Asian Noodle Salad with Sesame Dressing

This Asian Noodle Salad is made with tender noodles, crunchy cabbage, carrots and scallions tossed in a creamy sesame dressing! It's refreshing, flavorful, and delicious served cold, making it a great side dish for potlucks, cookouts, or an easy lunch.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• About the Sesame Dressing
• About the Ingredients
• Ingredients
• How to Make Asian Noodle Salad
• Make Ahead and Storage
• Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Asian Noodle Salad with Sesame Dressing
• More Delicious Noodle Recipes
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Inspired by Taiwanese Ma Jiang Mian 麻醬麵, this version takes those rich sesame flavors and turns them into a fresh, crunchy noodle salad with cabbage, carrots and scallions.

I originally made this Asian noodle salad to bring to a cookout, and it was such a refreshing side dish alongside all the heavier grilled foods. The dressing is savory, tangy, and just a little sweet, which balances everything really well.

It's also easy to make ahead, making it perfect for cookouts, potlucks, picnics, or anytime you want a chilled noodle side dish.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Refreshing and flavorful: The cold noodles and crunchy vegetables are tossed in a creamy sesame dressing that's savory, tangy, and slightly sweet.
• Great for gatherings: It's easy to make ahead and works especially well for cookouts, potlucks, and picnics.
• Full of texture: Tender noodles, crisp cabbage, carrots, and scallions give every bite a nice mix of soft and crunchy.
• Easy to customize: You can adjust the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and sesame paste to suit your taste, or add chili oil if you want some heat.
• Made without peanuts or tree nuts: The dressing uses sesame paste instead, which can be a good option for gatherings where someone has a nut allergy. Just be sure to check ingredient labels for cross-contact if needed.

About the Sesame Dressing

The sesame paste dressing is inspired by the flavors of Taiwanese Ma Jiang Mian 麻醬麵. While this recipe isn't a traditional Ma Jiang Mian, it has that same rich, nutty sesame flavor paired with soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger.

The dressing is probably my favorite part of this noodle salad. It's made with sesame paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger, with just a little honey or sugar to balance everything out.

Chinese and Taiwanese sesame paste is made from toasted sesame seeds, so it has a deeper, roastier flavor than tahini. Sesame paste loosened with water and seasoned with soy sauce, vinegar and garlic is also commonly used for Chinese and Taiwanese cold sesame noodles.

For this recipe, I make the dressing a little tangy because it works especially well with the crunchy vegetables and makes the noodle salad refreshing rather than too rich.

About the Ingredients

Noodles: This recipe is pretty flexible when it comes to noodles. Chinese wheat noodles, egg noodles, ramen noodles, or even spaghetti can work. Choose a noodle that will hold up well after being rinsed and served cold, and be careful not to overcook it. The specific noodles I used was Taiwan Plain Noodles 台灣油麵.

Cabbage: I used Taiwanese cabbage, which is naturally tender, crisp, and slightly sweet. However, regular green cabbage works perfectly well too. For an even easier option, you can use a bag of pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix!

Carrots: I julienned baby carrots into thin strips for this recipe, but regular carrots work just as well. You can julienne, shred, or thinly slice them depending on your preference and what's easiest. The main thing is to keep the pieces fairly thin so they mix evenly with the noodles.

Scallions: Both the white and green parts can be used. I chop the scallions into thin rounds and mix them throughout the salad, then like to sprinkle a few extra fresh scallions over the top before serving.

Sesame paste: Chinese or Taiwanese sesame paste is made with toasted sesame seeds, giving it a rich, deeply roasted sesame flavor. This HTY sesame paste is the one I used.

It's different from tahini, which generally has a lighter flavor. Tahini can be substituted if necessary, but the finished dressing won't taste quite the same.

Soy sauce: This provides most of the savory, salty flavor in the dressing. You can adjust the amount to taste depending on the type and brand of soy sauce you use. My go to is Wan Ja Shan Soy Sauce.

Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar adds acidity and helps balance the richness of the sesame paste and sesame oil. I like this salad on the tangier side, especially when serving it alongside richer foods. I like to us Marukan Genuine Brewed Rice Vinegar.

Sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil adds even more sesame aroma and flavor. A little goes a long way, so I wouldn't substitute a neutral cooking oil here.

Sugar: A little sugar balances the soy sauce and vinegar without making the noodle salad overly sweet. You can adjust it depending on your preference.

Garlic and ginger: Fresh garlic and ginger add a lot of flavor to the dressing. Since they're used raw, they also give the finished salad a bit of a punch.

