26 Cold Noodle Recipes for Refreshing Dinners

Cold rice noodles, carrots, cucumber, mint, napa cabbage, and peanuts are tossed with a sweet/savory/citrusy sauce. You could serve this as-is for a meat-free dish or add cooked shrimp or chicken if you wish. So pretty, and ready in only 15 minutes.

Recipe creator AnnInLondon says, "This Vietnamese-style noodle salad is my 'too hot to cook' staple. It is bursting with flavor and makes great use of leftover grilled meat or shrimp."

"People raved about this at a party I went to this weekend. I substituted julienned carrots and peapods for the green onion, added 2 additional Tbs of sugar (per another reviewer) and toasted 1 Tb of sesame seeds. Inexpensive, easy & very tasty." —gebah

"Wowee was I popular at the barbecue on Sunday!" raves mimsmac. "I made this great salad - it's sooooo easy and delicious! I made as is but for one thing: I substituted diced green peppers for the green onions as my Boo hates onions but I put them on the side with some extra crushed peanuts so that people could add garnish to their own salads. This one is definitely a keeper."

"This is a beautiful and flavorful salad with a fresh ginger dressing," says recipe creator Christine. "The cap of the shiitake mushroom has a meaty flesh with a lot of flavor; reserve the tough stems for stocks. White or cremini mushrooms can be substituted. These are less expensive, but not as flavorful."

"In a word: yum! This is an excellent recipe," says R_ANNE. "I love soba noodles, and here their wonderful flavor and texture are enhanced by the delicious marinade. Carrots and red bell peppers add crunch, and the green onions are the perfect finishing touch. Not only is this delicious, but it's also quite healthy, too."

Yuba noodles meet all the requirements for grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, and low-cal lifestyles. Guess what? They're made out of tofu! Chef John shows you how to turn them into a crave-worthy salad.

Poached or grilled shrimp tossed together with hearty soba noodles and garden-fresh vegetables get a big boost of flavor from an outstanding miso/ginger/rice vinegar dressing.

Here's a big, bold, cold noodle salad that's perfect for a summer party. Assemble the salad first, and grill the shrimp and tomatoes at the last minute. They only take a few minutes, and the presentation is definitely impressive.

"Wow!! This is a great summer dish," says BEAGDAD. "This has all the yin/yang qualities: sweet and sour, crisp and smooth, green and orange. My wife HATES cilantro: and yet, with the lime, she loved it."

"There's just something delightfully addictive about this special combination of cold and spicy. This recipe is the perfect catchall for all those summer vegetables we're supposed to be eating more of, as well as any dry leftover chicken you have around," Chef John says.

"This is very delicious! With these noodle bowls, the real clincher is the sauce and this one is quite good," Buckwheat Queen says. "This is a refreshing and light meal."

"Such a light, crisp salad, especially on summer evenings! Everyone loves these noodle bowls and makes it a point to join us for dinner if they know it's being served. Increase or omit ingredients to suit your palate." —LEXI821

This simple noodle salad combines fresh herbs, rice vermicelli, cucumber, bean sprouts, and more, topped with grilled shrimp. Tossed with a tangy sweet and sour sauce, it's a simple and satisfying dinner. Reviewer Milly Suaso-Martinez says, "I made this with what I had on hand... which was NY Strip Steak. I also didn't have the pickled carrots/daikon or cucumbers. However it was very good. I did add a bit more sugar to the sauce because I like it a bit sweeter."

"I had never had a pomelo, and the fish sauce, rice vinegar, and brown sugar worked very well together. I served this with steamed fish and jasmine rice. A very nice meal." — gderr the dysfunctional

Shirataki noodles — which are naturally vegan, gluten-free, and have zero calories — are used as the base for this spicy noodle dish. Allrecipes Allstar France C suggests topping it with chicken or shrimp. 

Looking to make make a delicious cold noodle dish on a shoestring budget? You don't have to be a college kid to enjoy these ramen noodles tossed in a peanut sauce and topped with cucumber, green onion, cilantro, and salted peanuts. 

Hearty Japanese soba noodles are the perfect vehicle for this rich and creamy peanut butter sauce. Recipe creator Tarrin says it's best served cold, but will also work at room temperature. 

Here's another take on this traditional Korean dish made with dangmyun, or Korean sweet potato noodles: "The type of noodles used in this dish is made from sweet potato starch and translucent when cooked, hence the English name, 'glass noodles.' They are also gluten free and are wonderfully springy and light," says recipe creator grk_tigris. These noodles can be found at most Asian super markets. 

This Japanese cold noodle soup is exactly what you'll crave on a hot summer's day. Nori, or dried seaweed, adds its signature briny flavor. 

Many Vietnamese noodle dishes are served cold, making them ideal for hot weather. Here rice vermicelli noodles are tossed with lemongrass-marinated flank steak, tossed in a homemade sweetened fish sauce, and topped with Thai basil leaves, cilantro, and bean sprouts. 

"Sichuan (Szechuan) cold noodle is one of the most famous Sichuan street foods," says recipe creator Tao,RN. "What I mean by street food is that you can get it almost anywhere in Sichuan--even a small food stand on the side of the street."

In this fusion recipe, Japanese udon noodles are tossed in a Thai peanut sauce along with a medley of fresh veggies and tofu. 

A rainbow of vegetables are served in a tamarind, ginger, and garlic sauce, along with baked tofu and soba noodles with sesame and peanut crunch. Recipe creator Jocelyn Helling notes that this can be served cold as a salad or hot over brown rice. 

This cold noodle salad is common in Japan, and typically consists of chilled ramen, ham, cucumber, and nori. "I used thinly sliced pork and cut up some cooked shrimp," says reviewer WEELASSIE. "There can be so many variations to personalize to your tastes."

Like most cold noodle dishes, this light and refreshing noodle salad can be customized to suit your tastes: "I added some edamame beans for a little protein. I can see adding all sorts of veggies or other proteins to this!" says reviewer LauraF.