating
- Add more protein: crispy baked tofu on top takes this well past 40 g per serving without changing anything else
- If you like this recipe, you’ll also love our High-Protein Soba Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce, Easy Peanut Vegetable Noodle Stir Fry, or Easy High-Protein Peanut Gochujang Noodles.
Why you’ll love this spicy peanut noodle salad meal prep TL;DR
- Meal-prep ready
- 33 g protein
- Stays crunchy
- Oil-free
- Spicy and sweet
FAQ
- Is this recipe gluten-free? It can be. Most soba is a wheat and buckwheat blend, so use 100% buckwheat soba or rice noodles, plus a certified gluten-free tamari.
- Can I make it nut-free? Yes. Swap the peanut butter for tahini in the sauce and everything else stays the same.
- How long does it keep? Up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. The raw vegetables are what keep it crunchy that whole time.
- Can I prep it for the whole week? Divide it into containers right after tossing, and it holds for 3 days, so prep on Sunday and again midweek rather than making five days at once.
- Is the sauce really oil-free? Yes. The peanut butter carries all the richness, so there’s no added oil anywhere in the recipe.
Spicy Peanut Noodle Salad Meal Prep
Soba noodles, edamame, and raw crunchy vegetables tossed in a spicy peanut-ginger-lime sauce. It stays crisp in the fridge for 3 days and brings 33 g of protein and 10 g of fiber per serving.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the salad
- 3 oz (90 g) soba noodles
- 3 cups (450 g) frozen edamame
- ½ small cabbage - finely shredded
- 2 carrots - julienned
- 1 large red bell pepper - thinly sliced
For the spicy peanut sauce
- ¼ cup (64 g) peanut butter
- 2 tbsp (30 g) raw ginger - chopped
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) lime juice
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) reduced-sodium tamari
- 1 tbsp (15 g) sriracha or gochujang
- 3 tbsp (60 ml) maple syrup
- ¼ cup (60 ml) soy milk, coconut milk, or water
For topping
- 1 cup (28 g) fresh cilantro - roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp (9 g) black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook the noodles and edamame: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the soba noodles according to the packet instructions, adding the edamame for the last 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, then rinse under cold water until completely cooled.
- Prepare the vegetables: Finely shred the cabbage, julienne the carrots, thinly slice the bell pepper, and roughly chop the cilantro.
- Make the sauce: Add the peanut butter, ginger, lime juice, reduced-sodium tamari, sriracha or gochujang, maple syrup, and soy milk to a small blender or bowl. Blend or whisk until smooth and creamy, grating the ginger first if whisking by hand. Add an extra splash of soy milk or water if needed to loosen.
- Assemble the salad: Add the noodles, edamame, cabbage, carrots, and bell pepper to a large bowl. Pour over the spicy peanut sauce and toss until well coated.
- Meal prep: Divide between 3 airtight containers and sprinkle with cilantro and black sesame seeds. Store in the fridge until ready to eat.
Notes
Edamame: Frozen edamame is usually pre-cooked. Thaw, or cover in boiling water for a few minutes, then drain.
Make it gluten-free: Soba noodles can be a mix of wheat and buckwheat, so look for 100% buckwheat soba noodles if needed. Rice noodles also work well here.
Adjust the spice: Use sriracha for a brighter heat, or gochujang for a deeper, slightly sweeter flavor.
Storage: Store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Enjoy cold, or let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before eating.
Nutrition Information
Per Serving/Portion
Calories: 567 kcalCarbohydrates: 71 gProtein: 33 gFat: 21 gSodium: 912 mgFiber: 10 gVitamin A: 451 IUVitamin C: 71 mgCalcium: 238 mgIron: 6 mg
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