Cold Noodle Salad Sesame-Ginger (Printable)

Chilled noodles tossed with crisp vegetables and a zesty sesame-ginger dressing for a refreshing meal.

# 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 medium 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

# Method:

01 - Boil noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water, then set aside to cool.
02 - Julienne the carrot and cucumber, thinly slice the red bell pepper and spring onions, shred the red cabbage, and chop the cilantro.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey or maple syrup, grated ginger, minced garlic, Sriracha if using, and toasted sesame seeds.
04 - In a large bowl, toss cooled noodles with all prepared vegetables and cilantro. Pour dressing over and mix thoroughly to coat evenly.
05 - Divide salad into bowls and sprinkle with roasted peanuts or cashews and additional sesame seeds. Serve immediately or chill for one hour to enhance flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes even better the next day.
  • The dressing is forgiving—a touch more ginger if you want heat, less sriracha if you prefer gentle.
  • One bowl becomes an entire meal without feeling heavy.
02 -
  • Cold dressing hits different than warm—flavors need extra seasoning when they're chilled, so taste as you go and don't be afraid to add more ginger or a squeeze of lime if something feels flat.
  • Don't dress this salad more than an hour before serving or the noodles will become soggy; if you're making it ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss just before eating.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes if you have the time—the difference between that and store-bought is worth noticing.
  • Grate your ginger on a microplane and taste as you go, because fresh ginger varies wildly in intensity depending on the root.
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