Crunchy Asian Salad with Sesame Dressing

Name: Crunchy Asian Salad with Sesame Dressing
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 ounce (30g) uncooked rice noodles; 5 medium shrimp (prawns), peeled and deveined, raw or ready-to-eat cooked, thawed if frozen; 2 tablespoons grated raw carrot; 3 radishes, finely sliced; 2 tablespoons shelled edamame, prepared according to package directions and cooled; 2 tablespoons Kewpie Roasted Sesame Dressing; Cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), for garnish (optional)

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This Asian salad with sesame dressing is one of my favorite quick lunches. I make it with rice noodles, shrimp and crunchy vegetables, drizzled with creamy roasted sesame dressing.

I like Kewpie dressing because of its roasted sesame flavor. Carrot, radishes and edamame are my usual vegetables, although you can change the toppings depending on what you have.

Asian Salad with Sesame Dressing at a Glance

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: About 20 minutes
Servings: 1
Cuisine: Asian-inspired
Main Ingredients: Rice noodles, shrimp, carrot, radishes, edamame and roasted sesame dressing
Cooking Method: Prepare the noodles, simmer raw shrimp and toss with dressing and veggies
Storage: Refrigerate promptly and eat within 2 days

Why You’ll Love It

A quick lunch: The vegetables need only a little prep and bottled dressing saves making a separate sauce.
Simple to scale: The recipe makes a single serving, so you can double or triple the ingredients easily.
Flexible ingredients: Choose raw or ready-to-eat cooked shrimp and vary the vegetables to use what you already have.

Crunchy Asian Salad Ingredients

The complete ingredients list and quantities are in the recipe card below.

Rice noodles: Check the package directions before starting. Some varieties need boiling and others only need soaking.
Shrimp (prawns): Choose peeled medium shrimp. You’ll need to devein your own if they aren’t done. Thaw frozen shrimp before cooking, or buy ready-to-eat cooked shrimp to add after cooling the noodles.
Carrot and radishes: Grate the carrot and finely slice the radishes. Store-bought shredded carrot cuts the prep time a bit.
Edamame: Buy shelled beans and follow the package preparation instructions. Cook them if directed, then cool before adding to the salad.
Roasted sesame dressing: I like Kewpie Deep Roasted Sesame Dressing. You can use another roasted sesame dressing if you prefer.
Cilantro (fresh coriander): This is an optional garnish, so leave it out if you don’t like it.

Cooked shrimp and rice noodles draining in a strainer beside grated carrot, sliced radishes, edamame and sesame dressing.

How to Make Crunchy Asian Salad

The full instructions with weights and measurements are in the recipe card below.

Prepare the noodles and cook the raw shrimp, if using. Cool and drain, then arrange them in a bowl with the prepared vegetables. Add ready-to-eat cooked shrimp at this stage if that’s your choice, then finish with sesame dressing and optional cilantro.

Tips for Making Asian Salad

Match the cooking method to the noodles: If the noodles need boiling, you can add raw shrimp toward the end, provided both finish cooking together. For noodles that only need soaking, cook raw shrimp separately in simmering water.
Check shrimp doneness: Raw shrimp are cooked when the flesh is firm and opaque throughout. Don’t judge them by pink color alone.
Skip boiling cooked shrimp: Ready-to-eat cooked shrimp can go straight into the salad after the noodles have cooled.
Drain well: After rinsing the cooked noodles and shrimp under cold water, let excess water drain away so it doesn’t dilute the dressing.
Slice the radishes finely: A sharp knife is enough for this small quantity. You don’t need a food processor.

Substitutions and Variations

Different noodles: You can use egg noodles or udon instead of rice noodles. Prepare them according to their package directions.
Chicken: Choose shredded cooked chicken instead of shrimp and add it to the cooled noodles.
More vegetables: Try chopped green onion or briefly blanched and cooled broccoli, asparagus or snow peas.
Extra crunch: Top the finished salad with chopped peanuts or cashews.
Gluten-free: Choose gluten-free rice noodles and a dressing labeled gluten-free. Regular soy sauce and some bottled dressings contain wheat.
Dairy-free: Check the dressing label and choose a dairy-free product. The remaining salad ingredients contain no dairy.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy this shrimp noodle salad on its own for a light lunch, or increase the noodles and shrimp for a more filling dinner. If you’re serving smaller portions, pair it with foo yung, popiah, wonton soup or grilled chicken. Offer extra sesame dressing at the table so everyone can add as much as they want.

A bottle of Kewpie sesame dressing. — *Kewpie Deep Roasted Sesame Dressing & Marinade, on Amazon*

Homemade Sesame Dressing

If you prefer homemade dressing, combine 2 tablespoons of Chinese sesame seed paste with 2 tablespoons each of light soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. Stir in 2 tablespoons of minced fresh ginger, 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 to 2 tablespoons of superfine sugar (caster sugar).

Gradually stir in ½ cup (120ml) of sesame oil. Let the dressing stand for 30 minutes before serving. This makes more than you need for a single salad, so you can halve the quantities if you want.

Refrigerate the remaining homemade dressing in a covered container and use within 2 days. Stir or shake it before using.

Handy Kitchen Equipment

Saucepan: To prepare the noodles and cook raw shrimp, separately if the noodles only need soaking.
Fine-Mesh Strainer: Drain and rinse the noodles without losing them through large colander holes.
Box Grater: For grating the carrot if you aren’t buying it already shredded.
Sharp Paring Knife: Slice the radishes and trim the vegetables.
Cutting Board: Provides a stable surface for preparing the vegetables.
Measuring Spoons: Measure the dressing and small quantities of vegetables.

How to Store

Cool the cooked ingredients promptly and refrigerate the salad in a covered container within 2 hours. Eat within 2 days, or sooner if the shrimp or noodle packaging specifies a shorter time. For advance preparation, store the dressing separately and add it just before serving.

Eat the assembled salad cold; reheating isn’t necessary. Freezing isn’t a good choice because the raw vegetables lose their crunch when thawed.

Asian Sesame Salad FAQs

Is this a main course or a side salad?

The recipe makes a small lunch or light dinner for one. Increase the noodles and shrimp if you want a larger meal, or divide it into smaller portions as a side.

Does this salad need lettuce or cabbage?

No. Rice noodles form the base of this salad, so you don’t need lettuce or cabbage. But add some if you like!

Does light soy sauce mean reduced-sodium soy sauce?

No. Chinese light soy sauce is a style of soy sauce, not a reduced-sodium label. Check the bottle if you’re choosing a lower-sodium product for the homemade dressing.

Is Chinese sesame paste the same as tahini?

Chinese sesame paste is usually made from toasted sesame seeds and has a stronger roasted flavor. Tahini varies by brand and may be made from raw or lightly toasted seeds, so it won’t necessarily taste the same.

Victoria Haneveer