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- Makes 11 cups
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Not sure how noodles and melons work together? Take a chance on this simple dish and you’ll be rewarded with a delightfully flavorful (and colorful!) meal. The mild sweetness of honeydew melon is subtler than its orange cantaloupe cousin, which makes it the perfect partner for refreshing cucumber (also a melon) and Thai peanut noodles. A zesty salsa featuring cilantro, lime juice, and ginger round out the Asian-inspired flavors and red chile pepper rounds add a spicy finish. The combination of savory pasta and refreshing fruit might sound strange at first, but this winning recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser on warm summer days!
By Shelli McConnell,
Ingredients
- ¼ cup creamy natural peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 4 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 12 oz. dry wide brown rice noodles
- 1 English cucumber, chopped (3 cups)
- ½ of a medium honeydew melon, seeded and peeled
- 1 15-oz. can no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup slivered red onion
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 fresh red chile pepper, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, the ginger, 1 garlic clove, the crushed red pepper, and 2 tablespoons water. Prepare noodles according to package directions; drain. Rinse noodles with warm water; drain again. Return noodles to pot. Add peanut butter mixture and cucumber; toss to coat.
- For Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette, in a blender or small food processor combine cilantro, 3 tablespoons cannellini beans, the lime juice, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, the remaining garlic clove, sea salt, and 2 tablespoons water. Blend until smooth.
- Cut melon half into 2 pieces. Thinly slice each piece crosswise. Divide melon slices among four plates. Top with noodle mixture, the remaining cannellini beans, and red onion. Drizzle with Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette. Top with red chile slices.
Comments (7)
(5 from 2 votes)What is leafy green in the picture?
Hi Jill, There aren't any leafy greens in this recipe, so you're probably looking at the Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette that's drizzled over everything. Hope that helps, and let us know how it goes if you make it!
This is absolutely PHENOMENAL! Every ingredient enhanced the recipe. So refreshing and flavorful. My husband doesn’t even like peanut sauce or melon but in this context, loved it.
What would you suggest as an alternative to cucumber in this recipe? Thank you
Do you think that adding honey instead of maple syrup would be okay?
Honey isn't vegan, so wouldn't be recommended for this diet. You could use agave though.
Date paste