Kimchi Noodle Salad Recipe
This cold kimchi noodle salad recipe is the perfect satisfying summer lunch! Made with crisp cucumbers, spicy kimchi and noodles in a spicy sauce, just top with your choice of protein to round it out before serving!
As I’m sure I’ve mentioned with pretty much every noodle recipe I have ever posted, noodle dishes are my go to comfort dish. Whether it’s perfectly balanced pad thai, spicy ramen noodle soup with a thick slice of chashu pork, or my childhood favorite, chow fun (or fat noodles, as I liked to call them), a big bowl of noodles in yummy sauce will always make me feel better.
Except when it’s 100+ degrees and humid…then it just makes me hot.
And since 100+ degrees and humid is the norm this time of year in SC, that’s when I turn to cold noodle salads when in need of a bowl of comfort. This cold kimchi noodle salad recipe is a favorite of mine, made with udon noodles tossed with kimchi, cucumbers, fresh herbs, sriracha and sesame oil. The spicy kimchi brine, sriracha and sesame oil mingle together to make a tasty sauce that coats all the noodles!
Cold noodle salads are common in many different Asian cuisines. In Japan I ate chilled buckwheat soba noodles in a light, brothy dressing (I think a mix of soy sauce and dashi), and in Vietnam we enjoyed rice noodles with lots of herbs, lettuce, and nuoc cham, a sweet and sour fish sauce and citrus dressing. To be honest, I’m not sure if this mix of kimchi, noodles and cucumbers is a traditional dish anywhere - but it was a delicious combo I threw together with some ingredients I had on hand!
What is Kimchi?
If you’ve never eaten kimchi before, it’s an ingredient you have to add to your repertoire. Kimchi is a traditional Korean food, made by fermenting cabbage or other vegetables with gochugaru (Korean chili powder), garlic, scallion, ginger, and jeotgal (salted seafood). It has a sort of funky, spicy, fermented flavor that’s tasty cold, or a yummy addition to stir-fries. With the rise in popularity of probiotics and fermented food, kimchi has become a trendy food, and it’s easy to find more than a few varieties at your local health food store (or any grocery store!), but I’d encourage you to go to your local Asian market to pick up a jar. Here in Columbia, I like to shop at Hyundai Asian Market - there’s a ton of different types of kimchi, and they’re always really helpful if you’re not sure what to get.
Cold Kimchi Noodle Salad Recipe Notes and Adaptions
To add some protein to this cold kimchi noodle salad recipe, feel free to add defrosted frozen edamame, grilled chicken, or cooked, seasoned tofu. I really love it with the crispy baked tofu I use in this taco recipe, or try the lemongrass chicken I use in this noodle bowl. You could also pick up some bulgogi from the Asian market and mix it in.
I usually make this noodle salad with soba noodles, but you can also make it with regular spaghetti in a pinch, as I did in these pictures!
This cold kimchi noodle salad recipe is perfect for meal prep. You just might want to refresh the flavor with a bit more sriracha before serving if it’s been sitting a day.
If you like this kimchi noodle salad recipe, follow my pinterest board with noodle recipes for more cooking inspiration.
This cold kimchi noodle salad recipe was originally published April 2015. Recipe, images and text have been updated to give you the best possible content.
Cold Kimchi Noodle Salad Recipe
Serves 4ish
Ingredients:
8 ounces soba noodles
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and chopped into thin half moons
1 cup kimchi, drained and roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons sriracha or gochujang
1/2 cup toasted peanuts, roughly chopped
Instructions
Cook noodles in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool down.
Toss noodles with cucumber, kimchi, scallions, cilantro, sesame oil, and sriracha/gochujang. Season with salt to taste. Serve garnished with peanuts.
If you like this cold kimchi noodle salad recipe, you might also like:
Kimchi Breakfast Tacos
Sesame Noodle Salad
Kimchi and Bacon Fried Rice
