Asian spaghetti salad from the Thermomix® works because the dressing goes on the pasta while it is still warm. Cold sesame oil beads off; warm sesame oil soaks into the starch. 5 minutes at 100°C draws out the flavour compounds from the Chinese five-spice and lightly caramelises the soy sauce, while the oil emulsifies with the vinegar. We pour the hot dressing straight from the mixing bowl over the al-dente spaghetti.
The salad tastes better after 2 hours in the fridge than it does fresh. The spaghetti absorb the dressing and the Chinese five-spice develops its full character. We make it in the morning and serve it in the evening at a barbecue.
Quick Asian Spaghetti Salad, Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 10 ✓
- 500 g spaghetti
- 2 red peppers
- 3 spring onions
- 150 g peas frozen
- 50 g sesame oil
- 60 g soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinese five-spice
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 bunch basil
- 20 g apple cider vinegar
Instructions 0 / 6
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1
Cook the spaghetti.
Cook the spaghetti al dente in a large saucepan according to the packet instructions, then transfer to a bowl.
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2
Chop the peppers.
Meanwhile, wash the peppers, cut into chunks, place in the mixing bowl and chop for 3 sec / speed 4.
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3
Cook the vegetables.
Wash the spring onions, trim and cut into thin rings. Add to the mixing bowl along with the peas, oil, soy sauce, Chinese five-spice and sugar, then cook for 5 min / 100°C / reverse direction / speed 3.
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4
Prepare the basil.
Meanwhile, wash the basil, shake dry and pick off the leaves.
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5
Add the vinegar.
Add the apple cider vinegar and basil and mix for 10 sec / reverse direction / speed 3.
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6
Serve the salad.
Pour the dressing over the spaghetti, toss well and leave to rest in the fridge, or serve straight away.
Tip: If you like it spicy, stir in a few chilli flakes just before serving.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Why 3 seconds at speed 4 for the peppers
The red pepper is roughly chopped in the Thermomix®, not blended smooth. 3 seconds at speed 4 gives bite-sized pieces that keep their texture. At 5 seconds or speed 5 the pepper turns to mush and the salad loses structure. We cut the peppers into large chunks beforehand so the mixing bowl chops them evenly.
We slice the spring onions by hand into rings. In the Thermomix® they become too fine and the dressing turns sharply onion-flavoured rather than aromatic.
5 minutes at 100°C in reverse direction
The dressing is heated in the Thermomix®, not just stirred. 100°C releases the aromatic compounds from the Chinese five-spice, the soy sauce lightly caramelises and the sesame oil becomes more fluid. Reverse direction stops the frozen peas being crushed. They thaw in the heat and stay whole.
The sugar balances the acidity of the apple cider vinegar. Without it the dressing tastes only salty and sour. With 1 tsp of sugar the sweetness comes through that characterises Asian dressings.
Basil goes in after the heat
The basil is added to the mixing bowl after the 5 minutes of heat. Adding it too early causes the leaves to oxidise, turning them black and bitter. We add the leaves just before the final 10-second mix, only to distribute them through the dressing.
Apple cider vinegar works better here than rice vinegar. Its mild fruitiness carries the Asian spices without overwhelming them. Rice vinegar would be too neutral; balsamic too dominant.
Cook the spaghetti al dente
The spaghetti are cooked in a saucepan according to the packet instructions, not in the Thermomix®. 500 g of pasta will not fit in the mixing bowl, and besides, the pasta needs room to move. We cook them one minute less than the packet states. They continue to absorb the dressing and would otherwise go too soft.
The hot dressing goes directly onto the drained spaghetti, not the other way around. The pasta is still warm and its starchy surface absorbs the dressing immediately. With cold pasta the oil simply sits on top.
Leave to rest in the fridge
The salad needs at least 2 hours to develop its full flavour. The spaghetti absorb the dressing and the spices bind with the pasta starch. Fresh from the mixing bowl the salad tastes flat; after 4 hours in the fridge it tastes intense.
Give it a good stir before serving. The oil settles on top and the pasta clumps at the bottom. A thorough mix redistributes the dressing.
If you want some heat
Chilli flakes go over the salad just before serving, not into the hot dressing. In the heat they lose their aroma; on the cold salad they keep their bite. Alternatively, add fresh red chillies to the mixing bowl along with the peppers and chop them together. This gives an even heat throughout the salad rather than just as a topping.
Use sesame oil from the Asian section, not neutral vegetable oil. The toasted sesame flavour is what defines the dish. Without it the salad tastes of soy sauce and noodles, not Asian cooking.
Storage in the fridge
Covered, the salad keeps for 3 days in the fridge. The spaghetti continue to absorb liquid, so by the third day the salad may seem drier. Simply stir in 1 to 2 tbsp of water to loosen the pasta again. The basil darkens after 24 hours but still tastes good.
Freezing does not work. The spaghetti turn mushy after thawing and the peppers lose their structure. This salad is best enjoyed fresh.
More salad recipes with the Thermomix®: Quick pasta salad, Coleslaw, Potato salad with bacon.
