This easy Asian noodle salad recipe is ramen noodles and colorful veggies all tossed in a sesame hoisin dressing. The perfect side dish for any summer celebration!
I could eat a salad every day all summer long, some of my favorites include pesto pasta salad and chickpea salad. This easy noodle salad is full of fresh flavors and is always a crowd pleaser.
I am all about the salads this summer, and the more colorful, the better! This Asian noodle salad is chock full of a variety of rainbow vegetables which are combined with ramen noodles and coated in the most amazing hoisin dressing for the ultimate salad. Serve your salad with other warm weather favorites such as huli huli chicken, grilled beef bulgogi or classic succotash.
Table of Contents
Asian Noodle Salad Ingredients
To make this cold noodle salad recipe, you will need ramen noodles, purple cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, edamame, sesame seeds, green onions, cilantro and peanuts. The dressing consists of hoisin sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, soy sauce, ginger, salt and black pepper. See the recipe card below for amounts and details.
- Cabbage: Look for a small purple cabbage that has crisp leaves and doesn’t have blemishes.
- Bell Peppers: I always look for brightly colored bell peppers so the color of the diced bell peppers stands out in the salad.
- Ramen: You can find dried packages of ramen in the international aisle of most grocery stores.
How Do You Make Asian Noodle Salad?
To make this Asian noodle salad recipe, start by cooking the ramen noodles in a large pot. While the noodles are cooking, whisk together all the salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Drain the noodles in a colander. Run cold water over the noodles to cool them, then place the drained and cool noodles in a large bowl. Add the cabbage, carrot, bell peppers and edamame to the bowl. Next add the green onions and cilantro. Pour the dressing over the noodle mixture, then toss everything gently to coat. Add a topping of sesame seeds and chopped peanuts, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Asian Noodle Salad
- No ramen noodles on hand? Try a different kind of Asian style noodle such as yakitori or lo mein noodles. Rice noodles or soba noodles will also work. Be sure to check your local Asian market for a wide variety of both fresh and dried noodles. Spaghetti can also be used in a pinch.
- You can shred your own purple cabbage or buy packaged pre-shredded cabbage to save time.
- I use a mandoline to shave my carrots and cabbage into thin pieces.
- Edamame can be found in the freezer section of most grocery stores. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, or dunk them in boiling water.
- This Asian noodle salad will stay fresh in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Be aware that the noodles will continue to absorb the dressing as the salad sits in the fridge.
Quick Tip
The peanuts add great texture and flavor to the salad. If you have a peanut allergy, you can use cashews or almonds, or simply omit the nuts altogether.
Recipe FAQs
Noodle salad consists of cooked noodles and vegetables that are typically tossed in an oil based dressing. This type of salad can also contain other ingredients such as fresh herbs and chicken.
The “sauce” in Asian noodle salad is a tangy salad dressing made with hoisin sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey and soy sauce.
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Flavor Variations
While this Asian pasta salad is fabulous as-is, you can easily add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your taste.
- Protein: Make your side dish into a main course by adding shredded chicken, cooked shrimp, or diced tofu.
- Grains: You can make this Asian noodle salad with rice instead of noodles.
- Vegetables: You can use other veggies such as baby spinach, bean sprouts, snap peas, avocado, cucumber or corn. I also sometimes add some canned mandarin oranges.
- Toppings: Feel free to finish your salad with other garnishes such as crispy wonton strips or furikake seasoning. You could also add black sesame seeds for more color.
- Dressing: You can add more zest to the dressing with fresh garlic, lime juice or even creamy peanut butter.
- Spicy: Increase the heat by adding some red pepper flakes or sriracha sauce to your dressing.
I love this Asian noodle salad. It is packed full of flavor, yet can be put together in no time and is always the hit of any party. You can’t go wrong with this salad and your guests will most definitely be asking for the recipe!
More Great Salad Recipes
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Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page
Asian Noodle Salad
Ingredients
- 4 3-ounce packages dried ramen noodles (seasoning packs discarded)
- 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1 red bell pepper finely diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper finely diced
- 1 cup edamame
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
- 1/3 cup chopped peanuts
For the dressing:
- 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions.
- While ramen noodles are cooking, in a small bowl whisk together the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, soy sauce, ginger and salt and pepper. Set dressing aside.
- Run cold water over the noodles to cool them to room temperature, and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the cabbage, carrot, bell peppers, edamame, green onions and cilantro to the bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the noodle mixture and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and peanuts and serve.
Notes
- Leftovers will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- No ramen noodles on hand? You can use a different type of Asian noodle such as lo mein noodles, yakisoba or even spaghetti in a pinch.
I made a double recipe of this Asian Noodle Salad for our family. It was so delicious!! I hadn’t used hoisin sauce previously and was a bit apprehensive whether I’d like it, however it earned rave reviews and is a new family favorite. I did use fresh ramen noodles which I boiled for about 30 secs. This gave it a really nice chew texture. Thank you for sharing the recipe and all your hard work posting it!! I will definitely be making this again!!
I love using ramen noodles as a crunchy addition to any dish, and they work so well in this noodle salad! I love the flavors, light and slightly tangy, and the crunch is so satisfying. A new favorite summer side!
Thank you for sharing this gem of a recipe. It has become a go-to favorite in my household, and I can’t wait to make it again and again. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a delicious and refreshing salad that brings the flavors of Asia right to their plate! Bravo!
Wonderful flavor. Thanks for all the tips on variations!
This is one of my all-time favorite noodle salads of any kind! It is so good, and I love how healthy it is, too.
Colorful and refreshing salad recipe, Thanks for sharing.
Can you make this a day ahead of time?
You can prepare all components ahead of time but I’d wait to assemble it all until an hour or two ahead of time, otherwise the noodles will absorb all the dressing.
This was amazing! I cut recipe in half for my husband and I and served with Asian grilled chicken thighs. I will definitely be making this again!
I made this much easier on myself by using pre-packaged coleslaw mix that has red cabbage and carrots in it. I also added 1/2 tsp. white sugar to white vinegar, since I didn’t have rice wine vinegar on hand, and cashews instead of peanuts. We thought it was very good. I would make the dressing again and again. Great stuff.
This is my all time favorite salad! And the hoisin sauce was perfection!
Brought this to a potluck last weekend and everyone LOVED it.
This is a must for summer get togethers, so easy and so good!
This is one of my favorites! Such great flavor – I could eat the whole bowl! 🙂
This dish is so colorful and delicious – we loved it!
Sounds good but I am not a ramen noodle fan. Wonder what would be a good substitute
You can use soba noodles, chow mein noodles, rice noodles, or any other thinner Asian style noodle.
I just threw this together for lunch with my kiddos and it is so yummy! I added some chopped chicken breast to complete the meal and my kids and I loved it! I will definitely be making this again! Thanks!
Potluck favorite! Always a crowd pleaser
This looks amazing! My friends would just love this yummy salad !
I’m definitely making this for a 2nd of July party we are headed to. Love this Hosin sauce!