This light and refreshing salad is loaded with nutrient-packed veggies and herbs and is best served as a side to your dinner or as a light lunch. Topped with salty and tangy sesame dressing with hints of umami flavor, this sesame noodles salad can be paired with roasted tofu or your favorite protein for a wholesome meal that comes together in less than 20 minutes.
What is Sesame Noodles Salad
This chilled sesame noodle salad is a perfect combo of savory and umami flavors, making it perfect for summer lunch. Tossed with the tasty dressing, this salad is so crave-able. Throw in some quickly blanched broccoli, crunchy cabbage, and refreshing cucumbers for a crunchy twist and added nutrition.
Chilled pasta salads like this sesame noodle salad are the perfect vehicle for flavor. Add green onion, creamy avocado, and furikake flakes for the ultimate in functional garnishes. Use frozen green peas if you don't have broccoli or red cabbage. Add in extra veggies, or make it all about the noodles. This salad is the perfect picnic side or quickie lunch by the pool.
With creamy tahini, umami soy that adds depth of flavor, and sweet maple combined with nutty sesame oil, it is a taste sensation. This is just like the addictive cold sesame noodles from Bread and Circus back in the 1990s. Seriously delicious and addictive, these noodles will be on your weekly summer menu.
It's ready in less than 20 minutes yet chock full of flavor. It is crazy simple to throw together, and the dressing packs a real flavor punch. With a recipe for Sesame Noodle Salad this simple, there's no need to be dropping the big bucks at specialty markets. This one is the real deal.
What You’ll Need to Make Sesame Noodles Salad
For noodles salad
Udon noodles: Adds a hearty texture to the salad. They are thick and chewy, vegan, and are perfect for pasta salads.
Veggies: I have used cucumbers, cabbage, and broccoli in the salad. You can use whatever vegetable you have on hand. Serve with avocado slices for extra nutritional punch.
For dressing
Sesame tahini: Adds a creamy element to the dressing.
Sesame oil: Adds nutty flavor to the dressing.
Soy sauce: Adds salty and umami flavor to the sauce. You can substitute it with tamari to make it gluten-free.
Maple syrup: Adds sweet flavor that perfectly complements the savory and umami flavors of the dressing.
For garnish
Furikake or Sesame Seeds: Adds a salty and nutty flavor to the salad.
For Serving
Avocado: Serve with avocado slices for an extra nutritional boost.
How to Make Sesame Noodles Salad
Cook Noodles
Cook Noodles according to package; then add broccoli florets to a pot of boiling water for the last two minutes of cooking time. Drain, rinse with cool water and set aside.
Prepare the veggies
Chop the veggies to add to your noodles salad.
Prepare Sesame Dressing
Mix dressing in a bowl by combining sesame oil, tahini, light and dark soy, and maple syrup and combining with a whisk.
Assemble the Sesame Noodle Salad
Mix cucumbers, cabbage, and green onion into the bowl with the dressing, tossing well. Add noodles and broccoli and toss until well combined. Garnish with furikakeor seeds and serve with avocado.
Recipe Tips for Sesame Noodles Salad
- Feel free to substitute the udon noodles for your favorite noodles, like rice noodles or even spaghetti.
- Drain noodles well because excess water is always the enemy of flavor.
- Substitute soy sauce with tamari if you’re following a gluten-free diet. Also, opt for gluten-free pasta.
- Keep some dressing if you are planning to serve it later, as pasta will soak dressing while sitting in the refrigerator.
- Experiment with a variety of veggies. Add shredded carrots, snap peas, bell pepper, and green onion for a crunchy and refreshing twist.
- Add nuts for a crunchy twist and additional nutrients.
More Vegan Salads Recipes
AUTUMN BUTTERNUT, BEAN & BULGUR SALAD
Sesame Noodles Salad
Ingredients
- 9.5 oz wheat udon noodles
- 2 persian cucumbers chopped..or one English cucumber
- 2 green onions white and green parts chopped
- 2 cups green cabbage chopped
- 2 CUPS broccoli florets
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sesame tahini
- 2 tbsp light sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp furikake or sesame seeds for garnish
- 1.5 avocado for serving
Instructions
- Cook Noodles according to package, add broccoli florets to pot of boiling water for last two minutes of cook time. Drain, rinse with cool water and set aside
- Mix dressing in a large bowl by combining sesame oil, tahini, soy sauce and maple syrup and combining with a whisk
- Mix cucumbers, cabbage and green onion into the bowl with the dressing, tossing well.
- Add noodles and broccoli, toss until well combined.
- Garnish with furikake or seeds and serve with avocado
- Enjoy within 3 days for best quality
Kristy
looks and sounds delicious 😋 unable to purchase fruikake and alternative suggestions please .
Sara Tercero
Sesame seeds or Black sesame seeds are sufficient and easier to find!
Veronica Galarza
Delicious! This salad will be on repeat this summer. I replaced the udon noodles for soba noodles since that was what I had at hand. Fresh, great flavors, and easy to make.
Sara, thank you for your quick response to my message on Instagram about substituting the noodles. I love that your salads are good for a few days. This makes it easy to make extra for lunch.
Sara Tercero
I love it! I want you all to make these recipes your own, substituting the ingredients you have or ones you like better! I agree making bigger batches of healthy salads is the ideal way to nourish yourself, especially if you are the only vegan in the family! Thanks for the feedback and review!
Kelsey
So tasty! I added some chopped Peanuts on top.
Sara Tercero
That sounds great!
Gayle Gebhard
I really enjoyed this recipe and it was easy! I added shredded carrots which made it even prettier. One question though. The ingredients call for light soy sauce but in the instructions it says to add the "light and dark soy sauce." Can you clarify how much total soy sauce is called for? Thanks so much for sharing this!
Sara Tercero
Hi Gayle! Thanks for the feedback and the question. I will head in and correct the recipe now. The original recipe called for both kinds of soy sauce but when I remade it recently I adjusted it to use only the light sodium sauce. Thanks for calling to my attention! 2 tbsp of light sodium soy sauce should be enough for most palettes! Glad you enjoyed it and I love the idea of adding carrots! Thanks for the 5 stars!
Aneeta
This was yum and perfect. Just topped with some green onions, crunchy chopped peanuts and a few drops of chili oil
Sara Tercero
Great additions! I love this one too, super easy and versatile. Thanks for the feedback.
Bernue
I used edamame as suggested. Love this salad especially the dressing
Sara Tercero
So happy you liked it! Thanks for the feedback.