Cold Asian Noodle Salad with Grilled Shrimp
This cold Asian noodle salad with grilled shrimp is full of fresh ingredients and flavors and easy to make.
Servings: 2
Calories (Estimated): 394kcal
Equipment:
- measuring cups and spoons
- knife and cutting board
- garlic press (optional)
- citrus zester (for the ginger and the lime)
- liquid measuring cup (2-cup capacity)
- whisk
- small mixing bowl
- plastic wrap
- large pot with lid
- colander
Ingredients:
For the marinade/dressing:
- ⅓ cup soy sauce (or see notes for a low sodium option)
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- ⅜ teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger root
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- zest of 1 small lime (about ¾ teaspoon)
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press
- ½ Fresno chili pepper,* finely chopped (all the heat is in the ribs and seeds, so remove some or all of them for less spiciness)
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 teaspoons honey
For the salad:
- 6 ounces raw shrimp (I like to use extra large or jumbo), thawed, peeled and deveined
- 4 ounces soba noodles, uncooked
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint leaves (you need about 18 medium-large leaves for that)
Instructions:
For the marinade/dressing:
- In a liquid measuring cup, mix all marinade/dressing ingredients together until well combined.
For the salad:
- Pour half of the mix (about 5 ½ tablespoons) 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 of the mix 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 until cooked through and opaque in the center (a few minutes).
- Mix the grilled shrimp into the soba noodles, drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle with the fresh mint.
Recipe notes:
*If Fresno chili is not available, I recommend substituting jalapeno. Be sure to wash your hands carefully after handling either pepper or wear disposable gloves.
**Be sure to rinse the cooked soba noodles thoroughly until they are completely cold. If you don’t do this, the excess starch on the outside of the noodles will cause them to clump together.
For a low sodium option: Use low sodium soy sauce instead of regular and use only 2 tablespoons rice vinegar. Leave everything else the same.
How to make it ahead: You can make all three components of this salad (the grilled shrimp, the dressing and the noodles) a few hours ahead. Store each component in a separate container in the fridge. When you're ready to serve the salad, toss everything together and add the chopped mint leaves.
