Noodle salad
Noodle salad is a dish that can be traced back to ancient China, where it was a popular way to use up leftover noodles. The dish eventually made its way to Japan, where it became a popular lunch dish. Noodle salad recipes began appearing in American cookbooks in the early 1900s, and the dish became a popular potluck and picnic food. Today, there are countless variations of noodle salad, from simple dishes made with just a few ingredients to more complex salads with multiple layers of flavor. Whether you prefer your noodle salad cold or hot, there's a recipe out there for everyone.
Advice
When making noodle salad, it's important to focus on the flavors and textures of the ingredients. Start with a good quality noodle, such as soba, udon, or buckwheat. Cook the noodles according to the directions on the package and then rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking and keep them from sticking together. Next, add a variety of fresh vegetables such as carrots, cucumber, bell pepper, and scallions. For added flavor and texture, add some nuts or seeds, such as sesame, almonds, or cashews. Finally, mix together a flavorful dressing made with a good quality oil, such as sesame or olive oil, and a few other ingredients like soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey. Mix all the ingredients together and serve the noodle salad chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Questions
What are the five mistakes to avoid pasta salad?
1. Not using enough dressing: Pasta salad needs a generous helping of dressing to give it flavor and texture. Make sure to use enough dressing to coat all the pasta. 2. Overcooking the pasta: If the pasta is overcooked, it will be mushy and lose its texture. Cook the pasta just until it’s al dente and then rinse with cold water to stop it from cooking further. 3. Not seasoning the ingredients: Don’t forget to season the pasta, vegetables and dressing. Salt and pepper are essential, but you can also experiment with other herbs and spices. 4. Not mixing the ingredients properly: Make sure to mix the ingredients together evenly so they are distributed throughout the salad. 5. Not refrigerating before serving: Pasta salad needs to be chilled before serving to let the flavors mingle and the dressing to thicken.
What is Thai noodle salad made of?
Thai noodle salad is typically made with rice noodles, cucumber, bell pepper, carrots, spring onions, peanuts, cilantro, and a dressing of lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar. It can also include additional ingredients such as shrimp, chicken, beef, tofu, or egg.
Is it better to make pasta salad the night before?
Yes, it is usually better to make pasta salad the night before so that the flavors have time to blend together.
Is pasta salad served hot or cold?
Pasta salad is usually served cold.
Why do they say not to rinse pasta?
Rinsing pasta can remove the starch that helps the sauce adhere to the pasta. It also removes some of the flavor. Since pasta should be served with a sauce, it is best to leave the starch on the pasta for maximum flavor.
Should you rinse pasta for a pasta salad?
Yes, it is recommended to rinse pasta for pasta salad. This helps to remove the starch and keep the pasta from sticking together. It also helps to cool the pasta down so it is easier to handle and mix with other ingredients.
