Sesame Ginger Noodle Salad - Spend With Pennies

This noodle salad is made with rice noodles, cooked chicken, crispy veggies, and toasted nuts tossed in a sesame ginger dressing. It’s fresh, fast, and meal-prep friendly!

dish of Sesame Ginger Chicken Noodle with cashews

Flavor: This salad is full of savory, nutty, and umami-inspired Asian flavors.
Recommended Tools: A vegetable chopper will uniformly (and safely!) julienne veggies.
Swaps: Instead of cooked chicken, top the salad with grilled shrimp.
Time-Saving Tip: Ready-made coleslaw mix and a bottle of dressing save on prep time.
Serving Suggestions: Make it a meal and serve with other Asian dishes like soy ginger steak bites or some crunchy fried wontons.

bok choy , ginger dressing , rice noodles , chicken , cilantro , cashews , green onions , carrot , pepper , cucumber , cabbage with labels to make Sesame Ginger Chicken Noodle

Ingredient Tips for Noodle Salad

Noodles: Rice noodles can be swapped out for ramen noodles or, in a pinch, angel hair pasta.
Chicken: Any cooked chicken works, even leftovers! This is a great way to use up extra rotisserie chicken or leftover grilled chicken.
Vegetables: Bok choy, peas, sliced cabbage, cucumbers, and peppers are perfectly crunchy and add vibrant color. Try adding water chestnuts, bean sprouts, edamame, or chopped mushrooms. A bag of broccoli slaw is a great option, too.
Nuts: Slivered almonds, cashews, and peanuts are classic nuts in Thai recipes. For a nut-free noodle salad, use sunflower or pumpkin seeds, as well as a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top.
Dressing: Buy or DIY? Homemade sesame ginger dressing also serves as a sauce for sautéed Brussels sprouts and a glaze for grilled pork chops.

Favorite Variations

Stir in a spoonful of peanut butter for a creamier dressing.
A squirt of sriracha or gochujang adds a kick of heat.
Serve sesame ginger noodle salad in a lettuce cup similar to a chicken lettuce wrap as an appetizer.

cutting vegetables to make Sesame Ginger Noodle Salad

close up of ingredients in a bowl to make Sesame Ginger Noodle Salad

How to Make Rice Noodle Salad

Cook, drain, and rinse rice noodles in cold water.
Toss noodles with remaining ingredients and stir in dressing (recipe below).
Refrigerate 1 hour and garnish with nuts and cilantro before serving.

Rinsing rice noodles removes excess starch to prevent sticking and stops the cooking process.
Be generous with the dressing as the noodles will absorb quite a bit over time.
Intensify the flavor of nuts and keep them extra crunchy by toasting them in a dry sauté pan until they are barely fragrant. Cool before using.

Storing Noodle Salad

Keep leftover noodle salad in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Stir and refresh the flavors with a splash of new dressing. Noodles don’t thaw well, so this recipe is best made fresh. If making in advance, assemble the salad and dressing separately.

Asian Inspired Salads

Did you make this Noodle Salad? Leave a comment and comment below!

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Noodle Salad

This cold noodle salad is full of veggies and rice noodles in a tasty ginger sesame dressing.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Chill Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

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Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain well and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
Place noodles, bok choy, chicken, snap peas, cucumber, bell pepper, carrot, dressing, cilantro, green onions, and lime juice in a bowl. Toss well to combine.
Refrigerate 1 hour before serving. Garnish with nuts and additional cilantro if desired.

If using store-bought dressing, stir in 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon peanut butter for extra flavor.
Quick Homemade Sesame Dressing
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce

For extra flavorful and crunchy nuts, toast them in a dry sauté pan until they are barely browned.
To extract the most juice from the lime, soften it by rolling it across the counter a few times before cutting it.
Rinse the noodles in cold water to stop them from cooking.
Keep in mind that the noodles will absorb the dressing as it sits so add a bit of extra dressing.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Pasta, Salad

Cuisine American, Asian

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