Cold Noodle Salad Sesame Ginger (Printable)

Chilled noodles with fresh vegetables and a zesty sesame-ginger dressing for a light, vibrant meal.

# What You 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

# Directions:

01 - Boil noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside to cool.
02 - Julienne carrot and cucumber; thinly slice red bell pepper and spring onions; shred red cabbage; chop cilantro.
03 - Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey (or maple syrup), grated ginger, minced garlic, optional Sriracha, and toasted sesame seeds until combined.
04 - In a large bowl, toss cooled noodles with prepared vegetables and cilantro. Drizzle the dressing over and toss well to evenly coat all ingredients.
05 - Distribute salad evenly among bowls. Top with roasted peanuts or cashews and extra sesame seeds.
06 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for 1 hour to enhance flavors before serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes better the longer it sits, so you can make it in the morning and forget about dinner stress.
  • The sesame-ginger dressing is so good you'll find yourself making extra just to drizzle over other meals.
  • It's one of those rare dishes that feels light and fresh but still fills you up completely.
02 -
  • Undercook your noodles slightly because they'll absorb liquid from the dressing and soften even more as they sit.
  • Don't skip the ice-water rinse after cooking—it stops the noodles from becoming a starchy clump.
  • Make the dressing while the noodles cook so everything comes together at the same moment.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes if you have them untoasted—the flavor difference is noticeable and worth the effort.
  • Grate your ginger on a microplane instead of mincing it for a silkier texture that distributes more evenly through the dressing.
Return