Jump to: Ingredient Breakdown Insights
Recipes
Cold Noodle Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce
- SALAD
- cilantro
- salt
- sesame oil
- bell pepper
- lime
- zucchini
- soba noodle
- peanut
- green onion
- radish
- SPICY PEANUT SAUCE
- sesame oil
- garlic
- peanut butter
- soy sauce
- lime juice
- maple syrup
- chili oil
Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef and Noodle Salad
- STIR-FRY
- cilantro
- bean sprout
- beef skirt steak
- demerara
- length daikon radish
- little gem
- carrot
- cucumber
- rice vermicelli noodle
- fish sauce
- vegetable oil
- lemon grass
- garlic
- peanut
- fried shallot
- green onion
- DIPPING SAUCE
- length ginger
- hot red
- hot red chile
- garlic
- rice vinegar
- fish sauce
- demerara
- lime juice
Japanese-Style Tuna Noodle Salad
- DRESSING
- mirin
- soy sauce
- sweet miso
- canola oil
- rice wine vinegar
- sesame oil
- SALAD
- tuna
- wakame seaweed
- sesame seed
- green onion
- udon noodle
Vegetable Noodle Salad With Sesame Vinaigrette
- salt
- white sesame seed
- angel hair pasta
- garlic
- onion
- soy sauce
- green onion
- white vinegar
- safflower
- sesame oil
- ginger
- red
- cherry tomato
- snap pea
Tangy Pork Noodle Salad With Lime and Lots of Herbs
- salt
- lime
- red pepper flake
- mung
- cucumber
- ground pork
- honey
- lime zest
- ginger
- cilantro
- mint
- serrano chile
- cherry tomato
- shallot
- romaine
- fish sauce
- orange juice
- garlic
- green onion
- lime juice
- safflower oil
- pad thai
Fresh and Easy Vietnamese Noodle Salad
- bean sprout
- fish sauce
- rice vinegar
- asian vermicelli noodles rice
- cilantro
- red pepper
- carrot
- garlic
- cucumber
- sugar
- green onion
- lime
Rice Noodle Salad With Salted Peanuts and Herbs
- GARNISH
- lettuce
- cucumber
- peanut
- green onion
- hard-boiled egg
- DRESSING
- ginger
- garlic
- fish sauce
- bird eye
- grapeseed
- lime juice
- SALAD
- radish
- carrot
- rice wine vinegar
- salt
- sugar
- pad thai rice noodle
Noodle Salad with Chicken and Chile-Scallion Oil
- cilantro
- ginger
- sichuan peppercorn
- sesame oil
- vegetable oil
- english hothouse cucumber
- chicken
- red pepper flake
- soy sauce
- rice vinegar
- sugar
- garlic
- green onion
- star anise pod
- radish
- japanese wheat noodle
Rice Noodle Salad With Crispy Tofu and Lime-Peanut Dressing
- DRESSING
- salt
- garlic
- asian hot pepper oil
- unrefined expeller
- lime juice
- grapeseed oil
- rice vinegar
- CRISPY TOFU AND SALAD
- peanut
- peanut oil
- bell pepper
- cilantro
- tofu
- chive
- romaine lettuce
- rice noodle
Chicken Noodle Salad With Creamy Sesame Dressing
- DRESSING
- salt
- sesame oil
- soy sauce
- rice wine vinegar
- chicken broth
- cayenne pepper
- hot red pepper oil
- ginger
- tahini
Spicy Lobster-Noodle Salad
- elderflower cordial
- sambal oelek
- red chile
- bell pepper
- live lobster
- peanut
- olive oil
- asian sesame oil
- honey
- cilantro
- mint
- avocado
- shallot
- fish sauce
- lime juice
- cellophane noodle
- garlic
- salt
Thai Rice Noodle Salad With Chili-Lime Vinaigrette
- shrimp
- carrot
- bell pepper
- orange bell pepper
- basil
- lime juice
- peanut
- bean sprout
- garlic
- tomato
- sugar
- fish sauce
- soy sauce
- green onion
- vermicelli rice noodle
Buckwheat Noodle Salad
- honey
- sugar
- carrot
- bell pepper
- buckwheat noodle
- canola oil
- cilantro
- rice vinegar
- english cucumber
- ginger
- tamari
- chili sauce
- sesame oil
- green onion
Cellophane Noodle Salad With Cabbage
- salt
- cilantro
- lime juice
- red pepper flake
- green cabbage
- peanut
- thai chile
- ginger
- egg
- garlic
- rice vinegar
- sunflower oil
- cellophane noodle
Satay Chicken Noodle Salad
- oil
- sesame oil
- garlic
- red chilli
- egg noodle
- sriracha
- curry powder
- chicken breast
- salt
- peanut butter
- green cabbage
- red cabbage
