Celebrate fresh and flavorful summer produce with this delicious Cold Noodle Salad with Sesame Dressing! This scrumptious pasta salad is loaded with veggies and tons of flavor, plus it's so easy to make! Serve it for lunch, or bring it to your next summer get together.
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I love getting together with friends and family at this time of year. From the food to the guests, everything is a little more laid back and relaxed.
Food always plays an integral part in these gatherings, and I look forward to sharing memorable dishes, like this Cold Asian Noodle Salad. With its spicy sesame-soy dressing and crunchy veggies (the perfect contrast to the soft noodles), this mouthwatering pasta salad is always a hit!
Because it's served cold, this recipe is perfect for hot summer days. Make it on Sunday, then enjoy a tasty lunch all week, or bring it to your next BBQ or potluck. Either way, I know you are going to love it!
Ready to dig in? You'll find all the delicious details below.
Ingredients
The recipes uses easy to find ingredients ... here's what you'll need:
- Pasta - I used linguine for this recipe since it's so easy to find (spaghetti also works), but you could also use lo mein (or other Chinese egg noodles) or soba noodles.
- Veggies - This recipe uses a combinations of green onions, bell peppers, zucchini, edamame, and carrots. The raw veggies add a delicious crunch, but this recipe would taste wonderful with Grilled Veggies too, so keep that in mind the next time you heat up the grill!
- Mango - Fresh mango adds a wonderful sweet flavor that's a great counterpart to the savory ingredients.
- Cilantro - A little fresh cilantro brightens up the pasta salad's flavors.
- Sesame Seeds - A sprinkle of sesame seeds adds another layer of flavor to the finished dish.
- Dressing - This recipe features a scrumptious homemade Sesame Dressing that's super quick and easy to make. You could also take this recipe in a whole other flavor direction by using a different dressing, like my simple Lemon Dressing.
- Protein (Optional) - Want to add some protein? This salad would be super tasty with some fried or baked tofu added in. Chickpeas would also be delish.
This chilled noodle dish is naturally Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy Free, and Nut Free! If you'd like to make it Gluten Free, simply use GF linguine instead of regular pasta.
How to Make Cold Noodle Salad
This simple Sesame Noodle Salad couldn't be easier to prepare! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the steps:
- Cook pasta. Start by cooking the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. When done, drain the pasta and rinse it with cold water.
- Prep veggies + mango. While the water heats up and the pasta cooks, prep your veggies and the mango. Everything should be sliced (thin enough to be twirled with the pasta), or in the case of the carrot, shaved.
- Make dressing. Next, you'll make the easy vinaigrette-style dressing. Simply whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, maple syrup, red pepper flakes, lime juice, and garlic until combined.
- Mix everything together. When all the components are ready, mix the vegetables, mango, edamame, and cilantro together in a large bowl. Then, add the pasta (make sure to drain it well first) and the dressing. Toss everything together until well mixed. Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds for the perfect finishing touch!
And that's it, your easy Cold Noodle Salad is ready to eat! Doesn't it look beautiful with all the colorful veggies? And trust me, it tastes even better than it looks.
Storage
Store any leftover Asian Pasta Salad in an airtight container in your refrigerator. It will stay fresh for three to four days.
Related Recipes
Looking for more pasta salad ideas? Try one of these recipes next:
- Vegan Pasta Salad
- Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Southwest Pasta Salad
- Kale Pasta Salad
- Greek Tortellini Salad
- 4 Ingredient Pasta Salad
Cold Asian Noodle Salad
Ingredients
For Pasta:
- 1 pound (453 grams) linguine
- kosher salt
For Dressing:
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 1 large lime, juiced
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
For Salad:
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 mango, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, peeled into thin slices with a vegetable peeler
- 1 cup edamame (cooked according to package directions)
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Instructions
Prepare Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook until al dente.
- Drain pasta, then rinse with cold water. Set aside.
Prepare Dressing:
- While pasta is cooking, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, maple syrup, red pepper flakes, lime juice, and garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.
Assemble Salad:
- Mix together veggies, mango, edamame, and cilantro in a large bowl.
- Add the pasta and dressing to the veggies; mix well.
- Serve pasta immediately, sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Nutrition
