It’s the constant refrain of summer; it’s too hot to cook but we still need to eat. Chilled Kimchi Noodles to the rescue! This refreshing mashup combines both Korean and Japanese flavors, resulting in a cool and satisfying meal that’s the perfect antidote for those sweltering days when you just can’t bear to turn the oven on. Think tender noodles coated in a tangy, spicy kimchi sauce mingling with crisp vegetables and savory toppings for a perfect warm weather bowl. It has enough slurpy noodles to feel indulgent but the heaping pile of veggies helps keep it in virtuous, almost salad territory. Whether you’re looking for a light lunch or a refreshing dinner, these Chilled Kimchi Noodles are sure to become a summer staple in your kitchen. They can also be made ahead so on the day you want to serve them, you don’t have to cook at all, and that’s pretty chill.
I love a recipe that’s not really a recipe. Other than the sauce, which really pulls things together, feel free to swap things to suit your taste or what needs to be used up. Don’t have soba noodles? No problem- use whatever is sitting in your pantry: Rice noodles, bean thread noodles, and even instant ramen noodles or thin spaghetti would all work. Want to bulk up this simple recipe? Add some strips of cooked chicken or tofu. And if you want to add or substitute other vegetables some sliced celery, raw or blanched spinach, or some blanched green beans or snap peas would all be great too. Make your cooking life easy this brutal summer and let’s get to it.
Chilled Kimchi Noodle Sauce
I love this sauce so much. It has the perfect balance of spicy heat (which helps cool you down) and tangy, savory depth. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples, making this easy to whip together any night. We swirl together toasted sesame oil for its nutty goodness, soy sauce and seasoned rice vinegar for their signature tang and salty umami, gochugaru chili flakes bring the heat, and kimchi juice adds a little funk, while a bit of sugar and garlic rounds it out. As for the kimchi juice, it you have some of my Real Deal Kimchi or Daikon Kimchi in the fridge, scoop out some of the juice and then use the kimchi in the noodles. But as Ina Garten herself says, store bought is fine.
I usually use unseasoned rice vinegar in my recipes, and if that’s what you have on hand no problem. Just taste and adjust for seasoning if need be. Seasoned rice vinegar has salt and sugar already added to it so make any additions once you’ve made the sauce. Also this sauce is highly seasoned and that’s because the noodles are plain and the vegetables exude a lot of water which will dilute the sauce.
By the way, this is an excellent way to use up old kimchi. You know, the container that’s been tucked all the way back in the fridge for a LONG time. When you buy or make kimchi, it’s hard to finish it in one go because those containers are hefty. And what do you do when the kimchi gets old and funky? Chuck it? No way. Unless you see visible mold or other signs or spoilage, kimchi will keep for months in the fridge. And once it’s too old for serving as an accompaniment (too sour, no longer crunchy, too strong), it’s perfect to use for soups, stews, pancakes, and these Chilled Kimchi Noodles.
Stir it all together until the sugar is dissolved and set aside. You can make the sauce ahead and keep it chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to use.
Once the sauce is done, it’s time prep the veggies. I start by washing and trimming the ends of the cucumbers and then cut them into manageable lengths, about 3 inches long. I’m using the small Persian ones here which are thin skinned and extra crunchy, but any cucumber will do. Peel the skin first and scrape out the seeds if using regular cucumbers to get the best texture.
I like to add wakame to these Chilled Kimchi noodles. Wakame is dried seaweed that has a mild oceanic flavor that’s both salty and subtly sweet and is rich in vitamins and minerals. It often comes cut into small pieces (which is the type I usually buy because it’s easy to store in a jar) but they also sell it in long lengths. A small amount will bloom into quadruple the quantity. Briefly reconstitute wakame in water for several minutes until it’s loose and leafy. Drain and squeeze out excess water and it’s ready to use.
Now on to the most important part- the noodles! I usually use Japanese soba noodles, but as I mentioned earlier, you can use any noodle you like. Cook the noodles according to package directions and drain and run them under cold water to cool them down. If making this dish ahead of time, mix them with a little vegetable or sesame oil to prevent them from sticking together and keep them covered in the fridge. Depending on the type of noodle, they can harden if refrigerated for too long. My suggestion would be to make them no earlier than 1 day ahead. You can also re-heat the noodles in the microwave briefly or blanch in boiling water (just a couple of seconds) to bring back the original texture.
I hope these Chilled Kimchi Noodles get you through the dog days of summer; try serving them with this Strawberry Lychee Lemonade for maximum cooling off. Let me know what you think by commenting and rating the recipe below, and don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you.
Chilled Kimchi Noodles
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5-10 minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: noodles
- Cuisine: pan-Asian
Ingredients
Noodle Sauce:
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar*
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean Chili Flakes)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 Tablespoons kimchi juice (the liquid from your kimchi jar)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Kimchi Noodles:
- 2 servings cooked noodles (I used soba-Japanese buckwheat noodles)*
- 2 persian cucumbers (or half a European cucumber)
- 1 cup napa kimchi*
- 1 large shallot
- 1 Tablespoon dried wakame seaweed
Garnish:
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 scallion trimmed and sliced thin
Instructions
Make the noodle sauce:
- Combine the soy sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, water, toasted sesame oil, gochugaru, sugar, kimchi juice, and garlic.
- Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Prep your vegetables:
- Trim the cucumbers and cut them into thirds. Then cut the logs into thick slices. Stack the slices and then cut through them again so you yield thick matchsticks. Put them into a large bowl and set aside.
- Trim and peel the shallot and then slice thinly. Add it to the cucumbers.
- Rehydrate the wakame in water for several minutes until it blooms and softens. Then drain and squeeze the excess water out with your hands. Add it to the vegetables.
- If you’re kimchi is not cut, cut off the core, and then chop it into small pieces. Otherwise, just add it to the vegetable bowl. Mix the vegetables together lightly.
- Divide the noodles into 2 shallow bowls and mound the vegetables on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and garnish with sliced scallions and serve with the sauce on the side. Serve immediately.
Notes
*If you do not have seasoned rice vinegar (which has salt and sugar added), you can use regular rice vinegar and adjust the seasoning by adding an additional teaspoon of sugar and ⅛ teaspoon of sea salt.
* You can use whatever noodles you like. Rice noodles, Soumen, Soba, Udon, Korean buckwheat noodles, ramen, or even thin spaghetti are all good. This is a great dish to clean out your pantry. I’ve been known to serve different noodles to different people in an effort to use up what I have ;)
*I used cut napa kimchi (called mat kimchi) in this recipe but I also like daikon kimchi in this too. Really most types of kimchi will work, so use up that jar sitting in the back of your fridge.
*This dish is great for making ahead. Keep the servings covered in the fridge and the sauce separate until you are ready to serve.
Keywords: noodles, summer, kimchi, korean, japanese, spicy, hot weather, no cook,
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