Korean Somen Noodle Salad with Soy Sauce

Korean Somen Noodle Salad with Soy Sauce - Super simple, easy, and refreshing somen noodle salad recipe that's healthy (vegan friendly) and kids friendly (not spicy)!

Imagine having a bowl of delicious and refreshing salad that won't make you hungry after 30 minutes. Wouldn't that be nice? As the weather warms up, we tend to crave something fresh, flavorful, simple, and easy! Am I right? Well, my Korean somen noodle salad with soy sauce got your back (and hungry stomach!)

• 

• 

What is somen noodle?

If you are not familiar with somen noodles, no worries. Somen are thin wheat noodles that are very popular in East Asia. I grew up eating somen noodles. You can easily purchase them at your local Asian grocery store or order them on Amazon!

Any substitution for somen noodles?

Don't want to go through all the trouble to get somen noodles? You can easily substitute soba noodles for this recipe. Soba noodle is a thin Japanese buckwheat noodle that is dark brown in color and a little thicker than some noodles (they are white in color). Soba noodles can be found in the international section of the grocery stores.

What is Korean noodle salad (Bibim-guksu 비빔국수)?

There are many different types of Korean noodle salad. Bibim means "mixed" in Korean and guksu is "noodles." So the literal translation of bibim-guksu is mixed noodles. You can think of bibim-guksu as Korean noodle salad.

The most well-known ones are bibim-guksu비빔국수, kimchi bibim-guksu김치비빔국수, Jjeol-myeon쫄면, and bibim-cold noodles비빔 냉면. They all use different types of noodles but the sauce is very similar.

The most common bibim-guksu 비빔국수 sauce is made with gochujang (Korean fermented red pepper paste), vinegar, soy sauce, and sweetener. They are spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet. Because these noodle salads are served cold or at room temperature, they are very popular during summertime.

However, these Korean spicy noodle salads aren't as popular among children and people who don't enjoy spicy food. My Korean somen noodle salad is exactly for people like them! It is salty, sweet, and NOT spicy at all!

How to make Korean somen noodle salad:

1. Cook the somen noodles according to their package (see the tips on how to cook them in the section below).
2. Make the sauce - mix together soy sauce, sugar, salt (optional), and sesame oil.
3. Mix the noodles with the sauce and serve with different vegetables and other toppings.

Is it that simple? YES!!! You'd be pleasantly surprised how flavorful this dish despite its simple ingredient list! You just have to make it and see it for yourself!

Why this recipe works:

• Easy and quick - It only takes 15 minutes to make this delicious noodle salad!
• It's NOT spicy - For people who are hesitant to try Korean noodle salad because they are not a fan of spicy food, this recipe is it! Plus, your children will love this recipe! In fact, this was one of my sister's favorite dishes when she was young!
• Convenient - You can find all the ingredients easily at any grocery store!
• Healthy and refreshing - The noodle salad is served cold or at room temperature and it is perfect for the summertime. This is a vegan-friendly recipe that you can add different types of vegetables.

Helpful Tips

• Cooking the somen noodles or soba noodles:
  • When boiling your noodle, have a couple of ice cubes or cold water next to your pot. When the noodles boil, drop a couple of ice cubes or add a splash of cold water to the pot. This process helps your noodles to be more elastic and not get soggy later.
  • Rinse the noodle under cold water after draining them. Rinsing with cold water helps wash away excess starch.
• Mixing the noodles:
  • There is no better kitchen tool than your own hands! Mix the noodles with the sauce gently with your hand.
• Toppings for the noodle salad:
  • The noodle salad is delicious as is but adding fresh crunchy vegetables on top really takes it to the next level. The most common toppings in Korea are:
    • Cucumber
    • Kimchi
    • Lettuce
    • Seaweed flakes
  • My toppings - I used cucumber, carrot, red bell pepper, purple cabbage, and my teriyaki tofu.
    • The addition of my teriyaki tofu not only added another textural component but also added protein to the dish so it will hold you up longer!

Don't be afraid to customize your noodle salad with different veggies and protein sources. In fact, please feel free to share your creation with me!

Happy eating!

Print