- lime juice
- soy sauce
- water
- brown sugar
- sweet soy sauce kecap mani
- carrot
- scallion shallot
- peanut
- coconut milk
- salt
Asian Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe
- edamame bean
- black sesame seed
- ramen noodle
- mandarin orange
- coleslaw
- almond
- grapeseed oil
- light soy sauce
- sugar
- sesame oil
- green onion
- rice vinegar
- black pepper
Thai Steak and Noodle Salad
- salt
- salt
- lime
- cherry tomato
- honey
- ginger
- avocado
- garlic
- mango
- cilantro
- basil
- black pepper
- garlic powder
- sesame oil
- arugula
- watercress
- coconut flake
- peanut
- lime juice
- hot chili paste
- olive oil
- peanut oil
- soy sauce
- mint
- savoy cabbage
- lo mein noodle
- fish sauce
- sugar
- carrot
- green onion
- light brown sugar
- files mignon
Bright and Spicy Shrimp Noodle Salad
- salt
- basil
- fish sauce
- ginger
- english hothouse cucumber
- garlic
- shrimp
- serrano chile
- peanut
- lime juice
- honey
- olive oil
- bean thread noodle
Chilled Peanut Chicken Noodle Salad
- salt
- lime
- cilantro
- chicken breast
- bell pepper
- romaine heart
- peanut butter
- rice vinegar
- soy sauce
- sriracha
- persian cucumber
- green onion
- rice noodle
30 Minute Asian Basil Beef and Mango Noodle Salad.
- ground beef
- ginger
- cilantro
- lemongrass
- mango
- bell pepper
- soy sauce
- sweet thai chili sauce
- green
- carrot
- garlic
- green onion
- basil
- rice noodle
- lime juice
- red fresno pepper
Spicy Peanut Noodle Salad With Cucumbers, Red Peppers, and Basil (Vegan) Recipe
- To Assemble
- basil
- mung bean sprout
- cucumber
- red thai bird chili
- peanut
- jalapeño
- yellow bell pepper
- green onion
- Dressing
- sugar
- sesame seed oil
- garlic
- peanut butter
- lime juice
- chili sauce
- soy sauce
- water
- noodle
Buckwheat Noodle Salad with Shrimp
- shrimp
- honey
- garlic
- green pea
- rice vinegar
- salt
- vegetable oil
- red pepper flake
- hot chili oil
- olive oil
- tahini paste
- white miso
- buckwheat noodle
- morel mushroom
- pea shoot
- sal
Noodle Salad With Creamy Sesame Peanut Dressing
- canola oil
- sesame oil
- sriracha
- white sesame seed
- garlic
- peanut butter
- carrot
- green bean
- red bell pepper capsicum
- beansprout
- lime juice
- soy sauce
- sweet chilli sauce
- water
- green onion
- egg noodle
Weeknight Steak and Rice Noodle Salad
- salt
- daikon
- garlic
- mint
- peanut
- skirt steak
- napa cabbage
- lime juice
- vegetable oil
- cucumber
- fish sauce
- honey
- serrano chile
- rice noodle
Vietnamese Garlic Shrimp (Prawn) Noodle Salad
- carrot
- sugar
- olive oil
- red chili
- garlic
- beansprout
- cucumber
- shrimp
- coriander
- fish sauce
- lime juice
- mint
- salt
- rice vinegar
- garlic
- rice vermicelli noodle
- iceberg lettuce
Vermicelli Noodle Salad
- birds eye chilli
- garlic
- vermicelli noodle
- bean sprout
- carrot
- grapeseed oil
- sugar
- cilantro
- green cabbage
- light soy sauce
- rice wine vinegar
- green onion
- fried asian shallot
- red chilli
Summer Roll Rice Noodle Salad
- cilantro
- rice vinegar
- salt
- sriracha
- plump garlic clove
- shallot
- moon cucumber
- matchstick carrot
- lime juice
- ginger
- agave nectar
- vegetable oil avocado
- almond butter
- green onion
- rice stir fry noodle
- peanut
- green
- sesame seed
- red chili pepper
Chang's Crispy Noodle Salad
- chinese cabbage
- changand# noodle
- almond
- soy sauce
- sugar
- sesame oil
- white vinegar
- olive oil
- green onion
Vietnamese Noodle Salad With Lemongrass Beef (Bun Bo Xao)
- lemongrass
- nước mắm
- peanut oil
- peanut
- garlic
- finger chile
- cucumber
- nước mắm pha
- pickled carrot
- fried shallot
- herb
- beef sirloin
- rice noodle
Cold Soba Noodle Salad Recipe
- ginger
- rice wine vinegar
- sesame seed
- chili sauce
- honey
- sesame oil
- lime
- red
- grapeseed
- cilantro
- carrot
