Cold Noodle Salad Sesame Ginger (Print View)

Chilled noodles tossed with fresh vegetables and a flavorful sesame-ginger dressing, ideal for light meals.

# Components:

→ Noodles

01 - 8.8 oz dried soba noodles (or rice noodles)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
03 - 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cucumber, seeded and julienned
05 - 3 spring onions, finely sliced
06 - 1.8 oz red cabbage, thinly shredded
07 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Sesame-Ginger Dressing

08 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
09 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
10 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
11 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
12 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
13 - 1 garlic clove, minced
14 - 1 tsp Sriracha or chili sauce (optional)
15 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

→ Toppings

16 - 2 tbsp roasted peanuts or cashews, roughly chopped
17 - 1 tbsp additional sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Boil noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside to cool completely.
02 - Julienne carrot and cucumber, thinly slice red bell pepper and spring onions, shred red cabbage, and chop cilantro.
03 - Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, Sriracha if using, and toasted sesame seeds in a small bowl.
04 - In a large bowl, toss cooled noodles with all prepared vegetables and cilantro. Pour dressing over and mix thoroughly to coat.
05 - Divide salad among plates and garnish with chopped roasted peanuts or cashews along with extra sesame seeds.
06 - Serve immediately or chill for one hour to enhance flavors before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in 30 minutes flat and tastes even better after sitting for an hour, which means zero stress if guests are coming.
  • The combination of chewy noodles, crisp vegetables, and that nutty-gingery dressing somehow feels fancy enough to impress people but casual enough to eat straight from the bowl on a Tuesday night.
  • You can prep everything ahead and let it live in the fridge, making it the ultimate make-ahead meal for hot weather when you don't want to spend time cooking.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of rinsing your cooked noodles—that starchy water clinging to them will make the whole salad gluey and sad within an hour.
  • Taste your dressing on an actual noodle, not just by itself, because the noodle's blandness acts as a canvas and shows you what the real balance will be.
  • If you're making this more than a few hours ahead, keep the dressing separate and dress it just before serving, otherwise the vegetables will slowly release their water and dilute everything.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before using them—the difference in flavor between raw and freshly toasted is worth those two minutes of your time.
  • If you're doubling this recipe, make the dressing first and taste it before multiplying the ingredients, because double-batch dressings sometimes need slightly less salt and vinegar than you'd expect.
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