Sesame seeds: Sprinkle sesame seeds throughout or over the finished salad for extra sesame flavor and texture.

Ingredients

• 12 oz noodles
• 2 to 3 cups Taiwanese cabbage, thinly sliced
• 2 medium carrots, shredded or julienned
• 3 to 4 scallions, chopped, plus more for garnish if desired
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

For the Sesame Dressing

• 4 tablespoon Chinese or Taiwanese sesame paste
• 4 tablespoon soy sauce
• 4 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1½ tablespoons sugar, or to taste
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 3-5 tablespoon warm water, as needed

How to Make Asian Noodle Salad

Start by cooking the noodles according to the package directions. Once they're tender, drain them and rinse well under cold water. This stops the cooking process and helps cool the noodles down quickly. Let them drain thoroughly before assembling the salad.

While the noodles are cooling, prep the vegetables. Thinly slice the Taiwanese cabbage, shred or julienne the carrots, and chop the scallions.

Next, make the sesame dressing. Combine the sesame paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. Whisk everything together, adding warm water a little at a time until the dressing becomes smooth and easy to pour.

Place the cooled noodles in a large bowl with the cabbage, carrots, and scallions. Pour the sesame dressing over everything and toss well so the noodles and vegetables are evenly coated.

Give the salad a taste and adjust the flavors if needed. You can add a little more soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, or sesame paste depending on whether you want it saltier, tangier, sweeter, or more sesame-forward.

Finish with sesame seeds and, if you'd like, a handful of freshly chopped scallions on top.

If you're making the noodle salad ahead of time, keep it refrigerated until serving. The noodles may soak up some of the dressing as they sit, so you can loosen everything back up with a splash of water or rice vinegar before serving.

Make Ahead and Storage

You can make this Asian noodle salad ahead of time and refrigerate it until you're ready to serve.

Keep in mind that the noodles will continue absorbing the sesame dressing as they sit. If the salad seems a little dry after refrigeration, toss it with a small splash of water or rice vinegar to loosen the dressing again. I also like to sprinkle with some more fresh green onions before serving.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Variations

One of the nice things about this cold noodle salad is how easy it is to customize.

Add cucumber: Julienned cucumber would add even more refreshing crunch.

Make it spicy: Add chili oil or chili crisp to the sesame dressing.

Add protein: Shredded chicken, tofu, sliced egg, or edamame can turn it into a light meal.

Try different vegetables: Bell peppers, bean sprouts, or other crunchy vegetables would work well too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Asian noodle salad ahead of time?

Yes! You can make this noodle salad several hours ahead or the night before. Keep it covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The noodles will absorb some of the dressing as they sit, so toss everything again before serving and add a small splash of water or rice vinegar if needed.

What kind of noodles are best for Asian noodle salad?

Chinese wheat noodles, egg noodles, ramen noodles, or even spaghetti can all work. I recommend using a noodle that holds up well after being rinsed and chilled.

Do I need to rinse the noodles after cooking?

Yes. Rinsing the noodles under cold running water stops the cooking process, cools them down, and removes some of the excess starch so they do not stick together as much.

What is Chinese or Taiwanese sesame paste?

Chinese and Taiwanese sesame paste is made from toasted sesame seeds, which gives it a deeper, more roasted flavor than tahini. It is commonly used in cold noodle dishes, dipping sauces, and other savory recipes.

Can I use tahini instead of sesame paste?

Yes, but the flavor will be a little different. Tahini is usually made from untoasted or more lightly toasted sesame seeds, so it has a milder flavor. You may want to adjust the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, or sugar to taste.

Is this Asian noodle salad nut-free?

This recipe does not contain peanuts or tree nuts. It uses sesame paste, which is made from sesame seeds rather than nuts. If you're cooking for someone with a severe allergy, be sure to check the labels on your sesame paste, soy sauce, noodles, and other packaged ingredients for possible cross-contact warnings.

Can I make this noodle salad spicy?

Absolutely. Add chili oil, chili crisp, or your favorite hot sauce to the dressing. You can also serve chili oil on the side so everyone can adjust the heat level themselves.

What vegetables can I add?

Cucumber, bell peppers, bean sprouts, shredded napa cabbage, or other crunchy vegetables would all work well. You can also swap the Taiwanese cabbage for another type of cabbage if needed.

Can I add protein?

Yes! I actually added cooked shrimp to the leftovers and served it as a meal. Shredded chicken, tofu, edamame, sliced egg, or shrimp would all work well and make the noodle salad more filling.

How long does Asian noodle salad last?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The noodles may absorb more dressing over time, so stir in a splash of water or rice vinegar before serving again.

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