Asian Sesame Noodle Salad (Printable)

Refreshing Asian noodle salad with crisp vegetables and a savory-sweet peanut dressing.

# Ingredient list:

→ Noodles

01 - 9 oz dried soba noodles or spaghetti
02 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
04 - 1 cup julienned carrots
05 - 1 bell pepper (red or yellow), thinly sliced
06 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
07 - 1/2 cup julienned cucumber
08 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
09 - 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

→ Peanut Dressing

10 - 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
11 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
12 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
14 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
15 - 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water
16 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
17 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
18 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili sauce, optional

→ Garnish

19 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
20 - Extra cilantro and peanuts as desired

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain thoroughly, rinse under cold running water until completely cooled, and toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil to prevent clumping. Set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, toasted sesame oil, ginger, and minced garlic until smooth. Add sriracha if desired. Gradually incorporate warm water while whisking until achieving a pourable consistency.
03 - In a large bowl, combine cooked noodles, shredded red cabbage, julienned carrots, sliced bell pepper, spring onions, julienned cucumber, and fresh cilantro leaves.
04 - Pour prepared peanut dressing over noodle and vegetable mixture. Toss thoroughly until all components are evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Transfer dressed salad to a serving platter or individual bowls. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, roasted peanuts, and additional cilantro leaves.
06 - Serve immediately for warm noodles or refrigerate for up to 20 minutes for chilled presentation. Add chopped peanuts immediately before serving to maintain textural contrast.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in thirty minutes flat, which means you're eating something vibrant and satisfying before you've even finished your coffee.
  • The peanut dressing is silky enough to coat everything but doesn't turn your noodles into a heavy mess by tomorrow.
  • You can make it vegan, gluten-free, or protein-packed depending on what you have on hand, so it never feels like the same meal twice.
02 -
  • If you cook the vegetables instead of keeping them raw, you lose the refreshing contrast that makes this salad worth making, so resist the urge to soften anything.
  • The sesame oil tossed with the warm noodles is what prevents them from sticking together, so don't skip that step even if it feels like an unnecessary extra thing.
  • Add the peanuts right before serving or they'll lose their crunch and you'll have a salad that tastes fine but feels sad to eat.
03 -
  • Taste the dressing before adding it to the salad because the intensity of soy sauce and sesame oil varies by brand, and you want to adjust while you still can.
  • Use a microplane to grate your ginger because mincing it by hand means you either get chunks or your knuckles hurt, and neither is ideal.
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