Cold Cucumber-Chile Noodles {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

by Dorothy Reinhold on March 10, 2018


Print This Post Print This Post VEGAN COLD CUCUMBER-CHILE NOODLES: Chewy, wide rice noodles and refreshing, crunchy cucumber ribbons are dressed simply with sesame oil and chile oil. Throw on a few sesame seeds and green onions and you have a side dish that just might become your favorite thing. Ever.

Chewy, wide rice noodles and refreshing, crunchy cucumber ribbons are dressed simply with sesame oil and chile oil. Throw on a few sesame seeds and green onions and you have a side dish that just might become your favorite thing. Ever.

Spring wants to sproing so hard…we can feel it here, peeking out in early-blooming freesias, warm days and longer daylight hours. I’m delighted, and it puts me in a mind for all things bright and springy. My latest discovery is a light, refreshing cucumber noodle salad that could be a side dish, could make a wonderful lunch salad, or just a snack as you’re standing in front of the open refrigerator door with a fork in hand. Not that I would ever do that.

Cold Cucumber Chile Noodles vegan recipe from Hot For Food Vegan Comfort Classicshotforfood_vegan comfort classics cookbook coverIt’s vegan, which means it is plant-based and contains no animal products. You won’t miss them, I promise. It’s from a brand new cookbook called “Hot for Food Vegan Comfort Classics,” by Lauren Toyota, who writes the vegan food blog Hot for Food. If you’re toying with going vegan, or simply want to add more plant-based meals into your diet, you’ll want to pick up this book. She puts the lie to the idea that vegan food is boring and bland. In fact, she has a rep for making food that’s saucy, sweet, sassy and most definitely craveworthy. One of her fans calls her “above the law.” I like that in a vegan! 😉

Listen up to what she says about this recipe:

Author photo_Lauren Toyota holding a sandwich and eating it. “I tend to add megaflavor to everything I cook, but in this dish I embrace the minimalist trend and really like the simplicity of green onions with spice, sesame, salt and refreshing crunchy cucumber. It was inspired by something I ate a couple of years ago at Xi’an Famous Foods in Brooklyn. A friend claimed this menu item, known as A-1, was her favorite thing ever, which I mistook for hyperbole. But I was curious. Well, after ordering it and taking one bite, I was in love and certainly wasn’t prepared for a long-distance relationship with this noodle dish so I made my own version!”

Let’s get to it, shall we?

(You can ribbon-up the cucumber with a vegetable peeler or mandolin, whatever you have. Shaving it this way makes great cucumber noodles!)

Cold Cucumber-Chile Noodles

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 4-6

Cold Cucumber-Chile Noodles

Vegan Cold Cucumber-Chile Noodles: Chewy, wide rice noodles and refreshing, crunchy cucumber ribbons are dressed simply with sesame oil and chile oil. Throw on a few sesame seeds and green onions and you have a side dish that just might become your favorite thing. Ever.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound thick flat rice noodles
  • 2 English cucumbers
  • 2 green onions, white and green parts, finely sliced diagonally
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 tablespoons chile oil

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. If your rice noodles already contain salt, do not add salt to the water. Cook the noodles until al dente, approximately 6 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, cut the cucumber into ribbons using a vegetable peeler or slice very thin using a mandolin.
  3. Drain the noodles, rinse under cool water, and place in a large bowl. Toss with the cucumber ribbons, green onions, sesame oil, sesame seeds (reserving 1 teaspoon for garnish), and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt (more to taste, if necessary). Divide among serving plates.
  4. Drizzle each portion with 1 tablespoon of the chile oil (or use more sesame oil if you don’t want spice) and garnish with the remaining sesame seeds. You can also toss the noodles in only the sesame oil, salt, and sesame seeds, leaving the cucumber ribbons and green onions to place on top of the noodles in each serving. I think this looks prettier!
  5. LEFTOVERS: If you have leftovers, soften the noodles by heating them with a bit of water in a covered pan or heat in a microwave. Drain any excess water before serving.
  6. Serves 4-6

Notes

Recipe source: Reprinted with permission from "Hot for Food Vegan Comfort Classics," copyright 2018 by Lauren Toyota. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

Photography copyright ©2018 Lauren Toyota

https://www.shockinglydelicious.com/cold-cucumber-chile-noodles/

Wasn’t that easy? And #shockinglydelicious?

