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    Home » Vegan

    25 Minute Sesame Noodle Salad [Vegan!]

    Published: Apr 9, 2021 » Modified: Jan 13, 2022 » By: Kylie » This post may contain affiliate links. » 39 Comments

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    Ready in just 25 minutes, this sesame noodle salad is simple, easy to make, and DELICIOUS. It's - dare I say - my most favorite meal prep recipe during the busy work week! This cold noodle salad is loaded with fresh veggies and homemade sesame ginger dressing that takes just minutes to make!

    Large white serving platter filled with sesame noodle salad garnished with green onions
    Table of Contents show
    You Will Love This
    Ingredients and Substitutions
    Instructions
    Tips
    FAQ
    More Pasta Salads
    Sesame Ginger Noodle Salad [Vegan]

    You Will Love This

    • It's quick and easy. If you need a last-minute side dish for that backyard barbecue you forgot about, this is the noodle salad for you! Your friends are going to love it and I can almost guarantee they'll be asking you for the recipe! Looking for more pasta salads? Try my Vegan Peanut Noodle Salad, Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad, or my Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad!
    • The flavors are AMAZING. The tahini, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce come together to make the most delicious dressing you've ever tasted. You might want to just drink it straight from the mason jar - it's sooooo good!
    • It's perfect for meal prep. This sesame ginger noodle salad is on permanent rotation in my meal prep lineup. I make it at least once a month and I'm always sad when it's gone. The flavors just get better with time and I look forward to eating it all week!
    White marble counter top with ingredients to make sesame noodle salad

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Spaghetti Noodles - I like spaghetti noodles for this cold noodle salad but you can use whatever pasta you've got on hand.
    • Red Pepper - Red bell peppers are the sweetest (because they’ve been allowed to ripen longest on the vine), but you can use any type of bell pepper for this recipe.
    • Cabbage - Cabbage has a fresh, peppery flavor and purple cabbage adds a beautiful purple color to the noodle salad.
    • Carrots - A bag of pre-shredded carrots is perfect for this recipe! They’re usually thicker than you can shred carrots at home on a box grater, so they hold up really well in this dish.
    • Edamame - Edamame are immature soybeans, and they pack a lot of flavor and nutritional value. They’re commonly sold in their pods, but look for shelled edamame to save prep time. They're typically located in the freezer section at the grocery store. Just cook according to package directions and then cool.
    • Green Onion - Green onions, or scallions, smell like onions when they’re fresh, but the green stalks have a much more fresh, “green” flavor. You could use chives instead.
    • Soy Sauce - The umami flavor of soy sauce is the base for this dressing. I like a low-sodium soy sauce for this cold noodle dish because there are lots of flavors and you really don’t need the extra salt.
    • Rice Vinegar - Rice vinegar looks a lot like white vinegar, but has a very distinct, somewhat sweet flavor. You can use seasoned or unseasoned rice vinegar. You could use white wine vinegar in a pinch, but you’ll end up with a different flavor.
    • Tahini or Peanut Butter - You can use either peanut butter or tahini for this recipe and you’ll end up with a very similar result. Tahini will give you more sesame flavor. 
    • Brown Sugar - You can use white sugar if you don’t have brown, but the molasses in brown sugar really adds more depth of flavor.
    • Ground Ginger - Ground ginger works best for this dressing as opposed to fresh ginger, because it blends in easily and gives just the right amount of ginger flavor.
    • Garlic Powder - As above, we want these spices to really dissolve into the sauce, so garlic powder is better than fresh garlic. 
    • Sesame Oil - Sesame oil rounds out the flavors in this cold noodle salad dressing. It has a strong, distinct aroma and flavor. You can use a good, organic olive oil if you need a substitute, but you’ll lose the nuttiness that sesame oil offers.

    Instructions

    Combine salad dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake until emulsified.

    Overhead shot of a mason jar filled with sesame ginger dressing

    Add noodles and veggies to a large bowl. Pour dressing over salad.

    Large glass bowl filled with ingredients to make sesame noodle salad

    Toss to coat evenly.

    Large glass bowl filled with ingredients to make sesame noodle salad

    Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy!

    Large white serving platter filled with sesame noodle salad garnished with green onions

    Tips

    • Make sure you cook your pasta just al dente. Nothing ruins a pasta salad more than overcooked pasta. I always cook my pasta for the minimum time listed on the instructions (sometimes even a minute or two less). This ensures that the pasta still has a bit of a bite and will not become mushy when you add the dressing.
    • If you'll be eating this salad as a meal prep recipe, just add half the dressing initially. Then add a little more each day just before eating so that the pasta salad doesn't get soggy and the flavors stay fresh! The dressing will stay good in the fridge for up to 5 days.
    Large white plate filled with sesame noodle salad garnished with green onions

    FAQ

    How long do cold sesame noodles last?

    This cold sesame noodle salad will stay delicious in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. It'll keep even better if you store the noodles and sauce separately (so the noodles don't get soggy). If you think you might have leftovers that need to stay in the fridge for more than a day or two, try adding the dressing just before serving instead of adding it straight to the whole batch of pasta salad.

