Spicy Thai Pasta Salad is hot, tangy, and inspired by the flavors of Thai cuisine. You’re going to love this dish!
This recipe is such a huge hit. We always have to double or triple batch this every time we make it. Forget tiny, small portions, you are going to want a heaping helping of Spicy Thai Pasta Salad. If you want to make this a more hearty main dish, you can even add shredded rotisserie chicken.
The secret to spicy Thai pasta salad is the infused oil and red pepper mixture. It sounds fancy, but infusing oils is actually really easy. The flavors continue to develop over time, so you really want to let this sit for at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight. We know it’s difficult, but trust us, it will be worth the wait!
Pasta Options:
Don’t love bowtie pasta? You can use almost any small, shaped pasta instead: penne, rotini, etc.
Peanuts: Optional
We love the crunch of the peanuts, but if you don’t share that love, or have allergies, you can always omit the peanuts.
Spice Adjustments:
This tastes best with a good kick to it, but if you prefer a mild spice, use only 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes .
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other pot luck recipe favorites:
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Cilantro Lime Orzo Pasta Salad
- Best Macaroni Salad
- Mom’s Creamy Potato Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
Spicy Thai Pasta Salad
- 12 ounces bowtie pasta
- 1 to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or corn oil
- 1/3 cup sesame oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- Cook pasta according to package directions and drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Meanwhile, heat corn and sesame oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in crushed red pepper stir red pepper and cook for 2 minutes to infuse the flavor.
- Add in honey, soy sauce and salt. Mix well and pour over cooked pasta, coating evenly.
- Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.*
- When ready to serve, stir in chopped cilantro, peanuts and green onions.