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Japanese cold ramen sesame noodle salad is a dish that immediately takes me back to the humid summer afternoons I spent in Tokyo. When the city heat becomes a bit too much, these chilled noodle bars become an absolute sanctuary. I remember the first time I sat down and was served a bowl of these beautifully arranged, colourful vegetables and icy-cold noodles. It was so incredibly refreshing that I knew I had to recreate that feeling at home.

The heart of this dish is definitely the creamy sesame dressing. There is something so satisfying about using a pestle and mortar to grind the roasted seeds until their nutty aroma fills the kitchen. By mixing that fresh sesame powder with Japanese mayonnaise and a splash of apple vinegar, you get a sauce that is rich yet surprisingly light. It coats the springy ramen noodles perfectly without feeling heavy.

I love the variety of textures you get in every mouthful. You have the crisp crunch of the baby gem lettuce and cucumber, the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes, and that lovely, subtle sea flavour from the wakame. It is essentially a vibrant salad that just happens to have the most delicious noodles hidden inside. It is a fantastic way to use up fresh garden vegetables while keeping things feeling like a proper, substantial meal.

This has become my favourite lunch to prepare when I want something healthy and cooling. It is bright, zesty, and takes less than fifteen minutes to pull together. Just one bowl and you feel instantly revived. It truly is summer in a bowl!

Japanese Cold Ramen Sesame Noodle Salad

This Japanese cold ramen sesame noodle salad is light, refreshing, and perfect for warmer days or when you want something quick but satisfying. The creamy sesame dressing paired with chilled noodles and crisp vegetables makes it one of my favourite no-cook-style meals once everything is prepped. It is inspired by Japanese summer noodle dishes that focus on balance, texture, and clean flavours.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Total Time 20

Servings: 2 people

Course: Lunch, Salad

Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients

Salad:

120 g ramen noodles
55 g cucumber deseeded and thinly julienned (about 8cm piece)
12 pieces cherry tomatoes halved
30 g baby gem lettuce leaves finely sliced
2 tsp dried wakame Fueru Wakame, rehydrated and finely sliced

Sesame Dressing:

2 tbsp white roasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Korean apple vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise
1 tsp Japanese sesame oil

Method

Cook the noodles:

Bring a pot of water to the boil and cook the ramen noodles according to packet instructions, usually 3 to 5 minutes.
Drain and rinse under cold running water for 3 to 4 minutes until completely cooled. Set aside.

Prepare the dressing:

Using a pestle and mortar, grind the roasted sesame seeds into a fine powder, about 2 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl and add soy sauce, apple vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise, and sesame oil.
Mix well until smooth.

Assemble the salad:

In a large bowl, add cucumber, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, wakame, and chilled noodles.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently using tongs until evenly coated.

Serve: