Cold Noodle Salad Sesame-Ginger (Printable)

Chilled noodles and crisp veggies tossed in a bright 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

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Prepare noodles according to package directions, then 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 or maple syrup, grated ginger, minced garlic, Sriracha if using, and toasted sesame seeds until well combined.
04 - In a large bowl, toss cooled noodles with prepared vegetables and cilantro. Pour dressing over and mix thoroughly to coat evenly.
05 - Divide salad into serving bowls and top with roasted peanuts or cashews and additional sesame seeds.
06 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in thirty minutes, which means you can make dinner without planning ahead.
  • The dressing is so good you'll find yourself spooning extra onto everything for days.
  • It tastes just as satisfying cold the next day, making it ideal for meal prep or lazy lunches.
02 -
  • The noodles must be completely cool before dressing or the oil will separate and the salad will taste greasy instead of balanced.
  • Don't dress the salad more than an hour ahead unless you want it to become limp—it's a last-minute dish that rewards immediacy.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before using—the difference in flavor is more dramatic than you'd expect.
  • If you're sensitive to raw garlic, let the minced clove sit in the dressing for five minutes before tossing so the harsh edge mellows slightly.
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