This crowd-pleasing cold noodle salad is quick, easy, satisfying, & flavor-packed - with crunchy vegetables, ramen noodles, and a rich peanut or tahini dressing!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Cold noodle salads are a quick, satisfying, and flavorful meal of simple, inexpensive ingredients. Just like my ramen noodle cabbage salad and vegan mandarin chicken ramen noodle salad, this cold ramen noodle salad is quick, fresh, easy, and full of bright, bold Asian-inspired flavors with chewy ramen noodles, fresh, crunchy vegetables, and a creamy tahini (or peanut butter) Asian-inspired dressing.
The magic is the perfectly balanced dressing—sweet, salty, umami, tangy, and creamy. With soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, tahini, garlic, and ginger, it’s rich, flavorful, and so good you might want to make extra. Toss it with noodles and veg for this customizable meal-prep dish perfect for potlucks, picnics, and busy weeknights.
The Ingredient Notes
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and substitutes.
Save time by subbing the carrots and cabbage for a bag of coleslaw mix.
Recipe Variations and Add-Ins
- Thai-inspired cold noodle salad: Use rice noodles, fresh herbs (cilantro, Thai basil, mint), chili flakes, and, optionally, a few dashes of vegan fish sauce.
- Japanese-inspired: Omit tahini, use ramen/soba noodles, and optional shredded nori.
- Spice: Add sliced chilies, red pepper flakes, hot sauce, chili paste, or chili oil.
- Protein: i.e., Crispy air fryer tofu or tempeh for a vegan cold noodle salad - or your choice of plant protein.
- Other vegetables: This recipe for cold noodle salad is highly adaptable. Try spinach, broccoli, snow peas/sugar snap peas, radishes, etc.
- Fried onions: (or shallots) to garnish the cold peanut noodle salad for crunch.
How to Make Cold Noodle Salad
Step 1: First, cook the noodles as per their package instructions. Then drain and rinse with cold water. Meanwhile, mince the garlic and ginger. In a small bowl or jar, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, tahini, and minced ginger and garlic.
Step 2: Then, thinly slice the bell pepper, cucumber, and green onions, julienne the carrot, and shred the cabbage. Transfer the prepared vegetables and the edamame to a large bowl and toss with the dressing.
Step 3: Mix in the cooked noodles, then add the peanuts and sesame seeds. Chill the cold ramen noodle salad for 30 minutes, then serve optionally garnished with more sesame seeds and green onion. Enjoy!
Enjoy the cold noodle salad alone, with your preferred protein, and/or optionally with other Asian-inspired appetizers/sides, like Bang Bang broccoli or easy vegan mushroom miso soup.
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FAQs for Cold Noodle Salad
I prefer it chilled or at room temperature because of all the fresh veggies, though it could technically be warmed up.
If you don’t rinse off the excess starch, the noodles may stick. Tossing them with a little sesame oil can prevent sticking, too.
Recipe Notes
- For more flavor and crunch: Toast the sesame seeds and peanuts until fragrant and browned.
- Taste and adjust: Adjust any element in the sauce. I.e., more maple for sweetness, soy for salt, lime or vinegar for tang, etc.
- Rinse and drain the noodles well: Rinsing ensures they don’t overcook, cool quickly, and removes excess starch. However, excess liquid will dilute the dressing, so drain them completely.
- Let it chill: 30 minutes allows it to chill and the flavors to marinate.
Storage Instructions
Make ahead: You can prepare the dressing several days in advance and prepare the veggies 1-2 days in advance. Then, combine and serve as needed.
Store: In an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days (it tastes even better on day two). Add a splash of vegetable broth/extra dressing if it's dry.
If you tried this cold noodle salad recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
Cold Noodle Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ¼ cup of soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons of tahini
- 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon of fresh garlic minced
For the salad
- 3 packs of ramen noodles or about 7-8oz
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 4 green onions sliced
- 1 large carrot julienned, about 1 cup
- 1 cup of red cabbage shredded
- 1 English cucumber thinly sliced
- 1 cup of cooked shelled edamame
- ½ cup of peanuts chopped
- 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Make noodles according to package instructions. Set aside and let cool.
- In a small bowl or jar, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, tahini (or nut butter), and minced ginger and garlic.
- Mix the soy sauce, tahini, sesame oil, rice vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, ginger, and garlic and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the red bell pepper, green onions, carrot, cabbage, cucumber, and edamame.
- Pour the dressing on top of the bowl of vegetables and mix well.
- Add the cooked noodles to the bowl and mix.
- Add peanuts and sesame seeds and mix again.
- Garnish with any remaining green onion and sesame seeds.
- Place in the refrigerator and serve chilled.
Notes
- For more flavor and crunch: Toast the sesame seeds and peanuts until fragrant and browned.
- Taste and adjust: Adjust any element in the sauce. I.e., more maple for sweetness, soy for salt, lime or vinegar for tang, etc.
- Rinse and drain the noodles well: Rinsing ensures they don’t overcook, cool quickly, and removes excess starch. However, excess liquid will dilute the dressing, so drain them completely.
- Let it chill: 30 minutes allows it to chill and the flavors to marinate.
Andrea says
Love this noodle salad!!