Cold Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing
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My Cold Noodle Salad is all I can think about these days!
Well, this salad and my avocado corn salad which is a summer must-make!
As the heat of summer quickly takes over we all need recipes that are fast, easy and require minimal cooking time in the kitchen.
This beat-the-heat cold summer salad is filled with fresh bell peppers, green onions, carrots and red cabbage.
For a punch of protein and added crunch, I toss in peanuts and sesame seeds, but my favorite flavors are in the creamy, sesame, soy, peanut-y Dressing. This dressing is bursting with flavor as it cradles the fresh veggies and noodles. I love the combination of these bold flavors that give this cold salad an Asian flair: soy sauce, peanut butter, sesame oil, rice vinegar, lime juice, ginger and garlic.
While the crisp, fresh veggies mixed with the firm texture of ramen noodles make this salad a summer favorite, it’s the bold intoxicating flavors of the dressing that make this Cold Noodle Salad stand out from the rest!
Reasons Why You Will Love My Cold Noodle Salad
- This Cold Noodle Salad is so easy to make, and it all comes together in under 30 minutes.
- The dressing is simple, tangy and delicious.
- This is a great vegan recipe.
- Prep this salad in bulk for lunches throughout the week, or for a big party.
- The best part about this salad is that the flavors are even better the second day.
- It’s light and refreshing and just so pretty!
Ingredient Notes
For the ingredient measurements and entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.
- Noodles: really any noodle works! I used ramen noodles but also love this with thin egg noodles, rice noodles, dried egg noodles, regular ol’ spaghetti noodles, or udon noodles.
- Vegetables red or yellow bell pepper are great options. You’ll also need green onions, carrots, and red cabbage.
- Peanuts: love adding these in for crunch! Salted or unsalted, either or works.
- Peanut butter: this is used for the sauce. I like to microwave it for about 30 seconds so it gets nice and drippy! You could also use almond butter.
- Soy sauce: tamari or soy sauce both work well here. Steer clear of dark soy sauce for this recipe.
- Sesame oil: look for a toasted sesame oil, I find it adds more flavor to this recipe.
- Other ingredients needed for the sauce: ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, lime juice and sugar.
Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the bottom of the blog post to the recipe card.
- Whisk together the ingredients for the sesame dressing.
- Cook the noodles and rinse with cold water.
- Add all of the veggies and noodles to a large bowl.
- Toss together with the dressing.
- Chill and then garnish with more green onions, peanuts, etc.
Other delicious Asian-inspired recipes:
Expert tips
- Cook noodles of choice a little al dente to prevent them from turning soggy in the salad.
- Drizzle the noodles with a little sesame oil to prevent them from sticking before you add them into the salad.
- Add some spice to the sauce with sweet chili sauce, sriracha or chili flakes.
- Amp up the salad by topping with chicken, jammy eggs/hard boiled eggs, or kimchi!
- Allow the salad to chill for at least 30 minutes prior to serving to let the flavors marinate.
- For a quicker option, use a broccoli slaw or a bagged coleslaw with carrots as a substitute for the carrots and red cabbage.
- This is a cold salad but you can heat it up if you prefer!
FAQ
What other veggies can I add to the salad?
Edamame, cilantro, zucchini (julienned), snow peas, thinly sliced raw broccoli, bean sprouts or halved green beans.
How long does this cold noodle salad last?
Up to 4 days in the fridge.
What noodle is best for cold noodle salad?
Really any noodle works! I used ramen noodles (toss the seasoning packet) but I also love this with thin egg noodles, rice noodles, dried egg noodles, regular ol’ spaghetti noodles, or udon noodles.
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Cold Noodle Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. white sugar
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced
For the salad
- 4 packs ramen noodles, ~8-9 oz. Is plenty (but any noodle works! I also love this salad with thin egg noodles, rice noodles, regular ol' spaghetti noodles, or udon noodles).
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 4 green onions, sliced on a diagonal
- 1 large carrot, julienned
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- 3/4 cup peanuts
- 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Prepare the noodles according to package directions. Drain them, rinse with cold water and set aside. Pro tip: toss noodles in a little sesame oil to prevent them from sticking.4 packs ramen noodles, ~8-9 oz. Is plenty (but any noodle works! I also love this salad with thin egg noodles, rice noodles, regular ol' spaghetti noodles, or udon noodles).
- Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing in a small mixing bowl until smooth. Taste and adjust as needed (thin out dressing with more soy sauce, or thicken with a little more peanut butter based on your preference).1/3 cup soy sauce, 3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter, 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil, 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp. white sugar, 1 lime, juiced, 1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced, 1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced
- Assemble the salad. Add the noodles and all salad ingredients to a large bowl. Toss together with the dressing. Chill salad for 30 minutes.1 red or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced, 4 green onions, sliced on a diagonal, 1 large carrot, julienned, 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- Garnish with more sesame seeds, green onions, peanuts, etc. and enjoy!3/4 cup peanuts, 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
Video
Notes
- Store in an air-tight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Love this salad! I learned the hard way not to use a dark soy sauce in the dressing (first time was a fail), I couldn’t find a light soy sauce so I instead used coconut aminos and it was delicious. I used the broccoli slaw and it was so easy!
This was absolutely delish! I have tried other similar sauces but your comb is the best!
This salad is awesome! So much so, that it is my contribution to our Family Reunion today!
thank you soo so much! Have a great time at the reunion! 🙂
Absolutely incredible. Even my bf who doesn’t eat anything but garden salads loved it. I can’t wait for the next cookout, I know what I’m bringing. Thanks for the great recipe – I know I’ll be handing it out.
This has become one of my go to salads for potlucks and barbecues. It’s so yummy! Highly recommended! Tip: I often replace the red cabbage and carrot with a pre-made coleslaw mix to save time.
This was amazing!!! We all loved it!!!
So glad this was a win! Thank you Kim for leaving a review, I really appreciate it!
Yumm! I added more noodles because the soy sauce I used was really salty. Super delicious!
Looks fab! Thank you so much Jessica!
Wow! The star of the show was that incredible dressing! My only substitution was quinoa instead of the noodles. Amazing!! Thank you so much!❤️
Love that you used quinoa, I am excited to try this next time I make it. Thank you! 🙂
This salad is definitely slurp worthy. So happy that I finally made it. I used chow mein stir-fry noodles for my pasta and a coleslaw mix as recommended.
I love this recipe so much. It was a huge hit with my family. I’m trying to track closely my intake so what is the actual serving size?
Thank you soo much! ~1 1/2 cups.