Korean Rice Noodle Salad with Sesame Dressing Recipe
A light, refreshing salad with rice noodles, crunchy vegetables, and an aromatic sesame–soy dressing. In Korea, similar dishes are often eaten in summer as a chilled lunch or a side for barbecue, because they don’t weigh you down in the heat. The flavor is a bit like Vietnamese noodle salads, but the dressing is more nutty and less sour.
This salad combines the lightness of rice noodles with the crunch of fresh vegetables and a deeply aromatic sesame–soy dressing. It’s quick to prepare, tastes great chilled, and works both as a standalone meal and as a side for grilled dishes, making it ideal for hot days and summer gatherings.
Chef's tips
Don’t over-soak the rice noodles—if they become too soft, the salad will lose its pleasant texture. After rinsing, let them drain well so the dressing doesn’t get watered down. Taste the dressing before mixing with the salad and adjust the balance of saltiness, sweetness, and acidity to your liking by adding a bit more soy sauce, honey, or rice vinegar.
How to serve
Serve the salad slightly chilled, topped with extra toasted sesame seeds and a few fresh chili slices if you like heat. It pairs very well with Korean-style grilled meat (like bulgogi), grilled tofu, or simple pan-fried shrimp. You can also pack it into lunch boxes as a light, refreshing meal for work or a picnic.
Ingredients
- rice noodles - 180 g
- cucumber - 1 piece
- bell pepper - 0.5 pieces
- carrot - 1 piece
- chives finely chopped - 3 tablespoons
- sesame seeds - 1.5 tablespoons
- soy sauce - 3 tablespoons
- rice vinegar - 2 tablespoons
- sesame oil - 2 tablespoons
- honey - 1.5 tablespoons
- garlic minced or pressed - 1 clove
- water - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Pour boiling water over the rice noodles in a large bowl and leave for the time indicated on the package (usually 4–6 minutes), until they soften. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to keep them from sticking. Set aside to drain.
- Wash the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the soft, seedy center with a teaspoon, and cut the rest into thin matchsticks. Remove the core and seeds from the bell pepper and slice it into thin strips. Peel the carrot and either grate it on a coarse grater or cut into thin matchsticks.
- Finely chop the chives. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
- Finely chop the garlic or press it through a garlic press. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, water, and garlic until the honey dissolves.
- Place the noodles, cucumber, bell pepper, carrot, and most of the chives in a large bowl. Pour in the dressing and mix thoroughly, ideally with a gloved hand or tongs, so the noodles are well coated.
- Sprinkle the salad with the toasted sesame seeds and the remaining chives. Serve immediately or after briefly chilling in the fridge.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This salad is inspired by Korean cold noodle dishes that are especially popular in summer. I love how versatile it is: you can easily adjust the vegetables to what you have on hand, and the sesame dressing gives everything a rich, nutty flavor without feeling heavy.