    Can you freeze sesame noodles?

    Technically, you can freeze noodles for up to 2 months, but I don't recommend it as it can lead to soggy noodles once they're defrosted. These cold sesame noodles taste best when eaten within 5 days of making them!

    More Pasta Salads

    • 20 Minute Vegan Pasta Salad
    • Easy 20 Minute Greek Orzo Salad
    • 25 Minute Taco Pasta Salad
    • 30 Minute BLT Pasta Salad

    Questions?
    Leave a comment below!
    Liked the recipe?
    Leave a comment below!
    Made this dish?
    Leave a comment and star rating below!

    Print

    Sesame Ginger Noodle Salad [Vegan]

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    ★★★★★

    5 from 15 reviews

    This vegan sesame ginger pasta salad is loaded with fresh vegetables and homemade dressing for a healthy take on a classic pasta salad.

    • Author: Kylie
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 10 minutes
    • Total Time: 25 minutes
    • Yield: 8 servings 1x
    • Category: Side Dish
    • Method: Stove Top
    • Cuisine: American/Asian
    • Diet: Vegan

    Ingredients

    Scale

    Pasta Salad

    • 16 oz. spaghetti
    • 1 cup red pepper, thinly sliced
    • 1 cup purple cabbage, thinly sliced
    • 1 cup shredded carrots
    • 1.5 cups shelled edamame
    • 3 stalks green onion, thinly sliced
    • ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

    For dressing:

    • 1 cup low sodium soy sauce
    • ⅓ cup rice vinegar
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons tahini (or peanut butter)
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • Kosher salt
    • fresh cracked pepper

    Instructions

    1. Cook pasta until al dente. Toss in olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in the fridge to cool while you prep the other ingredients. 
    2. Add pasta, pepper, cabbage, carrots, edamame, and green onion to a large bowl.
    3. Add all dressing ingredients to a large mason jar and shake it until smooth and creamy. 
    4. Pour dressing over the pasta salad and toss to coat evenly. 
    5. Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy!

    Equipment

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    Notes

    Make sure you cook your pasta just al dente. Nothing ruins a pasta salad more than overcooked pasta. I always cook my pasta for the minimum time listed on the instructions (sometimes even a minute or two less). This ensures that the pasta still has a bit of a bite and will not become mushy when you add the dressing.

    If you'll be eating this salad as a meal prep recipe, just add half the dressing initially. Then add a little more each day just before eating so that the pasta salad doesn't get soggy and the flavors stay fresh! The dressing will stay good in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 392
    • Sugar: 5.1 g
    • Sodium: 1168.8 mg
    • Fat: 13.5 g
    • Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
    • Trans Fat: 0 g
    • Carbohydrates: 53.8 g
    • Fiber: 5 g
    • Protein: 14.9 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: cold noodle salad, Thai pasta salad

    This post was originally published in April 2018. It was updated in April 2021 to include process shots and detailed tips on how to make the perfect pasta salad.

    « One-Pot Vegan Chickpea Soup Recipe
    Slow Cooker Braised Beef Short Ribs Recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Pixie

      August 06, 2022 at 11:36 am

      Could this be made without the olive oil? Maybe sub with water or more Tahini? I will still use the sesame oil for the flavor.
      Thanks, recipe looks delicious.

      Reply
      • Kylie

        August 06, 2022 at 11:46 am

        I think you could definitely try it without olive oil - especially if you're still keeping the sesame oil. Water or tahini or a bit of extra lime juice might do the trick!

        Reply
    2. Diane

      April 29, 2022 at 3:24 pm

      I made this for a get together and never tried it before so was apprehensive. Got rave reviews, got a request to make again for another party tomorrow. Everyone LOVED it.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. cheriede

      June 13, 2021 at 11:10 am

      I want to make this for Father's day -- could I use Amino's or Tamari. If I use Tamari - how much, since I know it is saltier than Soy Sauce? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Kylie

        June 13, 2021 at 2:09 pm

        I think either would work great in place of the soy sauce! I don't work with Amino's very often but if you're substituting with Tamari you can use the same amount that is called for in the recipe! If using Amino's, I'd try starting with half the amount of what's called for and go from there. Great question, Cherie!

        Reply
    4. CJ

      June 08, 2019 at 9:52 am

      I agree this recipe looks awesome! I wish people would avoid rating your recipes without actually making it; in my opinion, this practice dilutes the recipe’s high rating.

      Reply
      • Kylie Lato

        June 10, 2019 at 7:38 am

        Thanks CJ!

        Reply
    5. Jo

      May 26, 2019 at 10:27 pm

      I love Asian flavors and I loooove noodles. So this salad is something I would want to eat every single day. Looks absolutely delicious and filling too.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie Lato

        May 27, 2019 at 8:49 am

        Thanks Jo!

        Reply
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    HELLO FROM THE MIDWEST - I'm Kylie and as a mom and blogger, I understand how hard it can be to get a wholesome dinner on the table at the end of a long day. Here at Midwest Foodie, I focus on sharing simple recipes that make it easy to feed your family real food.

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