Zesty Thai-Inspired Pasta Salad

Zesty Thai-Inspired Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 ½ teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon white sugar
• ½ (16 ounce) package farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
• ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
• ¼ cup shredded carrots
• ¼ cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons dry-roasted peanuts
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 4 wedges lime

Method

1. Prepare the dressing by whisking together sesame oil, vegetable oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, fish sauce, chili-garlic sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl until everything is well blended. Set this aside for later.
2. In a sizable pot, bring lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add your pasta and cook it, stirring occasionally, until it's al dente, which should take about 10 to 12 minutes. Once done, drain the pasta, rinse it under cold water, and place it back in the pot.
3. Pour the dressing over the pasta and gently mix to coat. Then add in the peas, carrots, bell pepper, green onions, cilantro, peanuts, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, stirring until all ingredients are well combined.
4. You can serve this salad at room temperature with lime wedges on the side, or for a refreshing twist, chill it in the refrigerator and serve it cold.