Rising temperatures directly correlate to your rising lack of patience in the kitchen. It’s science (maybe)! But before you know it, those long summer months when it’s too hot to even think about stirring up a one-pot vegan sriracha chili will be here — and then what will you eat? Don’t let heat-wave hanger set in. Cold noodles are the delicious solution you need in your life, especially when you’ve exhausted your summer crock pot recipe options. Chilled noodles can be dressed up with lots of fresh vegetables and herbs so you’re still getting salad vibes; however, the noodle component *does* make these dishes a tad more filling. Try these refreshing cold noodle dishes for quick and simple weeknight meals or time-saving lunches that don’t require reheating.
1. Crunchy Asian Ramen Noodle Salad: If you were/are one of those people that think uncooked ramen packages are a tasty snack, you’re going to adore this salad. Before you dive headfirst into uncooked ramen, Ali of Gimme Some Oven recommends toasting the ramen on a baking pan to add nuttiness and a little more crunch. This technique will really make the ramen stand out alongside cabbage and carrots. Yep, your favorite college snack just got a little more interesting. (via Gimme Some Oven)
2. Fiery Cold Sichuan Sesame Noodle: These sesame noodles are the most delicious kind of paradox: They’re cold noodles that are hot. If you love a good spicy pepper challenge, this is the dish to test yourself with. It packs heat from Korean chili flakes plus a numbing sensation from Sichuan peppercorns. (via Lady and Pups)
3. Szechuan Cold Noodles: Because these cold Szechuan (aka Sichuan)-style noodles are tossed in sesame paste and chili oil, they bear some resemblance to dan dan noodles, which are totally delicious. This version is simplified though, leaving out the minced pork and veggies. Still, it makes for a crave-worthy, easy meal. (via China Sichuan Food)
4. Cold Noodles With Shredded Chicken: Spice up your pasta salad with this Chinese version that anyone who digs intense flavors will love. It packs a huge punch thanks to lots of garlic, ginger and chili oil. Bring this dish to a cookout or picnic and watch it become an instant fave. (via The Woks of Life)
5. Rainbow Noodle Salad With Fruity Ginger Soy Vinaigrette: This noodle salad is *totally* Instagrammable, so get on it! It’s packed with loads of healthy and colorful vegetables like yellow tomatoes, red cabbage and carrots. Save this recipe for a particularly fruitful (or vegetable-ful) farmer’s market haul. (via The Woks of Life)
6. Thai Mason Jar Salad: These adorable Thai-style salads packed in mason jars are a great way to add yumminess and decor to your next brunch soiree. Everyone loves a single-serve salad! Or, you could make a few for the week to enjoy some happy desk lunches. (via Brit + Co)
7. Vietnamese Shrimp Noodle Salad: The dressing in this Vietnamese-style salad is an addictive combination of salty, sweet and sour. It packs an umami punch thanks to fish sauce, which you don’t want to miss. It works extremely well here to dress up the mild flavors of rice noodles and veggies. (via Recipe Tin Eats)
8. Satay Chicken Noodle Salad: Finally, an excuse to drench your plate in peanut sauce. Oh. Yes. Use fresh egg noodles for this Thai-style salad. They’re tender, springy and perfect for slurping. (via Recipe Tin Eats)
9. Black Sesame and Ginger Chicken Noodle Salad: No, there’s no squid ink in this dish — black sesame oil gives these noodles their striking black color. If you’ve never tried black sesame before, it has a nutty, smokey flavor almost like a complex peanut butter or tahini paste. (via Lady and Pups)
10. Vietnamese Chicken Salad With Rice Noodles: This delicious Vietnamese salad will change your preconceived notions of “salad.” It’s full of hot peppers and fresh herbs like cilantro, mint and green onions. The flavor combination will surely wake your taste buds from winter hibernation. (via Pinch of Yum)
11. Thai Coconut Noodle Salad: Meet the salad sister of pad thai — you’re going to be BFFs. When preparing the rice noodles for your Thai coconut noodle salad, make sure to cook the noodles al denté to prevent them from getting soggy. (via Foodie Crush)
12. Hiyashi Chuka With Shrimp, Ham and Vegetables: If you’re as crazed about ramen as we are, it’s *never* too hot to indulge. Heat’s not an issue with this perfect-for-warm-weather noodle dish. It’s a chilled ramen you can prepare in advance, chill, and enjoy later. (via Serious Eats)
13. Vegetarian Japchae: You’ll love the chewy texture of the glass noodles in japchae. Use food-handling gloves to mix the noodles, vegetables and dressing — it’ll allow you to expertly toss the salad without tearing the noodles. (via MJ and Hungryman)
14. Cold Sesame Brown Rice Noodle Salad: For a breezy lunch or dinner with easy-to-find ingredients, this brown rice noodle salad is your new go-to. You can julienne or spiralize the carrots and cucumbers in this dish for fun decoy noodles. You could even skip the noodles altogether and go for an equally delicious zoodle salad, if that’s your bag. (via Yummy Beet)
15. Korean Spicy Cold Noodles: This refreshing noodle dish with spicy-sweet sauce is just the thing to cure the what-should-I-make-for-dinner-it’s-90-degrees-outside blues. It’s a recipe you can pull together in 30 minutes or less. Bonus: The only cooking required is boiling the soba noodles. (via Simply Recipes)
16. Liangpi: It’s time to put your pasta-making skills to use. It’s well worth making these chewy noodles by hand, though it’s a bit of a project. Unlike Italian-style pasta, this method for making noodles requires washing out the gluten until the noodle dough is nearly transparent. Who knew?! (via China Sichuan Food)
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