Sesame Asian Noodle Salad

This is my favorite noodle salad ever! I am a huge fan of sesame oil, and now of soba noodles. The sesame mayonnaise is a great recipe on its own and mixed with the noodles, crunchy shallots, and green beans it becomes epic. 

I don't make much Asian food, but I wanted to dip my toes further after making the Szechuan Pork with Carrots, so I thought this sesame recipe was a great compromise: some mayo, some noodles, and veggies. 

It turned out to be much better than I expected for several reasons:

• It keeps for a day or two in the fridge.
• The mayonnaise can be made ahead. 
• It's great eaten at room t° or warm. 

What are soba noodles?

Soba means buckwheat in Japanese. 

And they are thin noodles, brownish grey in color (image below) that might have wheat flour also among the ingredients. The flavor is earthy and they are slightly slimy in a good way. 

Turns out that buckwheat flour is gluten-free in spite of its name. So they are a great alternative for celiacs. I had used this flour before for the Peanut Butter Bread and loved it. 

And besides, they come in the neatest, prettiest bundles ever, all tied with a cute checkered paper – how can you not want to buy them?

Sesame mayonnaise

Disclaimer: consult with a doctor before eating mayonnaise with raw egg if pregnant or giving it to small children. 

The homemade mayo here makes this dish come together. It was such an amazingly delicious discovery! I had made mayo many times before but had never gotten past adding some garlic maybe. 

This recipe has that golden glory that is sesame oil, with that unique and fantastic flavor. I am such a huge fan! 

It's made in the food processor (image below) or with an immersion blender, and the only tip is adding the oil slowly. The rest takes care of itself.

Toppings

I like to add chopped fresh green onions and fried shallots. 

The latter adds some crunch that complements amazingly with the smooth dressing and the slippery pasta. 

• Sesame seeds: of course this whole dish is ended with some seeds, and I like to lightly toast them first. Be very careful because they burn in an instant. 

Shortcut

Mayonnaise: instead of making the sesame mayo from scratch, add some sesame oil, mustard and soy sauce to store-bought mayonnaise. It will also last longer. 

Topping: use frozen veggies, whatever you like with sesame and soba noodles. Peas or broccoli maybe?

Make-ahead

• The mayonnaise can be made a day or two ahead. It may last longer, and that depends entirely on the freshness of the eggs. Please note that we encourage you to ask a physician or nutritional expert if you have any doubts. 
• The noodles mixed with the mayo last for two days in the fridge. 
• The green beans can be cooked ahead of time, they last several days in the refrigerator. If using frozen it will only take minutes to defrost them in boiling water. 

Other recipes you might like:

Spicy Braised Pork with Polenta
Pork Loin with Shallot Port Sauce
Five Spice Ginger Pork
Chorizo Sandwich with Chimichurri
Peanut Butter Buckwheat Chocolate Bread

Let me know if you make this recipe! I’d love to hear what you think about it. Thank you for being here, I appreciate it! Let’s connect via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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Sesame Asian Noodle Salad

• Author: Paula Montenegro
• Prep Time: 25
• Cook Time: 15
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Pasta
• Method: Cooking
• Cuisine: International

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Description

Wonderful soba noodles with homemade sesame mayonnaise and green beans.

Disclaimer: consult with a doctor before eating mayonnaise with raw egg if pregnant or giving it to small children. 

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

For the sesame mayonnaise:

• 1 egg
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 ½ Tbs rice vinegar
• 2 ½ Tbs soy sauce
• 3 Tbs good mustard (I used ancient)
• ¼ cup toasted sesame oil
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 ½ cups sunflower oil
• 1 teaspoon sriracha or similar

For the noodle salad:

• ½ cup sesame mayonnaise (recipe above)
• 4 portions soba noodles
• ¼ cup canola or peanut oil
• 2 cups green beans, cooked, cut into pieces (defrost if using frozen)
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• ½ cup thinly sliced green onion
• Sesame seeds, to garnish

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Instructions

For the sesame mayonnaise:

1. Put egg, yolks, vinegar, soy sauce and mustard in the bowl of a food processor and process 1 minute. Or use a bowl and an immersion blender.
2. With the machine on the lowest speed, start adding the sesame oil in a very thin stream, followed by the olive oil in the same way.
3. Finally add the sunflower oil, gradually, but you don’t need to be so careful since the mayonnaise will have emulsified by now.
4. Add sriracha and taste. Adjust seasonings accordingly.
5. Keep refrigerated.
6. Makes about 2 ½ cups.

For the noodle salad:

1. Cook noodles in abundant salted water following package instructions.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet and add shallots and green beans.
3. Cook for a few minutes, until most shallots are crispy. Transfer to a paper towel to drain while preparing the noodles.
4. Rinse noodles under cold water and transfer to a bowl, or to the same pot where you cooked them.
5. Add the mayonnaise and mix. Taste and adjust to your personal palate.
6. Transfer to a serving platter, and top with green beans, shallots, green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

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Notes

Mayonnaise: instead of making the sesame mayo from scratch, add some sesame oil, mustard, and soy sauce to store-bought mayonnaise. It will also last longer. The homemade version should be eaten in the first few days after making it. You can make half the recipe (easier if you use an immersion blender).

Topping: use frozen veggies, whatever you like with sesame and soba noodles. Peas or broccoli maybe?

Keywords: asian noodle salad, soba noodles

Paula Montenegro

I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe finder, sharing the best ones on this blog, with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.