Cold Noodle Salad Sesame-Ginger (Printable)

A vibrant salad with cold noodles, fresh vegetables, and sesame-ginger dressing, perfect for warm days.

# What you'll need:

→ 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

# How to make it:

01 - Boil water in a large pot and cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside to cool completely.
02 - Julienne the carrot and cucumber, thinly slice the red bell pepper and spring onions, and shred the red cabbage. Set aside.
03 - Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey or maple syrup, grated ginger, minced garlic, Sriracha if using, and toasted sesame seeds in a small bowl.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooled noodles with prepared vegetables and chopped cilantro. Pour the dressing over and mix thoroughly to coat evenly.
05 - Divide the noodle salad among serving bowls and sprinkle with roasted peanuts and extra sesame seeds.
06 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for 1 hour to enhance flavors before serving.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, leaving you time to actually enjoy your day instead of hovering over a stove.
  • The flavors deepen as it sits, which means you can make it ahead and let it become even better without any last-minute fussing.
  • It tastes equally good whether you're eating alone at your desk or serving it to a crowd, and somehow everyone asks for the dressing recipe.
02 -
  • Cold noodles absorb dressing differently than hot ones—you may need more dressing than you'd use on a warm pasta, so don't be shy with it.
  • If you're making this ahead, reserve some dressing and add it just before serving, as the noodles will drink it all up as they sit.
  • The vegetables release water as they chill, so seeding the cucumber and not oversalting prevents a watery final dish.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before using them—the flavor difference is worth those ninety seconds.
  • If you make this regularly, prepare your dressing in a jar and keep it in the fridge for up to five days, giving you a head start whenever the mood strikes.
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