Sweet and Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad

I hope everyone had an awesome Mother’s Day weekend! The Hubs and Mini were so very good to me this year, and I had a relaxing weekend with lots of beach and family time, delicious meals, and plenty of help around the house. After several weeks without a real day off or time to ourselves, we enjoyed having so much stress-free time together. The Hubs grilled an amazing Mother’s Day dinner for me last night, inspired by some of the recipes he’s found over at ThugKitchen.com. (Not a recipe blog for the easily offended – be warned that it contains some pretty strong language!) It was our first time grilling romaine hearts, which ended up being my favorite part of the meal. Who would’ve thought that lettuce would steal the show? I’ll have to post some of the recipes he used later this week after we recreate some of our favorites. In the meantime, this was my quick, 30-minute dinner I threw together Friday night while the Hubs had a late flight:

This simple, sesame noodle salad is so easy and delicious. It can be enjoyed warm when it’s first prepared, or you can let it chill overnight in the fridge and serve it cold. It’s great both ways, and it’s a nice change of pace from the usual pasta salads with mayo or vinaigrette dressings. The crunchy veggies, toasted sesame seeds, and spicy-sweet dressing give this dish so much flavor without a ton of fat and calories. I used whole wheat thin spaghetti noodles because they were all I had on hand, but you can use any long and thin noodles you prefer. You can also add some diced, cooked chicken breasts to the salad if you’re serving it as a main course. You may have to visit a specialty Asian grocery store for the sesame oil and seeds, but I’ve had good luck finding both where I usually shop – don’t leave them out because they both give the dish a unique rich and nutty flavor!

Sweet and Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

by: Jessica @ FabFitMommy.com

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 stalks green onion, finely diced
½ head bok choy
2 carrots
1 red bell pepper
12 oz. package thin noodles (I used whole wheat thin spaghetti)
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce or tamarind sauce
1½ tbs raw honey
¼ cup sesame oil
2 tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs minced grated, fresh ginger
2 tbs water
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tbs toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables. Finely dice the green onion, peel and julienne the carrots, and clean and slice the red bell pepper into very thin strips. Remove the outer leaves of the bokchoy, trim off the tough end of the stem, and cut in half lengthwise. Finely slice one half of the cabbage into thin pieces, horizontally across the leaves. Add shredded veggies to a large mixing bowl.
Prepare the noodles according to the instructions on the package. Drain and add to the veggie mixture.
While the noodles are boiling, prepare the sauce by whisking together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Add to the veggies and noodles and toss well to mix veggies and noodles together distribute the sauce evenly. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve cold. Garnish with additional diced green onion and sesame seeds if desired.