This cold sesame noodle salad with cucumber and fresh mint is easy to make, light, and ready in under 30 minutes. This makes it the perfect quick meal to make all spring and summer long. Plus, it's vegan-friendly, nut-free, and naturally gluten-free.
Cold noodle salads are a great way to switch up your meals as the weather turns warmer. There's no turning on the oven. It's cooling and refreshing thanks to the fresh mint and the cucumber, and it takes very little time to throw together.
The addition of vegetables adds crunch, color, and a nice contrast of textures against the chewy, slippery, sauce-coated noodles. The best part? If you have your capsule pantry set up, then you likely already have a majority of the ingredients.
Ingredients
Here are some of the main ingredients:
- long noodles - any kind will work: soba, spaghetti, rice, etc.
- cucumbers - thin-skinned cucumbers are best, so this means either Persian or English (also called hothouse or burpless). Just make sure to avoid using slicing cucumbers as they're too bitter.
- carrot - this adds a subtle sweetness, crunch, and a pop of color against all the green.
- shelled edamame - adds another element of texture and also makes it more filling because of the protein.
- sesame seeds - make sure to toast them so they have the best flavor. They also add a subtle crunch.
- fresh mint - this gives the noodle salad a refreshing taste and works well with the coolness of the cucumber.
- sesame ginger dressing - the most flavorful sauce to bathe the noodles in.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Cold Sesame Noodles
Step 1
Cook the noodles according to the package directions, drain and rinse under cold running water. Set them aside.
Step 2
Prep your vegetables. First, slice the cucumbers and carrots into rounds or half-moons depending on their size, and thinly slice the green onions on the bias (angled).
Step 3
Make the dressing. To do this, you'll add all the ingredients to a glass jar with a tightly sealed lid and shake vigorously until combined.
Step 4
In a dry pan over medium heat, add the sesame seeds and toast until lightly browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Watch carefully so they don't burn.
Step 5
Assemble the salad by tossing the noodles with half of the dressing. Then add the vegetables, the rest of the dressing, the toasted sesame seeds, and sliced green onion, tossing again until well distributed. Tear fresh mint over the top just before serving and add more sesame seeds if desired.
Make It Your Way: Ingredient Substitutions
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this cold sesame noodle salad using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No coconut aminos? ➝ use soy sauce or tamari (if gluten-free).
- No edamame? ➝ sub peas, snap peas, green beans, or fava beans instead.
- Add more protein ➝ if you'd like you bulk this up further, you can add chicken, shrimp, or tofu.
- Add-ins ➝ chopped roasted peanuts or cashews.
- Prefer a creamy sauce? ➝ check out my noodles with 'peanut' sauce
Tools Needed
- chef knife
- cutting board
- Mandoline - I like to make the carrots paper-thin, so a mandoline is great for this, but you can also just use a knife if that's what you have.
- mason jar - or any jar with a tightly sealed lid to mix the dressing.
FAQ's
For cold noodles, using a vinaigrette type of sauce works beautifully. This infuses the salad with tons of flavor, doesn't dry it out, and is the reason the flavor is even better the next day.
They can be eaten hot or cold depending on the season and the weather, but this particular recipe is best eaten cold since it's tossed with dressing. If you're looking for a warm Asian noodle dish, try my 'peanut' sauce noodles.
Once prepared, store the cold noodle salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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Cold Sesame Noodle Salad With Cucumber And Fresh Mint
Ingredients
Salad
- 12 ounces long noodles
- 3 Persian cucumbers, sliced into rounds or 1 English cucumber
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds
- 1 cup shelled frozen edamame, thawed
- 2 tablespoons green onions, cut on the bias green part only
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
- handful of fresh mint leaves, torn
Sesame Ginger Dressing
- 6 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt, to taste omit if subbing soy sauce or tamari
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions, drain and rinse under cold running water.
- Slice the cucumbers and carrots into rounds or half-moons depending on their size, and thinly slice the green onions on the bias (angled).
- Make the dressing. To do this, you'll add all the ingredients to a glass jar with a tightly sealed lid and shake vigorously until combined.
- In a dry pan over medium heat, add the sesame seeds and toast until lightly browned and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Watch carefully so they don't burn.
- Assemble the salad by tossing the noodles with half of the dressing. Then add the vegetables, the rest of the dressing, the toasted sesame seeds, and sliced green onion, tossing again until well distributed. Tear fresh mint over the top just before serving and add more sesame seeds if desired.
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