This delicious cold Asian Pasta Salad recipe is super addictive and incredibly easy to make! This recipe is so bright, healthy, flavorful, and packed with beautiful Asian flavors! You have the saltiness of the soy sauce, the crunch from the vegetables, and the richness of the noodles! The perfect quick lunch, dinner, or snack!
This recipe is so flavorful! Layers of salty, savory, and sweet flavors! Asian noodle salad is also perfect for holidays, pot lucks, BBQ's, and other family get-togethers. This recipe also travels well, and perfect to make ahead of time!
I often eat this as my lunch because it keeps in the fridge all week and is so quick to spoon into a bowl. Also, it gets better and better the next day especially after it is kept in the fridge overnight. So good!
For another delicious, and quick, cold recipe, see my easy cold bean salad!
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Asian Pasta Salad Ingredients
The best thing about this recipe is that most of the ingredients are already in your fridge and pantry! For this healthy, and flavorful recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- Soy sauce-For this recipe I used soy-free soy sauce, but feel free to use your favorite soy sauce.
- Sesame oil-The sesame oil in this recipe is so flavorful and adds that perfect Asian flavor!
- Peanut butter-You can use peanut butter powder, peanut butter, or almond butter for this recipe and it will taste amazing!
- Rice wine vinegar-The rice wine vinegar adds that perfect bright sweetness to this Asian noodle salad. If you do not have rice wine vinegar, you can substitute with white wine vinegar.
- Honey-I used honey in this recipe, but feel free to also use maple syrup, agave nectar, or brown sugar.
- Peppers-Use your favorite colorful recipes for this recipe and be sure to slice them super thin for this recipe!
- Green onions-If you do not have green onions, or scallions, feel free to use thinly sliced onions as a substitute.
- Red cabbage-You can also use regular thinly slice cabbage if you do not have red cabbage on hand.
- Carrots-I used shredded carrots for this recipe and highly recommend this, or you can also use a peeler to use carrot ribbons in your recipe.
- Noodles-Use your favorite pasta or noodles! I used a higher protein pasta for this recipe but you can also use soba noodles or rice noodles as well!
- Optional-Top with optional toppings like sesame seeds, garlic powder, or sriracha!
See recipe card for additional details and quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
For the full instructions and measurements for how to make this delicious recipe, please skip down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
Use the following step-by-step instructions for how to make this delicious cold Asian pasta salad recipe:
Whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, rice wine vinegar, and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl. Mix until fully combined.
Add your cooked, and drained pasta, shredded carrots, sliced red cabbage, sliced bell pepper, and diced scallions.
Toss all of the ingredients together until all ingredients are fully incorporated in the Asian dressing.
Store in the fridge until read to serve. Then enjoy!
Hint: For this recipe, to make it even quicker, feel free to use prepared coleslaw mix! It includes pre-shredded cabbage and carrots already and would make this recipe even easier to whip up!
Asian Pasta Substitutions
This Asian recipe is so versatile. While this recipe is naturally vegetarian, it allows for many substitutions and is fully customizable for any diet:
- Gluten-free - instead of using soba noodles or regular pasta noodles, substitute with gluten-free pasta or rice noodles!
- Vegan - use maple syrup, date syrup, or agave nectar as a vegan-friendly sweetener instead of the honey in this recipe.
- High-protein - this recipe is would be perfect with the addition of grilled chicken or shrimp! You can also use a high-protein pasta as well!
For another delicious Asian recipe, see my fried shrimp wonton appetizer recipe!
Cold Asian Salad Variations
This recipe is easily customizable with multiple variations of serving suggestions and optional ingredients.
Feel free to to use the following variations:
- Spinach
- Bean sprouts
- Bok choy
- Mint
- Parsley
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Cucumbers
- Zucchini
- Chicken
- Shrimp
- Sriracha
You could also add beans like Edamame to this Asian salad as well! For another cold salad recipe, see my: Cold Bean Salad Recipe!
Equipment
The best part about this recipe is that the only equipment required is one large mixing bowl! How easy is that!
Optional equipment: Storage containers, mason jars, or serving spoons. I love to store this Asian pasta salad in bento boxes for easy lunches for the week, mason jars for gifts, or large bowls for serving at dinner!
Storage
Store in the fridge, in an air tight container, for up to 5-7 days. This recipe gets better and better after storing in the fridge overnight. Perfect for a quick supper side dish, or easy lunch!
These delicious recipe can hold up to freezing in an air tight container for up to 3 months!
Top tips
- I love to store this cold salad in bento boxes for easy lunches for the week, mason jars for gifts, or large bowls for serving at dinner!
- For this recipe, to make it even quicker, feel free to use prepared coleslaw mix! It includes pre-shredded cabbage and carrots already and would make this recipe even easier to whip up!
- This recipe gets better and better after storing in the fridge overnight.
Frequent Asked Questions (FAQs)
You can eat Asian noodles hot or cold but traditionally Asian noodles are consumed chilled. Asian noodles are very versatile and are delicious both hot and cold.
While all pasta noodles can be eaten cold. Traditionally, Asian noodles are consumed chilled. Asian noodles consist of soba noodles, rice noodles, and ramen noodles.
Asian noodle, or cold pasta, salads typically go great with cold noodles! The noodles absorb all of the Asian flavors and are typically paired with vegetables and various protein sources.
Related
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Easy Cold Asian Pasta Salad Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Medium saucepan For cooking the pasta
- 1 Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
Asian Noodle Salad
- 6 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Honey or your preferred sweetener
- 1 tablespoon Rice wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoon Peanut butter powder or your favorite nut butter
- 4 Cups Pasta or your favorite Asian noodles
- 4 Scallions diced
- 1 Bell pepper sliced thinly
- 2 Cups Red cabbage Thinly sliced
- 2 Cups Carrots Shredded
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha Optional
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder Optional
Instructions
Asian Noodle Salad
- Preheat a medium pot filled ⅔'s of the way with water to a boil. Add your desired noodles and cook according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Slice your red cabbage and bell pepper thinly. Set aside. Prep your shredded carrots and dice your scallions. Set aside.
- Whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, rice wine vinegar, and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl. Mix until fully combined.
- Add your cooked, and drained pasta, shredded carrots, sliced red cabbage, sliced bell pepper, and diced scallions.
- Toss all of the ingredients together until all ingredients are fully incorporated in the Asian dressing.
- Store in the fridge until read to serve. Then enjoy!
Sandra
Made this at home. was great for lunchtime and tastes great!