Name: Easy Szechuan Noodle Salad Recipe
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 lb cooked spaghetti, see notes; 1/2 cup homemade Szechuan Style Dressing, see notes; 1 small zucchini, or cucumber, sliced; 1 small carrot, peeled and sliced; 1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped; 1 cup of Chinese pan-fried peanuts, see notes, optional

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Easy Szechuan Noodle Salad featuring homemade Szechuan Dressing and organic spaghetti is yummy, healthy, and easy to make. The Chinese-style pan-fried peanuts are optional, but they add additional texture, flavor, and satisfaction. This Sichuan Style Noodle Salad, or Ban Mian {四川版面} in Chinese, is perfect for packed lunch or party.

How to make Szechuan Noodle Salad?

Tip No.1 is to make Sichuan Style Dressing

Light soy sauce, Zhenjiang vinegar, and sesame oil make up the base of the Szechuan Dressing. The iconic Sichuan pepper and Sichuan chili powder are appetizingly yummy.

It is worth mentioning that the freshness of both peppers is absolutely the key to the quintessential flavor. I recommend you store the whole Sichuan peppercorns in an airtight glass jar to keep them fresh longer. Whenever you are ready, use a spice/coffee grinder to grind it into powder.

Read here for a detailed guided recipe for Easy Szechuan Style Dressing.

Szechuan Style Dressing {For Noodles or Salad}

Tip No.2 is to cook noodles in an easy and perfect way

Organic spaghetti works exceptionally well for Chinese-style noodle salad. I usually cook a package (about one pound) over the weekend and store it in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator. This way, during the week, I can quickly whip out a Szechuan-style noodle salad in no time.

Cooking dried spaghetti or any noodles is super easy and effortless. The tips and tricks are you need a big pot of boiling water and then simmer the noodle for 10 minutes. That’s it. This way, the dried pasta is cooked perfectly. They are soft but spongy, and with a firm bite texture.

See here for more details on how to cook dry pasta easy and tasty.

How to cook dry pasta easy healthy perfect way?

Tip No.3 is to mix the Szechuan Noodle Salad in a frying pan over the stovetop

Add the cold noodles from the refrigerator into the frying pan, along with the vegetable slices and Szechuan Style dressing. Turn the heat to medium-high and toss and mix the noodles using a pair of bamboo spatulas. Keep doing so for about 1 minute. The heating makes the dressing extra fragrant and tastier.

Mix Szechuan Noodle Salad over stovetop in a frying pan

Last but not least is to make Chinese-style pan-fried peanuts in advance as a garnishing item

It is easier than you expected to cook these satisfyingly yummy pan-fried peanuts. I use just enough oil to cover peanuts and then toss them over medium heat for about 8 minutes. That’s it. See here for a detailed guided recipe on how to cook Chinese Pan-Fried Peanuts.

Easy Szechuan Noodle Salad Recipe

Yield: 2 servings

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb cooked spaghetti, see notes
1/2 cup homemade Szechuan Style Dressing, see notes
1 small zucchini, or cucumber, sliced
1 small carrot, peeled and sliced
1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 cup of Chinese pan-fried peanuts, see notes, optional

Instructions

Prep Work In Advance:

Cook dried spaghetti in advance. See here for a detailed guided recipe.

Cook Chinese pan-fried peanuts in advance. See here for a detailed guided recipe.

Make Szechuan Style Dressing beforehand. See here for a detailed guided recipe.

Mix Szechuan Noodle Salad On the Go:

Prepare vegetable slices - wash zucchini, trim both ends off, and cut vertically and then across into thin slices. Wash and peel the carrot and then cut it into thin slices as well. Chop cilantro into small pieces.
Add cooked noodles to the hard-anodized frying pan, along with the vegetables and most of the dressing, save some for garnishing. Use a pair of bamboo spatulas to toss and mix continuously, about 2-3 minutes if using cold noodles, or 1 minute if you just cooked the noodles.
All done. Turn off the heat. garnish the noodle salad with pan-fried peanuts and enjoy!

Notes

Cooking dried spaghetti, noodles or pasta can be so easy and effortless. Learn how.
Homemade Szechuan Style Dressing is yummy and easy to make. See here for a guided recipe.

Cooking delicious Chinese-Style Pan-Fried Peanuts is simple and quick. See here for a guided recipe.