7

Cold Ramen Noodle Recipes

From Around The World You Can Make At Home

Quick Summary

Cold noodle recipes are a favourite worldwide, especially in Asia. The recipes use different types of noodles from different cultures but can also be recreated with instant ramen. With the right recipe and preparation, instant ramen can replace other types of noodles while maintaining the characteristics of the original recipes.

Deep Dive

Cold noodle recipes come in many variations. For instance, in Japan, they prepare cool ramen salads; in Korea, spicy cold noodles; in Vietnam, people make bountiful bowls filled with herbs and other ingredients. Instant ramen proves to be an ideal substitute for noodles in these recipes. If you cook and cool it right and quickly, ramen noodles become springy and chewy, making an excellent match with various dishes without losing cultural aspects and essence.

7 Famous Chilled Noodle Dishes You Can Reinvent With Ramen Noodle Recipes

1. Hiyashi Chuka (Japan)

Although the term Hiyashi Chuka translates as “chilled Chinese," it is actually a popular dish in Japan during the summer, which is made from cold ramen noodles. Besides ramen, colourful ingredients such as cucumber, fresh tomato, sliced omelette, boiled chicken or ham, and pickled ginger are also used in the dish. The popular dish also features a light sauce made from soy sauce or vinegar. This dish can also be easily made using instant noodles. Yippee! Korean Fiery Hot Style Noodles can be used and provide a spicy interpretation of the dish.

2. Bibim Guksu (South Korea)

Bibim Guksu uses cold noodles and features a bold dressing with a base of gochujang, sesame oil, vinegar, and a touch of sweetness. There are fresh vegetables featured in the recipe like cucumber, cabbage, and sesame seeds. Instant ramen noodles may also become a good substitution for the dish, allowing one to enjoy the flavour at home with simple replacements like Yippee! Korean Fiery Hot Style Noodles.

3. Liangpi (China)

Liangpi is a famous dish from Western China, and it is known for its refreshing characteristics. The dish consists of cold noodles with cucumber, bean sprouts, garlic, chilli oil, black vinegar, and sesame paste, resulting in a tasty, slightly numbing flavour. Despite making this dish differently, cold instant noodles can absorb these strong spices very well, for an easy ramen-based alternative.

4. Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad (Vietnam)

Vietnamese cold noodle salads are more famous for their freshness than richness. The salad bowl includes crunchy vegetables, aromatic herbs like mint and cilantro, peanuts, and a light sweet-and-sour dressing. Instant noodles make the dish flexible enough and allow the herbs to dominate the dish's overall flavour profile, adding a classic Vietnamese touch.

5. Zaru Soba (Japan)

Zaru Soba is a cold noodle dish served with a dipping sauce made of dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. As for the dressing, herbs like spring onions, grated wasabi, and seaweed help keep the dish light. However, buckwheat soba is considered a traditional ingredient in the dish, even though other varieties, such as chilled ramen, can be used instead for a more kitchen-friendly alternative to the traditional Japanese noodles recipe.

6. Pasta Fredda (Italy)

Italy's Pasta Fredda shows that cold noodle dishes are not just an Asian affair. The frozen pasta is mixed with cherry tomatoes, olives, mozzarella cheese, basil, vegetables, olive oil, and light vinaigrette to create a refreshing dish perfect for summer. Using ramen noodles also adds a unique twist to the Italian dish without changing the combination of colourful Mediterranean ingredients and fresh herbal taste.

7. Lachha Seviyan Chaat (South Asia)

Chilled noodles are also cooked in kitchens of South Asia and served as prepared delicious vermicelli with vegetables, yoghurt, herbs, spices, chutneys, and crunchy toppings. A traditional dish is made from roasted vermicelli, but using chilled ramen noodles gives the dish a similar layered texture with a harmonious flavour of tangy yoghurt, coriander leaves, mint, and vegetables.

Conclusion

Dishes based on cold noodles show that great flavours are not dependent on hot/ spicy dishes. Dishes from different countries include crunchy fresh vegetables, fragrant herbs, and fine sauces. Instant ramen helps achieve these dishes without obscuring their distinctive traditional character. These cold ramen noodle recipes can be enjoyed because they help one to experience many world cuisines without much effort.