Cold Noodle Season

3 refreshing recipes to beat the heat

It’s a hot girl summer! With cold noodles!

These are the noodle recipes I turn to when I don’t want to turn on the stove, or at least, not for very long. Chop up some crunchy veggies, mix up a little sauce, and you’re halfway there. These dishes look more impressive than the effort it took to pull together.

Today we’ll be sharing three cold noodle recipes: Ikura Oroshi Udon served in a soy-based dipping sauce, Taiwanese sesame noodles paired with julienned crisp veggies , and Bibim Guksu that hits you with heat and tang.

Ikura Oroshi Udon is Japanese noodle dish that’s perfect when you’re craving something refreshing. The udon is served with tsuyu (dipping sauce) and your desired toppings. The ikura provides pops of umami and the oroshi (grated daikon) add texture and balance to the sauce. The combination of chewy noodles, savory sauce, and toppings makes this dish super satisfying!

Ikura Oroshi Udon
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 servings frozen udon
4-6 oz daikon, grated
Ikura (recipe below)
Shiso leaves, chifonade
Scallions
Shredded seaweed
Wasabi

Tsuyu (dipping sauce):
1 cup dashi (I used water and instant dashi powder)
4 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp Japanese black vinegar
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sake

Ikura:
½ lb ikura
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sake (optional)

Method:
If you’ll be marinating the ikura, prepare it the day before. If there’s no time, no need to marinate. It’ll still taste really good!
Prepare the ikura the day before by marinading in a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, and sake. Keep in fridge until ready to use.
In a pot, mix together all the ingredients for the tsuyu. Bring to a light simmer and remove from heat. Let it cool completely then chill in the refrigerator.
Prepare daikon and drain excess water (doesn’t need to be extremely dry). Set aside.
Cook udon noodles in boiling water for 1-2 minutes until loosened. Drain and set aside.
When ready to serve, add udon into a bowl. Top with shiso, ikura, grated daikon, scallions, and seaweed. Pour in chilled tsuyu. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Nothing beats the heat like a bowl of cold Taiwanese sesame noodles. The sauce is creamy, nutty, and savory, hitting all the right notes without feeling heavy. We keep the toppings simple with crunchy cucumber, carrots, and a soft-boiled egg. Finish with chili oil and ground sesame seeds for extra nuttiness. One bite in and you'll understand why this one stays in the rotation all summer long.

Cold Sesame Noodles
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 servings noodle of choice (wheat noodles or angel hair pasta work well)

Dressing:
4 tbsp Chinese sesame paste
1 tbsp creamy pb
1.5 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar or black vinegar (both different but work)
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Pinch of kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp minced garlic
4 tbsp water, plus more if needed

Toppings:
½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
2 eggs, soft boiled
Crushed sesame seeds
Chili oil
Scallions, thinly sliced

Method:
Cook noodles based on package instructions.
When cooked, drain and rinse noodles. Toss noodles in a bit of neutral oil. Set aside.
Prepare all the toppings and set aside.
Add ingredients for dressing into bowl and mix together well.
When ready to enjoy, add a few scoops of dressing over noodles. Mix well.
Add desired toppings and mix together.
Enjoy!

Bibim Guksu is a cold Korean noodle dish that's especially popular in the summertime, and once you try it, you'll understand why. The fiery red sauce is so addictive with tangy and spicy notes that wake up your whole palate. Thin somyeon (somen) noodles are tossed in the sauce and served with cool, crisp cucumber and a soft-boiled egg to balance out the heat. It's bold, refreshing, and comes together in minutes.

Bibim Guksu
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Serves 2
Ingredients:
8 oz somyeon noodles (somen)
½ cup kimchi, cut into small pieces
4 tbsp gochujang
1 tsp gochugaru
2 tbsp kimchi brine
2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Toppings:
Soft boiled egg
Sliced cucumber
Sesame seeds

Method:
Cook noodles based on packaging instructions. Drain and rinse well. Drain again and set aside.
Add kimchi, gochujang, gochugaru, kimchi brine, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, garlic into a bowl. Mix well.
Add in noodles and mix well to incorporate.
Add toppings and enjoy!

Each of these three dishes brings something different to the table but they all share that same quality of feeling light and satisfying at the same time. Hope these become a summer staple in your kitchen too.