Raw Vegetable Noodle Salad (Printer view)

Crisp spiralized vegetables tossed in tangy sesame-ginger dressing, perfect for quick lunches or healthy sides.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large zucchini, spiralized
02 - 1 large carrot, spiralized
03 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cup red cabbage, thinly shredded
05 - 1 cucumber, spiralized
06 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
07 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Sesame-Ginger Dressing

08 - 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
09 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
11 - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
12 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
15 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, optional

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
17 - 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts or cashews, optional

# Directions:

01 - Spiralize zucchini, carrot, and cucumber. Thinly slice red bell pepper and green onions. Shred red cabbage and chop cilantro. Transfer all prepared vegetables to a large mixing bowl.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, grated ginger, maple syrup, minced garlic, lime juice, and chili flakes until well combined.
03 - Pour the prepared dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Allow the salad to rest for 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature to allow flavors to meld together.
05 - Transfer the salad to a serving platter. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and roasted nuts if using. Garnish with additional fresh cilantro if desired. Serve immediately for optimal texture and freshness.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Ready in 25 minutes with zero cooking required, so you're not heating up your kitchen on warm days.
  • The sesame-ginger dressing is so good you'll want to bottle it and drizzle it on everything for weeks.
  • It actually tastes better after sitting for a few minutes, which means you can make it ahead for meal prep.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting period thinking you'll save time—those 10 minutes transform this from refreshing to transcendent, and the vegetables actually stay crunchier than you'd expect.
  • If you're making this more than an hour ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss everything right before serving, or the vegetables will weep and the whole thing gets watery.
03 -
  • Make extra dressing even if you think you won't need it—it's too good to waste and improves almost every vegetable situation you'll face in the coming week.
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes if you have time; the flavor deepens and it makes the whole dish feel like you actually tried.
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