What else is in the book?

I have bookmarked a bunch of other recipes in the book, including…

Mushroom Fettuccine Alfredo from Hot for Food Vegan Comfort ClassicsMushroom Fettuccine Alfredo

big brekky skillet from Hot For Food Vegan Comfort ClassicsBig Brekky Skillet

Loaded Fries Supreme from Hote For Food Vegan Comfort Classics…and Loaded Fries Supreme.  She has vegan recipes for Parmesan cheese, cheese sauce and other usually-dairy delectables that I will be trying, for sure. I want to try her recipe for vegan Parm on this classic Pasta Aglio e Olio from the movie “Chef.” The photography is beautiful (with a picture for every recipe, which I appreciate), the recipes have style and personality, and the dishes are hearty and satisfying. Lemony Parm Green Beans, watch out, I’m coming for ya!

areyoupinningPin the image below to your Pinterest board to save this recipe.

Cold Cucumber Chile Noodles VEGAN RECIPE on ShockinglyDelicious.com

Thanks for visiting…are you hungry for more? Follow Shockingly Delicious on…

FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

…for all the latest recipes, ideas and updates!

This post may contain affiliate/referral links. It is a way for this site to earn advertising fees (at no cost to you) by advertising or linking to certain products and/or services.


Disclosure: The publisher sent a copy of the cookbook for review.

{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }

Liren | Kitchen Confidante March 15, 2018 at 7:46 pm

I love Hot for Food and was so excited to see that this gorgeous dish is from Lauren’s new book! Totally try this!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 16, 2018 at 11:55 am

Liren,
It is seriously so pretty! And delicious, of course! I do hope you try it!

Reply

Megan March 14, 2018 at 2:18 pm

That dish looks amazing!! Never think to make cold noodle dishes at home.

Reply

Debbie Savage March 14, 2018 at 9:57 am

This looks like such an amazing dish! I have never seen anything quite like this or made anything like it either.

Reply

Candice March 14, 2018 at 9:39 am

These look so yummy! I love all kinds of noodles. You just can’t go wrong with noodles!

Reply

Ashley March 14, 2018 at 7:34 am

This looks so yummy and healthy! I love having cold noodles!

Reply

Nikki Arnold March 14, 2018 at 5:57 am

These look super good!! I love Thai noodles so this looks like a great easy recipe to try out!!

Reply

Arielle March 13, 2018 at 8:59 pm

Hmm this one doesn’t look like something I’d eat, but I know a few people that would love it!

Reply

April March 13, 2018 at 8:36 pm

Such a great vegan and gluten free option! This would be a great lunch!

April

Reply

Holly @ Granola on the Side March 13, 2018 at 1:50 pm

Oh, this looks super yummy. I will definitely have to try this. I love trying new recipes!!

Reply

Karlynn March 13, 2018 at 8:27 am

I would love to have a big bowl right now.

Reply

Jen March 13, 2018 at 8:13 am

I can’t wait to try this! It sounds amazing!

Reply

Sabrina March 13, 2018 at 8:13 am

So simple yet so flavorful! Delicious!

Reply

Whitney Roberts Kutch March 13, 2018 at 7:38 am

This looks so light and refreshing. I have never eaten anything like this and I def want to give it a try after reading this. Thank you for sharing!!

Reply

Jacque Hastert March 13, 2018 at 7:07 am

I love all the flavors in this!

Reply

Angela Tolsma March 13, 2018 at 6:13 am

I have always said I am not a fan of cold noodles but this is definitely something I would try, it sounds good!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 13, 2018 at 1:31 pm

Angela,
Yep, make an exception for this one! 🙂

Reply

Kimberly March 12, 2018 at 8:15 pm

Awesome, I love the crunch of the cucumbers!

Reply

Stephanie March 12, 2018 at 6:46 pm

Oh man, this looks delicious! My husband loves cucumbers and has been trying to find new recipes for them lately.

Reply

Marjie Mare March 12, 2018 at 5:50 pm

That looks really good. I am a foodie and always eager to try new recipes

Reply

angie March 12, 2018 at 11:13 am

this sounds amazingly fresh perfect dish for spring thanks for sharing

Reply

Demeter March 12, 2018 at 8:50 am

I could eat this for dinner! Loving all the flavors!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 12, 2018 at 10:15 am

Demeter,
Me too!

Reply

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post: