Straight on photo of Summer Roll Noodle Bowls with Peanut Sauce

Spring break 2019 is in the books! We all survived, and not even barely! Actually I take that back – Cam managed to not only give himself a black eye by running into the corner of a table, but also split the skin across the knuckles on his right hand after tripping on the sidewalk running with a snack. Woof. Poor thing looks like a baby biker who got into a bar fight. Can I say that about my 2 year old?

I was nervous to have all three kids at home, all week long, but we had a great time. I kept expectations low, tried to not stress out about work, and focused on having fun with the kids. We hit up the library, Science Center, and the zoo, trekked to the park, rode bikes, and blew bubbles too. I have a feeling this is going to be a really fun summer.

Speaking of summer, I decided to take one of my very favorite warm weather dishes – Fresh Summer Rolls – and turn them into a swirlable, slurpy bowl of noodles for you! Summer Roll Noodle Bowls with Peanut Sauce are insaaaaaaaane, you guys, and no rolling required!

Fork swirling Summer Roll Noodle Bowls

I know there’s a lot happening in this photo – I got super toppings happy – so let me break it down for you.

Chewy rice noodles are tossed with an irresistable peanut sauce then topped with chilled shrimp, spiralized cucumber and carrot, tons of chopped peanuts, and a punch of fresh herbs including mint and basil. While this dish may not look like a neat little summer roll, the flavors are ALL there. It’s all about the fresh herbs. No, the peanut sauce. No, the chilled shrimp! Gahh, can’t pick a favorite. This cold noodle bowl is going to be on repeat all spring and summer long.

Saucy, slurpy, and seriously scrumptious – you will LOVE this dish!

Overhead photo of Summer Roll Noodle Bowls

Start by dropping 1lb 16/20 count jumbo shrimp that have been peeled and deveined into salted, boiling water. Boil until just cooked through – 2-3 minutes. They don’t take long!

Transfer the cooked shrimp to an ice bath (a bowl with ice and water, y’all) to stop the cooking then, once chilled, drain and stick in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.

Fill the pot back up with water, bring to a boil, then add 14oz rice stick noodles and cook until al dente. Note: I do NOT follow the soaking directions on the back of the box. Drain then rinse the noodles under cold water, add them back into the pot, and cover with cold water until its time to eat.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. To a medium-sized bowl add 1/2 cup each peanut butter and LOW-SODIUM gluten-free tamari (this dish will be too salty if you use regular so be sure to choose low-sodium!) 1 – 2 Tablespoons siracha style hot sauce depending on your preferred spice level (1 Tablespoon was the perfect mild/moderate level for me,) 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar, and 1/3 cup hot water – just scoop it out of the rice noodle cooking pot – then whisk to combine.

Last step is to spiralize the vegetables. I like cucumber and carrots in my summer rolls so that’s what I spiralized using the thinnest noodle blade on my Paderno Spiralizer. If you don’t have a spiralizer you could slice or shred the vegetables and/or use pre-shredded carrots. You’ll need 2 small thin cucumber (or 1 English cucumber) and 1 jumbo carrot that’s been peeled. Trim the spirals every 4″ or so to make them easier to eat.

All together now! Drain the noodles then mix with the peanut sauce and divyy up into bowls. Top with the cooked shrimp, spiralized vegetables, tons of chopped peanuts and gobs of chopped fresh basil and mint, and then dig in. Does. Not. Get. Better. I hope you love this fresh and swirlable twist on classic summer rolls! Enjoy!

Close up photo of Summer Roll Noodle Bowls

Summer Roll Noodle Bowls

Description

Summer Roll Noodle Bowls with Peanut Sauce are the swirlable version of handheld summer rolls! This gluten-free recipe is fresh, healthy, and so much fun to eat.

Ingredients

serves 4 generously

  • 1lb 16/20 count jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 14oz rice stick noodles (I use Thai Kitchen brand)
  • 2 small, thin cucumber OR 1 English cucumber, spiralized using the thinnest noodle blade then trimmed every 4” or so
  • 1 jumbo carrot, spiralized using the thinnest noodle blade then trimmed every 4” or so
  • 24 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
  • 24 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup peanuts, minced
  • For the peanut sauce:
    • 1/2 cup peanut butter (I use JIF Naturals)
    • 1/2 cup LOW-SODIUM gluten-free tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using soy sauce)
    • 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1 - 2 Tablespoons siracha chili sauce (I use Lee Kum Kee brand)
    • 1/3 cup hot water

Directions

  1. Fill a large bowl with ice and water to create an ice bath then set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous dash of salt then add shrimp and cook through - 2 minutes or so. Transfer shrimp to ice bath then let cool completely. Drain then refrigerate until ready to use.
  2. Refill pot with water then bring to a boil. Add rice stick noodles then cook until al dente, stirring often. Carefully remove 1/2 cup boiling water before draining noodles. Rinse under cold water then return to pot, cover with cold water, and set aside.
  3. Add ingredients for peanut sauce to a bowl then whisk until smooth. Add additional Tablespoons hot water if necessary until sauce reaches a drizzling consistency - if it’s too thick the dish will be gloopy, but if you add too much water the sauce won’t stick to the noodles. I found 1/3 cup water was the perfect amount.
  4. Drain noodles well then return to pot, add desired amount of sauce, and toss to coat. Divide between four bowls then top with cooked shrimp, spiralized vegetables, fresh herbs, and minced peanuts, and then serve.

Notes

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

Photo collage of summer roll noodle bowls