- persian cucumber
- spring onion
- radish
- soba noodle
- salt
Rainbow Thai Basil Noodle Salad with Sesame Vinaigrette
- mango
- ginger
- edamame
- rice noodle
- garlic
- truth tahini
- fish sauce
- honey
- bell pepper
- lemongrass
- carrot
- basil
- kale
- green onion
- juice
- fresno pepper
Pad Thai Noodle Salad
- cilantro
- celery
- galangal
- bell pepper
- water
- basil
- peanut
- tamarind paste
- fish sauce
- brown sugar
- thai chili sauce
- vegetable oil
- shrimp
- bean sprout
- spring onion
- garlic
- rice noodle
Cool and Crunchy Thai Noodle Salad
- ginger
- tamari
- garlic
- cilantro
- onion
- red
- thai peanut sauce
- green
- peanut
- maple syrup
- peanut oil
- korean chili pepper
- lime juice
- green onion
- red
- udon
Soba Noodle Salad with Smoked Duck
- hot sauce
- smoked duck
- chive
- rice vinegar
- asian sesame oil
- garlic
- green onion
- soba noodle
- soy sauce
- peanut oil
Spicy Rice Noodle Salad With Cabbage and Tofu Recipe
- canola oil
- fish sauce
- sambal oelek
- sesame oil
- cilantro
- green cabbage
- salt
- firm tofu
- peanut
- sugar
- limes lime juice
- green onion
- garlic
- rice noodle
Cold Thai Noodle Salad
- rice noodle
- thai peanut salad dressing
- ground pork
- mint
- basil
- peanut
- lime
- garlic
- cucumber
Vietnamese Citrus and Noodle Salad With Fresh Herbs and Fried Yuba (Tofu Skin) Recipe
- salt
- cilantro
- mint
- soy sauce
- maggi seasoning
- carrot
- cucumber
- canola oil
- grapefruit
- thai bird chily
- brown sugar
- lime juice
- garlic
- peanut
- rice noodle
- yuba
- shallot
Spicy Soba Noodle Salad with Thai-Style Peanut Dressing
- lime zest
- carrot
- cucumber
- soba noodle
- ginger
- soy sauce
- jalapeño
- thai red curry paste
- vegetable oil
- coconut milk
- chicken stock
- peanut butter
- vidalia
- lime juice
- sugar
- garlic
- salt
Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad with Berries
- cilantro
- mint
- cucumber
- fish sauce
- rice vinegar
- onion
- red pepper
- berries blackberry
- carrot
- garlic
- sugar
- green onion
- spring lettuce green
- vermicelli rice noodle
- peanut
- lime
Anu's Noodle Salad with Crunchy Fruit
- Dressing
- canola oil
- cayenne pepper
- white vinegar
- garlic
- sugar
- mustard
- salt
- worcestershire sauce
- Salad
- peanut
- green grape
- red grape
- pkg egg noodle
- pineapple tidbit
- carrot
- bell pepper
- bell pepper
- apple
- cilantro
Thai Coconut Noodle Salad
- almond breeze almondmilk coconutmilk original
- pad thai noodle
- garlic chili sauce
- bell pepper
- ginger
- lime
- cilantro
- almond
- brown sugar
- garlic
- carrot
- fish sauce
- green onion
- lime
Cool Soba Noodle Salad
- honey
- tamari
- red chili
- sriracha
- cherry tomato
- basil
- bell pepper
- soba noodle
- english
- sesame oil
- white miso paste
- green onion
- rice wine vinegar
Vietnamese inspired Beef Noodle Salad
- steak
- lime
- soy sauce
- hoisin sauce
- honey
- olive oil
- oyster sauce
- garlic
- carrot
- rice noodle
Cold Ramen Noodle Salad
- bell pepper
- cucumber
- peanut
- basil
- cilantro
- ramen noodle
- cabbage
- sesame seeds white
- green onion
- Dressing
- lime zest
- sesame oil
- chili paste
- ginger
- brown sugar
- fish sauce
- vegetable oil
- lime juice
Thai Seafood Noodle Salad
- cilantro
- bean sprout
- mint
- lime juice
- peanut
- bay scallop
- shrimp
- squid
- onion
- fish sauce
- sugar
- water
- garlic
- red thai chile
- plum tomato
- rice vermicelli
- butter lettuce
Shrimp and Noodle Salad with Ginger Dressing
- lime
- cilantro
- chinese chile garlic sauce
- coleslaw
- teriyaki sauce
- vegetable oil
- ginger
- green onion
- shrimp
- udon noodle
- salt
Spicy Shrimp and Cellophane-Noodle Salad
- water
- lime
- salt
- grapeseed oil
- sugar
- oyster sauce
- kaffir lime leaf
- red thai chile
- mint
- shrimp
- peanut
- fish sauce
- green onion
- cellophane noodle
