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Asian Cold Noodle Salad with Cucumber and carrot

Asian Cold Noodle Salad with Cucumber and Carrot

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine East Asian
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Large pot For boiling the noodles. If you're using rice noodles, a kettle and a large bowl will do the trick.
  • Colander or sieve To rinse and cool the noodles quickly.
  • Mixing bowl One large bowl to toss everything together.
  • Vegetable peeler or mandoline To julienne the cucumber and carrot evenly. A sharp knife also works if you're patient.
  • Whisk or Fork For mixing the dressing.

Ingredients
  

For the Salad

  • 8 oz dried ramen noodles or soba noodles can also use rice noodles or spaghetti for a twist on asian pasta
  • 1 large cucumber julienned (Persian cucumbers preferred for crunch)
  • 2 medium carrots julienned
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Optional: 1/4 cup crushed roasted peanuts or cashews for added crunch

For the Dressing (Asian Noodle Sauce):

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons chili crisp or sambal oelek adjust to spice preference
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

Optional: 1 tablespoon peanut butter for a creamier version reminiscent of sesame noodles

Instructions
 

Boil the noodles

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your noodles according to the package instructions. For ramen noodle recipes or soba, 3–5 minutes is usually enough. If you're making this as part of your exploration into korean noodle recipes or japanese noodle recipes, keep the noodles al dente for the best texture.
  2. Once cooked, drain and rinse the noodles under cold water until completely cool. This not only stops the cooking but also prevents clumping.

Prepare the vegetables

  1. While the noodles cook, julienne the cucumber and carrot. You want thin, matchstick-sized pieces to ensure they blend well with the noodles. Slice your green onions and chop the cilantro.

Make the dressing

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, honey, chili crisp, minced garlic, and ginger. If you're going for that creamy sesame noodles vibe, this is the moment to whisk in a tablespoon of peanut butter or tahini.
  2. This dressing can also double as a go-to garlic noodles asian style sauce for other noodle recipes easy to whip up on busy weeknights.

Toss everything together

  1. In a large bowl, combine the cooled noodles with the vegetables, green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Pour the dressing over the top and toss until everything is evenly coated.
  2. For added texture, sprinkle with crushed peanuts or cashews right before serving.

Chill and serve

  1. Let the salad sit in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors meld. Serve chilled, either on its own or as a side to grilled chicken breast or tofu.