These Easy Sesame Cucumber Noodles are inspired by Whole Foods. Made cucumbers, fresh cilantro, and a savory sesame-ginger dressing, these noodles are a flavorful and delicious garden-to-table dish.
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I recently made a quick trip to Whole Foods to grab a couple things. I ended up walking around the store and stopped at the prepared food section to find something quick for lunch. There was a cold Sesame Cucumber Noodles dish that sounded like a perfectly satisfying summer meal.
It was amazing.
The cold noodles were tossed with cucumbers, green onions, and sesame seeds in a soy and chili crisp based dressing. After the very last bite, I knew I would have to recreate the dish with our abundance of garden cucumbers.
One of my favorite things about this copycat recipe is how easy it is to make with ingredients straight from the garden. With cucumbers growing at such a fast rate these days, it's hard to find different ways to use them. This dish lets them shine with fresh flavor and crunch. I also added homegrown cilantro to give these noodles a bright, citrusy flavor that goes so well with the nuttiness of the sesame dressing.
Easy Sesame Cucumber Noodles
These noodles are easy to whip up with a flavor resembling the cold noodles found in the Whole Foods deli section. Their cool texture is perfect for hot summer days while the cucumbers and sesame seeds lend a nice crunch. A drizzle of hot chili crisp oil adds just the right amount of spice to bring the whole dish together. And the longer these noodles sit after making them, the better they'll be since they'll soak up all of that amazing flavor!
Start this dish by cooking the noodles according to the package. I used whole wheat linguine, but you could also use spaghetti or lo mein noodles.
Once cooked, drain and rinse the noodles under cold water until they're cool to the touch.
Next, we'll whip up our dressing. In a small mixing bowl, add soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, hot chili crisp, grated ginger, garlic, and brown sugar. Whisk to combine.
Then, we'll place the noodles into a serving dish and toss with most of the dressing (leave a little on the side for later). Add sliced cucumbers, scallions, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Toss until everything is coated.
Drizzle with the rest of the dressing and allow the noodles to chill in the fridge at least 20 minutes. Before serving, garnish with extra sesame seeds, cilantro, and scallions.
Easy Sesame Cucumber Noodles (Whole Foods Copycat)
Equipment
- 1 small mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 8 oz. linguine spaghetti, or lo mein noodles
- 1-2 medium garden cucumbers halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 3 scallions thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves roughly chopped
- 1-2 tbsps. sesame seeds
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsps. toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsps. rice vinegar apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 tbsp. chili crisp adjust as needed
- 2 tsps. fresh ginger grated
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp. brown sugar
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to package. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool to the touch.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, and chili crisp to combine.
- Place cold noodles in a serving dish. Toss with three-quarters of the dressing and add cucumbers, scallions, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Toss gently to combine and coat evenly.
- Add remaining dressing, if desired. Then, cover and chill at least 20 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro, scallions, and sesame seeds before serving.
Whether you're picking cucumbers and cilantro from your own backyard or grabbing fresh produce from your local farmers market, these cold noodles are a simple, but flavorful way to enjoy a refreshing summer meal. It's perfect for light lunches and makes an easy side paired with grilled proteins.
Did you make this Easy Sesame Cucumber Noodles recipe? Share it on social media using the hashtag #holokahome. Don’t forget to tag me @holokahome!
