Go Back
+ servings
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Asian Salad with Cashew Dressing

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Barbara Bakes LLC

Ingredients

Cashew Butter

  • 1 cup cashews*

Cashew Dressing

  • ½ inch slice of fresh ginger chopped
  • 8 cloves garlic more or less to taste, chopped
  • ½ cup cashew butter
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 3 Tablespoons sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons vinegar
  • 3 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • ¼ cup plus 1 Tablespoon water
  • Hot sauce to taste optional

Noodle Salad

  • ½ pound linguine or thin rice noodles
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 large chicken breasts grilled and diced
  • 1 small zucchini halved and sliced
  • 1 small yellow squash halved and slice
  • ½ cup shredded carrots
  • ¼ cup sliced green onions
  • 1 small cucumber peeled, seeded, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cashews optional garnish
  • Make cashew butter: Grind cashews in food processor for about 2 minutes until smooth. *Or start with ½ cup prepared cashew butter.

Instructions

  • Make cashew butter: Grind cashews in food processor for about 2 minutes until smooth. (*Or start with ½ cup prepared cashew butter.)
  • Prepare cashew dressing: Combine ginger, garlic, cashew butter, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, and water in food processor or blender. Process/blend until smooth. Be sure to process long enough to puree the ginger and garlic. The dressing should be pourable, about the same thickness as cream. Adjust consistency – thinner or thicker -- to your liking by adding more water or cashew butter. Taste and add your favorite hot sauce if desired. (If the cashew butter was unsalted, you may want to add salt to taste.) Makes about 1 ½ cups dressing. Store any leftover dressing in the refrigerator.
  • Prepare noodles according to package instructions in salted water. Rinse and drain noodles. Set aside.
  • Combine noodles, squash, carrots, cucumber, onions, and chicken in a large bowl. Add about 1 cup cashew dressing; toss gently to coat. Add more cashew dressing as desired, using as much or as little as you’d like. Sprinkle with chopped cashews if desired.

Notes

Customize the salad by adding or substituting your favorite vegetables. Shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, and slivered carrots would make nice additions. Obviously, you can omit the shrimp, or substitute chicken or tofu or the protein of your choice. The dressing is equally as good with peanut butter rather than cashew butter. We tested the dressing with nut butters made from salted cashews & peanuts with good results.