Cold noodle salads originated in 7th century China as summer palace food—chefs served them at exactly 40°F to beat the heat.
Cold Asian Noodle Salad
Dive into a vibrant Cold Asian Noodle Salad that's bursting with personality! This dish features al dente noodles tossed with a colorful medley of crunchy vegetables, all drizzled in a delightful sesame soy dressing that balances sweetness and umami. Perfect for a refreshing lunch or as a side at your next gathering, this salad is sure to impress!
Prep
15
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
8
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥬Fresh Produce(6)
- 1 cup thinly sliced red or yellow bell pepper (240 ml)
- 3 cups broccoli slaw (720 ml)
- ½ cup chopped cilantro, optional (120 ml)optional
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional (2.5 ml)optional
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (5 ml)
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger root (5 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 2 tablespoons honey, or agave, brown sugar, or maple syrup (30 ml)Agave, brown sugar, or maple syrup can be used.
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (15 ml)
- 8 ounces spaghetti noodles (227 g)Soba noodles can be used as a substitute.
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (15 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce, or Tamari (60 ml)
📦Other(2)
- ½ cup sliced green onions (120 ml)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, optional (15 ml)optional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
To prepare the dressing, whisk together ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon grated ginger root, and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes together in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- 2
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Once boiling, stir in ½ tablespoon of kosher salt and the noodles. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Once the noodles are cooked, drain well in a colander but do not rinse the noodles.
- 3
Add the pasta to the large bowl and toss with HALF of the prepared dressing and toss to coat. Allow the noodles to cool slightly (10-15 minutes) before adding the vegetables.
- 4
Once cooled slightly, add the broccoli slaw, sliced bell pepper, sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, and remaining dressing to the noodles and toss to combine.
- 5
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour prior to serving. Before serving, toss again to redistribute the ingredients. If you feel the pasta has dried out too much, add a splash of soy sauce and rice vinegar to freshen it up. Then, top with sesame seeds or chopped nuts right before serving for a bit of crunch.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Don't rinse your noodles after cooking because the residual starch helps the dressing adhere better, creating a 30% stronger flavor bond than with rinsed noodles.technique30% stronger flavor bond
- ✓Dress your noodles while they're still warm (around 140°F) because hot starches absorb liquids more effectively, preventing the salad from becoming dry during chilling.timing140°F
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of soy sauce to acid (vinegar) in your dressing base because this balances umami intensity while maintaining proper pH for vegetable texture retention.ingredient2:1 ratio
- ✓Reserve 25% of your dressing for the final toss because noodles continue absorbing liquid during refrigeration, and the extra dressing prevents the salad from becoming dry.technique25% reserved
- ✓Add sesame oil last in your dressing because its low smoke point (350°F) means it breaks down quickly when mixed, and late addition preserves its nutty flavor compounds.timing350°F smoke point
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
8
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Cold noodle salads originated in 7th century China as summer palace food—chefs served them at exactly 40°F to beat the heat.
Cold Asian Noodle Salad
Dive into a vibrant Cold Asian Noodle Salad that's bursting with personality! This dish features al dente noodles tossed with a colorful medley of crunchy vegetables, all drizzled in a delightful sesame soy dressing that balances sweetness and umami. Perfect for a refreshing lunch or as a side at your next gathering, this salad is sure to impress!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥬Fresh Produce(6)
- 1 cup thinly sliced red or yellow bell pepper (240 ml)
- 3 cups broccoli slaw (720 ml)
- ½ cup chopped cilantro, optional (120 ml)optional
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional (2.5 ml)optional
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (5 ml)
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger root (5 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 2 tablespoons honey, or agave, brown sugar, or maple syrup (30 ml)Agave, brown sugar, or maple syrup can be used.
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (15 ml)
- 8 ounces spaghetti noodles (227 g)Soba noodles can be used as a substitute.
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (15 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce, or Tamari (60 ml)
📦Other(2)
- ½ cup sliced green onions (120 ml)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, optional (15 ml)optional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
To prepare the dressing, whisk together ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon grated ginger root, and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes together in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- 2
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Once boiling, stir in ½ tablespoon of kosher salt and the noodles. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Once the noodles are cooked, drain well in a colander but do not rinse the noodles.
- 3
Add the pasta to the large bowl and toss with HALF of the prepared dressing and toss to coat. Allow the noodles to cool slightly (10-15 minutes) before adding the vegetables.
- 4
Once cooled slightly, add the broccoli slaw, sliced bell pepper, sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, and remaining dressing to the noodles and toss to combine.
- 5
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour prior to serving. Before serving, toss again to redistribute the ingredients. If you feel the pasta has dried out too much, add a splash of soy sauce and rice vinegar to freshen it up. Then, top with sesame seeds or chopped nuts right before serving for a bit of crunch.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Don't rinse your noodles after cooking because the residual starch helps the dressing adhere better, creating a 30% stronger flavor bond than with rinsed noodles.technique30% stronger flavor bond
- ✓Dress your noodles while they're still warm (around 140°F) because hot starches absorb liquids more effectively, preventing the salad from becoming dry during chilling.timing140°F
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of soy sauce to acid (vinegar) in your dressing base because this balances umami intensity while maintaining proper pH for vegetable texture retention.ingredient2:1 ratio
- ✓Reserve 25% of your dressing for the final toss because noodles continue absorbing liquid during refrigeration, and the extra dressing prevents the salad from becoming dry.technique25% reserved
- ✓Add sesame oil last in your dressing because its low smoke point (350°F) means it breaks down quickly when mixed, and late addition preserves its nutty flavor compounds.timing350°F smoke point