Last Updated on January 30th, 2020

This Asian noodle salad is made with cold soba noodles and grilled shrimp and is full of intense flavors from fresh ginger, lime zest, cilantro, sesame, mint leaves and chili pepper. It’s sweet, sour, salty and spicy and makes the perfect appetizer for a warm spring day.

This post was originally published on March 19, 2014.

Recipe Highlights:

• Even though there are a lot of ingredients involved here, this salad is very easy to make.
• The same ingredients that go into the marinade also go into the dressing, which means you only have to mix one batch and then simply divide it.
• This salad is full of healthy, fresh and intensely flavorful ingredients and contains no refined sugar.

How to make Asian noodle salad step by step:

Step 1. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• zest of 1 lime
• 1 minced or pressed garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 fresh chili pepper, finely chopped (ribs and seeds removed)
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds

Step 2. Pour half of the mix into a bowl, add 10 medium-sized shrimp to it, cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. Cover the other half of the mix as well and transfer to the fridge (this will be the dressing for the salad).

Step 3. Cook 4 ounces soba noodles according to package instructions, rinse well under cold water and set aside.

Step 4. Grill the shrimp, then mix with the noodles, the dressing and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint leaves. Happy spring!

RECIPE NOTE: You can grill the shrimp on a cast iron grill pan on the stovetop or on an actual grill (skewer them if you use the grill so nothing gets lost).

Can I make it ahead?

Yes. You can make all components ahead (the grilled shrimp, the dressing and the noodles) and store each of them in a separate container in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve the salad, toss everything together and add the chopped mint leaves.

More Asian-inspired recipes:

• Spicy Edamame
• Stir Fry Sauce
• Sweet and Sour Ginger Roasted Mushrooms
• Thai Chicken Curry
• Cold Sesame Noodles
• Fried Coconut Rice with Shrimp
• Asian Meatballs
• Ginger Lime Cilantro Chicken Wings
• Hot and Sour Soup
• Chicken Noodle Stir Fry
• Sesame Tofu
• Spicy Coconut Shrimp Soup

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Print Recipe

4.84 from 6 votes

Asian Noodle Salad

This Asian noodle salad is made with cold soba noodles and grilled shrimp and is full of flavor from fresh ginger, lime zest, cilantro, sesame, mint leaves and chili pepper. It's sweet, sour, salty and spicy!

Prep Time40 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Appetizer, Lunch

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: asian noodle salad, asian noodle salad with shrimp

Servings: 2

Calories: 440kcal

Author: Nicole Branan

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• zest of 1 lime
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 small chili pepper, finely chopped (remove all ribs and seeds unless you want the dish very spicy)
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 10 medium-sized raw shrimp
• 4 ounces soba noodles, uncooked
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint leaves

Instructions:

• Peel the shrimp and set aside.
• In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, cilantro, lime zest, garlic, honey, chili pepper, sesame oil and sesame seeds together until well combined.
• Pour half of the mix into a small bowl, add the shrimp to it, cover and marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge. 
• Cover the liquid measuring cup with the remaining half and keep in the fridge as the salad dressing.
• Cook the soba noodles according to package instructions.
• Drain the noodles, rinse them thoroughly under cold water, then set them aside.
• Take the shrimp out of their marinade and grill.*
• Mix the grilled shrimp into the soba noodles, drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with the fresh mint leaves.

Notes:

*If you have a cast iron grill pan, you can use that to grill the shrimp, or you can use the actual grill. The shrimp are done when the flesh is completely opaque and that takes only a few minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 440kcal

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