Asian Noodle Salad with Sesame Lime Dressing
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This Asian noodle salad is fresh, fast, and full of flavor. It’s chewy noodles, colorful vegetables, and crunchy peanuts, all tossed in a tasty Asian-inspired dressing. It’s perfect for making ahead and feeding a crowd, and it’s ready in just 30 minutes!
This beauty couldn’t be easier — there’s almost no cooking involved beyond boiling the noodles. While they cook, I chop the vegetables and whisk together the sauce, then toss everything together and let it sit for a few minutes so the noodles can soak up all that flavor.
I love serving this vibrant noodle salad for lunch, as a light dinner, or alongside Asian-inspired mains when I want something fresh to balance the meal. I usually use linguine because its shape holds the dressing nicely, though spaghetti works too. The vegetables are a colorful mix of carrots, celery, cucumbers, and red bell peppers, finished with roasted peanuts and sesame seeds for crunch.
Everything gets tossed in a bold, pantry-friendly dressing made with olive oil, soy sauce, honey, lime juice, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sriracha, garlic, and onion granules — simple, punchy, and incredibly satisfying.
What to eat with Asian noodle salad
Enjoy this cold Asian noodle salad for a workday lunch or as a light dinner. It’s versatile so you can toss in some tofu cubes, cooked edamame, shredded chicken, or any other protein you love.
I love bringing this pasta salad to share at picnics, potlucks, and parties. Be ready to share the recipe, because everyone always raves about it!
It works well as a side dish, too. Pair it with our Asian salmon or honey garlic chicken for a more substantial Asian-inspired meal.
Serving and storage
- Serving: You can serve this Asian noodle salad hot or cold. Serve it right away, or put it in the fridge for later. It tastes delicious cold or at room temperature so it’s a great dish to make for outdoor events, or if it will be sitting out for a stretch.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Asian Noodle Salad with Sesame Lime Dressing
Ingredients
- 8 ounces linguini
- 3 medium carrot (julienned)
- 2 stalks celery (cut diagonally)
- 2 mini cucumbers (sliced)
- 1 medium red pepper (sliced into strips)
- 1 handful cilantro (coarsely chopped)
- ½ cup chopped peanuts (roasted)
- Sesame seeds (to serve)
The Dressing
- ¼ cup EACH: olive oil, soy sauce, and honey
- 2 tablespoons EACH: lime juice and rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon EACH: toasted sesame oil and sriracha (or spiciness taste)
- ½ teaspoon EACH: garlic granules and onion granules
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta and cool down under cold running water. Put the pasta back into the pot.8 ounces linguini
- While the water heats, mix together all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.¼ cup EACH: olive oil, soy sauce, and honey, 2 tablespoons EACH: lime juice and rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon EACH: toasted sesame oil and sriracha, ½ teaspoon EACH: garlic granules and onion granules
- Once the cooked pasta is back in the pot, add all the raw vegetables and peanuts to the pot.3 medium carrot, 2 stalks celery, 1 medium red pepper, 1 handful cilantro, ½ cup chopped peanuts, 2 mini cucumbers
- Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat. Set aside for 5 minutes so the pasta can absorb a little of the sauce, mixing it a few times. Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
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Nutrition
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Absolutely LOVE the flavors in this noodle salad, so refreshing and tasty! I left out the cilantro and it still turned out absolutely perfect. A new favorite for sure, thanks for sharing!
Looks yummy
I think there’s a typo in the ingredients
I was wondering what show mein noodles were and saw in the instructions chow mein – I know what they are ❤️
Thank you so much for letting us know! Yes, it was supposed to read chow mein. 🙂
Just made this! So tasty and so easy I loved it!