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    Home » VEGAN

    Korean Somen Noodle Salad with Soy Sauce

    May 27, 2020 by George 4 Comments

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    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)!

    overhead shot of two bowls of Korean noodle salad with soy sauce with vegetables on the side

    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!)

    • photo of a dried somen noodle and soba noodle
    • ingredients to make the noodle salad

    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.

    mixing somen noodle with the sauce, vegetable toppings are on the plate in front

    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!

    a photo of placing red pepper on top of Korean noodle salad with soy sauce

    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!

    Close up shot of a bowl of Korean noodle salad with soy sauce
    Print

    Korean Somen Noodle Salad (Vegan)

    noodle salad in the black bowl with different vegetables and teriyaki tofu on top
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 2 reviews

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

    • Author: George
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 5 minutes
    • Total Time: 15 minutes
    • Yield: Serves 2-3 1x
    • Category: Noodle
    • Method: Mix
    • Cuisine: Korean
    • Diet: Vegan

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • Somen noodles, 7-8 ounces (or Soba noodles)
    • 4 tablespoons soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
    • 1 - 1 and ½ tablespoons sugar
    • ½ teaspoon salt (optional - if you are planning to serve with lots of vegetables)
    • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
    • ½ to 1 teaspoon Korean red pepper flakes (totally optional)
    • Fresh vegetables such as cucumber, carrots, cabbage, and/or kimchi (for serving)
    • Easy Teriyaki Tofu (for serving, optional but highly recommended)

    Instructions

    1. Cook the somen noodles according to their package. 
    2. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water. 
    3. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Add in the noodles and gently mix until all the noodles are coated with the sauce.
    4. Serve the noodle salad with fresh vegetables of your choice and teriyaki tofu or protein of your choice.

    Notes

    • If you can't find somen noodles, you can use soba noodles. I made it with both noodles and they are equally delicious. 
    • Please refer to the "helpful tip" section above.  
    • You can customize the noodle salad by adding your favorite vegetables and protein. 

    Keywords: Korean somen noodle salad with soy sauce, somen noodle salad, korean noodle salad, healthy noodle salad, noodle salad

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!


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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lindsay

      August 15, 2020 at 6:53 pm

      SO YUMMY. I made your teriyaki tofu as well and the whole thing came together in a flash. Super delicious, I didn't change anything and won't change anything the next time I make it 🙂

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • George

        August 15, 2020 at 8:01 pm

        I'm so happy to hear that, Lindsay!! Yay!!!

        Reply
    2. Sally

      June 07, 2022 at 2:16 pm

      I found this recipe when I was looking for something to go with spicy Korean pork chops. This turned out amazing! The only thing I did different is I only had toasted sesame oil and 2 tbsps would be overkill. So I used 1 teaspoon toasted sesame and 1 1/2 tbsps. of canola oil. It turned out so good. This will be in our rotation going forward. It was a nice counterbalance to the spicy pork chops.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • George

        June 07, 2022 at 2:48 pm

        Hi Sally, I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! A spicy pork chop combination sounds terrific. I really appreciate your kind review!

        Reply

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    About George

    Welcome! I’m George.
    I’m the author, recipe developer, and photographer behind My Eclectic Bites. I wanted to create a space to share my love of food and cooking with as many people as possible and that’s how My Eclectic Bites was born! Read More…

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