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.
Other delicious Asian-inspired recipes:
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.
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.
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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.
- 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).
- Assemble the salad. Add the noodles and all salad ingredients to a large bowl. Toss together with the dressing. Chill salad for 30 minutes.
- Garnish with more sesame seeds, green onions, peanuts, etc. and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Store in an air-tight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
This was delicious and received rave reviews from everyone who tried it. Made it exactly as written with udon noodles.
Thank you so much Lindsey! So glad it was enjoyed 🙂 yay!
Just made this tonight and I must have used an ingredient lacking flavor in the dressing. It’s not right, it definitely has the sesame Asian salad taste but maybe it isn’t sweet enough? It seems to be missing a balance. I used a natural peanut butter…what peanut butter do you use? I’m wondering if that is the problem?
I’m so sorry! I used good ol creamy Skippy so maybe the added sugar helped out with that flavor you’re missing.
Hmmm…, the sauce was delicious but 4 packs of ramen noodles was WAYYYYYY too much. Could easily have fed 10. Because of this there was far too little of the other ingredients. What a waste. Next time I would try it with two packs of ramen.
Hey! So sorry about that. Different ramen noodle packets might have different amounts. I used the Top Ramen packets. But 8 oz. Of noodle should be plenty.
What is the amount of sodium in this recipe? It looks delicious, but I need to be careful with the amount of sodium I consume.
around 400 mg
What’s the quantity of noodles if you use spaghetti or udon or other?
8 oz should be plenty 🙂
This was so good and so easy to make. Followed the recipe exactly as written except left out the sugar in the dressing since the peanut butter already had some. Yum! This will be on heavy rotation in the summer.
I am so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you soo much 🙂