This Asian noodle salad is so tasty! Made with shredded purple cabbage, rice noodles, crispy tofu, scallions, cilantro, and crunchy roasted peanuts in a delicious Asian Dressing. Vegan, Gluten-free!
Why You’ll Love This Asian Noodle Salad
This Asian Noodle Salad is 80% cabbage and 20 % rice noodles! To make it a meal, we add a little protein. The crispy tofu is optional and can be switched out for this shredded chicken if you prefer. Either way, you will like the lightness and refreshing flavor.
Crunchy and flavorful, this is one of my favorite noodle salads, not only because it tastes delicious, but because it is packed with nutrients and can be made ahead and stored in the fridge during the busy workweek! Perfect for meals on the go or weekday meals.
Asian Noodle Salad Recipe Ingredients
- Purple cabbage- finely sliced or shredded, or sub other cabbage! I like the vibrant purple cabbage, but feel free to use any cabbage of your choosing. Here I’ve used half a head, which translates to about one pound of cabbage.
- Vermicelli rice noodles
- Green onions and red onion
- Crispy tofu (see notes) or use this shredded chicken recipe!
- Fresh Cilantro – or skip it and use more green onions.
- Optional Garnishes: Toasted sesame seeds, roasted peanuts and a handful of sunflower sprouts
Asian Dressing Ingredients
- Extra Virgin Olive oil and toasted sesame oil
- Rice wine vinegar
- honey (or agave or cane sugar)
- Finely minced ginger ( or ginger paste)
- Soy sauce or GF Liquid Amino Acids
- Salt and Pepper and squeeze of lime juice
Variations
- If short on time, use store-bought, pre-shredded cabbage to save time.
- Add other raw shredded veggies ( like shredded carrots, bell pepper, or snow peas).
- Add chicken instead of tofu. Use this Chinese chicken recipe!
How to Make The Best Asian Noodle Salad
Soak the rice noodles. In the recipe, I only used 2 ounces (dry) vermicelli rice noodles– which seems like nothing, but it was just enough! I really wanted to highlight the healthy cabbage. Pour boiling water over the noodles until softened and drain. You want them al dente, so try not to overcook these, or they will disintegrate into the salad.
Shred the cabbage using a sharp knife or food processor. Place this in a bowl with scallions, cilantro, and onion.
Prep your tofu or chicken. If adding tofu, sear it with salt and pepper until golden. Or make this sticky glazed tofu!
Combine everything in the bowl, including the protein and dressing ingredients, and toss.
Serving Suggestions
Top with sesame seeds, scallions & cilantro. Add crunchy roasted peanuts!
Storing Asian Cabbage Noodle Salad
This salad will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
More Asian Noodle Salads
Thai Noodle Salad with the BEST EVER Peanut Sauce
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Asian Noodle Salad
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6-8
- Category: Main Salad- Vegan, Gluten Free
- Method: Tossed
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A healthy, delicious recipe for Asian Noodle Salad with a mound of red cabbage, rice noodles, and crispy tofu ( or chicken) that can be made ahead- perfect for meals on the go or workweek lunches! Vegan and GF adaptable.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vermicelli rice noodles
- 1/2 medium head of purple cabbage- finely sliced ( sub other cabbage!)
- 4 scallions, sliced at a diagonal
- 1/8–1/4 cup finely sliced red onion
- 12–16 ounces crispy tofu or use this shredded chicken recipe
- 1 bunch cilantro (chopped)
Optional Garnishes: 2- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, ¼ cup roasted peanuts, handful of sunflower sprouts
Asian Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey, agave or cane sugar)
- 1 teaspoon finely minced ginger (or ginger paste)
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce or GF Liquid Amino Acids
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- squeeze of lime and squirt of sriracha (optional)
Instructions
- Soak noodles in boiling water until al dente. Strain.
- Cook the crispy tofu (or this chicken recipe) and set aside.
- Thinly slice the cabbage and add it to a big bowl. Add the scallions, red onion, and cilantro and toss.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and toss with the cabbage.
- Combine the salad, adding the dressing and protein to the salad (or serve it on top). Sprinkle with sesame seeds and roasted peanuts and sprouts if using.
Notes
Tofu: If adding tofu, you can purchase pre-baked tofu. You can make our crispy tofu with salt and pepper, or this Sticky Glazed Tofu. Or make our baked miso tofu.
If baking, I use a marinade of equal parts soy sauce ( or GF liquid Amino) and either sesame oil or olive oil. Cut into cubes. Toss lightly with marinade. Bake on parchment in a 400F oven for 25-35 minutes, until a little crispy. Add a little sriracha or chili flakes to the marinade if you like, for heat.