- lime juice
- basil
- cilantro
Rice-Noodle Salad with Chicken and Herbs
- sriracha
- cilantro
- cabbage
- chicken
- rice noodle
- fish sauce
- mint
- sugar
- garlic
- green onion
- grapefruit juice
Chilled Peanut Chicken Noodle Salad
- salt
- lime
- cilantro
- chicken breast
- bell pepper
- romaine heart
- peanut butter
- rice vinegar
- soy sauce
- persian cucumber
- sriracha
- green onion
- rice vermicelli noodle
Bahn Mi Noodle Salad
- zest
- salt
- sugar
- fish sauce
- sesame oil
- allspice
- rice wine vinegar
- cilantro
- green onion
- cinnamon
- garlic
- onion
- onion
- star anise
- macadamia nut
- brandy
- canola oil
- sriracha
- ginger
- mirin
- soy sauce
- liver pate
- rice noodle
Soba Noodle Salad with Chicken and Scallions
- garlic
- vegetable oil
- ginger
- sugar
- gluten soy
- red cabbage
- rice vinegar
- gluten soba
- chicken
- green onion
10-minute Salmon, Couscous and Summer Zucchini Noodle Salad
- salt
- salt
- olive oil
- white wine vinegar
- cherry tomato
- couscou
- basil
- pistachio
- mint
- salmon
- calabrian chile spread
- green onion
- zucchini noodle
- feta
- olive oil
- corn
Chicken and Asian Noodle Salad
- cherry tomato
- green bean
- sesame oil
- cilantro
- arugula
- yellow miso
- papaya
- chicken breast
- chinese
- rice wine vinegar
Soba Noodle Salad with Pesto and Grilled Eggplant
- salt
- cherry tomato
- olive oil
- mint
- asian eggplant
- soy sauce
- pine nut
- buckwheat soba noodle
- cucumber
- basil
- garlic
- radish
Rice Noodle Salad with Chicken
- peanut
- pad thai rice noodle
- sugar
- garlic
- jicama
- chicken breast
- fish sauce
- ginger
- mirin
- rice vinegar
- mung bean sprout
- serrano chile
- lemongrass
- green onion
garlic lime steak and noodle salad
- green bean
- flank steak
- persian cucumber
- lime juice
- brown sugar
- garlic
- fish sauce
- vegetable
- cherry tomato
- rice noodle
- cilantro
- salt
- thai chili powder
Thai Zucchini Noodle Salad
- chicken
- edamame
- red cabbage
- soy sauce
- ginger
- garlic
- bell pepper
- chili garlic sauce
- cilantro
- sugar snap pea
- thai basil
- peanut butter
- apple cider vinegar
- honey
- water
- sesame oil
- zucchini
- matchstick
- peanut
- lime juice
Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad
- edamame
- coleslaw
- avocado
- mango
- almond
- green onion
- avocado oil
- honey
- sesame oil
- rice vinegar
- salt
- soy sauce
- ramen noodle
- sesame honey vinaigrette
Eggplant Noodle Salad
- pepper
- salt
- ginger
- kirby cucumber
- basil
- white vinegar
- soy sauce
- canola oil
- chinese eggplant
- glass noodle
Thai Peanut Noodle Salad with Pork
- peanut butter
- pork
- olive oil
- cucumber
- olive oil
- garlic
- lime juice
- rice vinegar
- carrot
- soy sauce
- rice noodle
- peanut
- salt
Prawn and Soba Noodle Salad
- soba noodle
- shrimp
- sesame oil
- mirin
- seed
- white miso
- green onion
- watercress
Noodle Salad
- SALAD
- lime juice
- sesame oil
- broccoli
- spring onion
- sesame seed
- edamame
- soba noodle
- garlic
- carrot
- coriander
- hoisin sauce
- red cabbage
- DRESSING
- lime zest
- ginger
- garlic
- sugar
- rice wine vinegar
- salt
- sriracha
- mayonnaise
Ingredient Breakdown
Insights
Correlated with Higher Ratings
- vegetable oil
- soy sauce
Staple Ingredients
- garlic 58%
- green onion 50%
- cilantro 44%
- peanut 39%
- salt 39%
- lime juice 37%
Common Ingredients
- carrot 31%
- fish sauce 31%
- ginger 29%
- soy sauce 29%
- sugar 29%
- sesame oil 26%
- rice vinegar 23%
Usual Ingredients
- bell pepper 21%
- cucumber 21%
- honey 19%
- lime 19%
- rice noodle 19%
- basil 18%
- mint 18%
- shrimp 13%
- vegetable oil 13%
- olive oil 11%
- bean sprout 10%
- canola oil 10%
- peanut butter 10%
- rice wine vinegar 10%
- sriracha 10% See More
- water 10%
Rarey Ingredients
- brown sugar 8%
- peanut oil 8%
- soba noodle 8%