We know it’s hard to believe, but ramen noodles are not only for the cold months! In fact, their chewiness shines in salads, where you can tangle them up with crunchy vegetables and have a meal that tastes great even in the heat. In Japan, there is a very popular ramen noodle salad with a creamy sesame dressing called Hiyashi Chukka — we have two version below that are both outstanding — and in Korea, a popular spicy cold noodle salad called Bibim Guksu — we have two version of that one too, so go wild!
1. Sakiko’s Cold Noodles With Miso-Sesame Sauce aka Hiyashi Chukka Version 1
Flavor junkies, rejoice! This has the same appeal as Thai peanut sauce but with a rich sesame twist. Plus, it's as easy as whisking some pantry staples together, topping noodles with whatever you have on hand, and ladling sauce over the top.
2. Japanese Ramen Salad aka Yuri's Hiyashi Chukka Version 2
Our friend Yuri concocted an original dressing for hiyashi chukka, that classic Japanese summer cold noodle salad with delicate slices of egg omelet, cucumber, and tomato. Her recipe features a surprise ingredient: almond milk!
3. Katherine's Noodles with Lots of Herbs and Toasted Peanuts
Katherine Deumling was inspired by the herbs in her garden and her love of crunchy things. The earthy noodles play very nicely with the bright herbs and the rich, toasted nuts. It’s also delicious with an egg on top!
4. Throwback Chinese Chicken Salad
Dead simple weeknight fare. You can use your favorite sesame dressing if you don’t feel like whipping up the sauce.
5. Francesca's Nam Sodd (Thai Pork Salad)
This dish traditionally comes with rice and lettuce: Eaters tuck the deliciously tangy pork and vegetables into lettuce wraps with bite-sized pieces of rice. Francesca has reimagined it with noodles! But we still recommend tucking it into crunchy lettuce because its fun and strangely tastier.
6. Kimchi Noodle Salad
A spicy, crunchy, delicious summer salad recipe shared with us by our friend Kathleen Bauer. Whip together the dressing in a blender, top with kimchi and crunchy cucumber, and you have a standout meal!
7. Bibim Guksu Version 1 aka Spicy Korean Chilled Noodles
Few foods are better on a hot day than cold and spicy noodles. This dish is a heart-of-summer masterpiece. The sauce alone should always be in your fridge. It packs huge flavor.
8. Bibim Guksu Version 2 with Kimchi
This sweet-sour-spicy cold Korean noodle dish is usually made with sweet potato noodles, but chewy Umi Organic ramen noodles are a serious upgrade.
9. Cold Sesame Noodle Salad
This 20-minute dish was inspired by the fried chicken salad at Basilisk in Portland, but it’s equally good (maybe even better!) as a vegetarian meal with fried tofu. Leave off the egg and it’s vegan. It’s fast, satisfying, and perfect for a hot day.
