For lo these many months, I have carried lust in my heart for The Pioneer Woman’s Asian Noodle Salad. Noodles, cabbage, spinach, peppers, bean sprouts, scallions, cucumbers, cilantro, peanuts–all of those flavors, colors and textures in one place? Yes, yes, YES!

Could I justify buying all the ingredients for a salad only I would eat? No! Jeff wouldn’t touch this salad with Bea Arthur’s tongue.

But, LOOK AT IT. All of that crunchiness. And we haven’t even discussed the dressing: lime juice, olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, serrano peppers and EVEN MORE cilantro.

So, I came up with a Reverse Leftover Plan, planning the week’s meals so I could make this salad with the “leftovers.” Fish tacos, quesadillas, stir-fry. That weekend, the bean sprouts were all I had to pick up.

TOTALLY WORTH IT.

I ate seconds. Of a salad. Of this crunchy, spicy, slurpalicious salad.

And Jeff? He took a bite! WITH HIS OWN TONGUE!

If that’s not a recommendation, I don’t know what is. Best. Salad. Ever.

Asian Noodle Salad

Adapted From Ree Drummond of ThePioneerWoman.com

Salad:

• 1 package linguine noodles, cooked, rinsed, and cooled
• 1/2 head sliced purple cabbage
• 1/2 bag baby spinach
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1/2 small bag bean sprouts
• 3 sliced scallions
• 1 peeled, sliced cucumber
• Up to 1 bunch chopped cilantro
• 1/2 can crushed peanuts, slightly toasted

Dressing:

• Juice of 1 lime
• 8 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 8 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 2 serrano peppers, chopped
• Chopped cilantro

Mix together salad ingredients. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands, and serve on a platter.

Dressing keeps up to 3 days before serving, WITHOUT cilantro.