If using chicken, leftover rotisserie would work great here, shredded into small bites—or this simple seared chicken breast.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cup
- Calories: 269
- Sugar: 7.3 g
- Sodium: 395.7 mg
- Fat: 16.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.1 g
- Fiber: 4.8 g
- Protein: 10.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
I have Kikkoman original soy sauce and Healthy Boy light soy sauce at home. Which one would be better here?
I think the light soy sauce.
Delicious! My husband Frank said it was the perfect meal.
Great!
I made this delicious salad today using Napa cabbage from the garden rather than the red cabbage in the recipe. I marinated tofu slabs in soy sauce and sesame oil, then pan fried it without adding more oil. After cooling on paper towels, I sliced the tofu into bite sized pieces.We finished lunch a few hours ago and my husband just thanked me again for a delicious lunch. Luckily there are leftovers to enjoy tomorrow.
Sounds perfect Yafa! So happy you both enjoyed this!
I had a function on the weekend and thought to make this dish to share. What a hit. Everyone was asking who made the salad and I was able to share this website with everyone. Looking to make another recipe for tomorrows event.
Can’t wait
Awwww… thanks for sharing Sarah- very appreciated!
Dr just told me i need to eat tofu and fish. I’ve found so many great recipes from you! Doubled up on the recipe and it made a giant bowlful. Delicious!
Awesome!
This the best salad! Honestly you’re my favorite recipe site. Love the flavors, and everything is so easy to make.
I took this dish to a cookout last year to ensure that I would have something yummy to eat. Needless to say, all of my carnivore friends fell in love with this vegan dish. It is now requested at all gatherings and potlucks. In fact, my one friend refers to it as “Vegan Crack” since it is so addictive. Kudos!
Haha, love it Vernon!
SYLVIA, EVERY SINGLE RECIPE OF YOURS THAT I HAVE MADE IS A KEEPER!
Thanks so much Vernon!
One of my favorite FAH recipes. I add a bit of garlic to the dressing, and zucchini noodles for me (rice noodles for my kiddo). Love the Trader Joe’s sriracha tofu with this – so EASY. Great dinner, fab leftovers.
Love your adaptions Jaeden!
We love this, I’ve made it twice. I use a great baked tofu recipe with a marinade heavy on garlic and ginger. Delicious!
I like white cabbage, no tofu but kidney beans instead. I like spiralised courgette more than noodles.
Perfect! The recipe is very adaptable. 🙂
How’s it going, Chow for now.
I was harvesting a cabbage out of my garden found this recipe so I pulled a red onion and grabbed cilantro and found tofu in the fridge. Done More Times than not when I find a great recipe it’s Feasting at Home. Thank you for another delicious recipe.
I made this twice. First as listed and the second time I decreased the oils and in creased the pasta. Wrong! Make it as stated and chop the peanuts.
C’est excellent! Cette salade est la star des mes repas! Frais, goûteuse et appétissante! Merci !
thanks Annie, appreciate it!
I made a batch of this on a Sunday and used it for my lunch all week. It was as tasty on Friday as it was on Monday. I used the air fryer for the tofu and it was excellent! Thanks for another great recipe! .
Thanks Linda! I need to get one of those! Do you like it?
What are the other greens pictured, but not mentioned, in the recipe? Pea sprouts?
Those are the optional sunflower sprouts that are mentioned in the recipe
Sylvia, this is SO GOOD. I made some adaptations to use it as a one-bowl dish for workweek lunches, I added raw carrot noodles (fancy spiralized carrots – very pretty!), some steamed shelled edamame, and shredded chicken, and I doubled the noodles and halved the cabbage (I wasn’t sure I could handle whole meal’s worth of cabbage). I also added the zest and juice of a whole lime because, well . . . I really love lime. 🙂 It’s an easily adaptable recipe, the dressing is divine, and I will be making it again for lunches next week because it is just so darn tasty and filling. It is really beautiful and colorful as well!
I just made this for our weekly Friday night supper club and it is soooo easy plus beautiful and full of flavor!!! I made it with chicken as a main dish with a fresh herb frittata on the side and butternut squash curried coconut soup. A color-fest of wonderful flavors. thank you!
Yay!!! So happy you like this- yes so colorful and fresh looking! Sounds like such delicious meal- love the pairings!
Love that this noodle dish is more veggies than noodles- Looks perfect for these oppressively hot days we are experiencing.
Today I looked in the refridgerator and wondered what to do with a forgotten block of tofu and an elderly red cabbage. Now I find your cabbage salad recipe. Perfect timing!
It’s providence!
I love the colours of this salad Sylvia, and it sounds perfect for those on-the-go weekday lunches.