Cold Asian Noodle Salad (Easy Gluten Free Recipe)

This gluten free Asian Noodle Salad is one of our family’s all-time favorite meals! It’s been on repeat during the warm summer months for years.

It’s got gluten free rice noodles with lots of crunchy veggies and lean chicken, tossed in a creamy, salty, garlicky sauce that you’ll just want to bathe in.

This cold noodle salad is bursting with fresh flavors and is guaranteed to please a crowd. 

Ingredients for this Gluten Free Asian Noodle Recipe

There are two components to this gluten free Asian noodle recipe: the salad ingredients and the sauce. 

The Salad

• Rice Noodles. Find the widest noodle you can find, like the kind used for Pad Thai. The thinner noodles won’t stand up as well. 
• Chicken breasts. The protein in this salad is optional, but definitely makes more of a complete meal vs. a side dish. Take a shortcut and buy rotisserie chicken breast from your local grocery store. 
• Cabbage. We’re using both green cabbage and red cabbage (also known as purple cabbage) for lots of texture and crunch. 
• Bell peppers. Choose any color you like. Orange and yellow bell peppers will be sweeter than green bell peppers. 
• Green onions
• Fresh cilantro

The Sauce

The totally addictive Asian noodle sauce is made of simple ingredients that can easily be found in most grocery stores. Here are the sauce ingredients:

• Gluten free soy sauce
• Rice vinegar
• Sesame oil
• Vegetable oil
• Mayonnaise. This is what gives the sauce it’s creaminess while still remaining dairy free, and what I think makes this dish really special.
• Fresh garlic
• Sugar. Feel free to substitute honey. 

How to Make Asian Noodle Salad

This is such an easy recipe! Perfect for a busy weeknight. 

The sauce for these Asian noodles comes together in one bowl. Just whisk all of the ingredients together and set them aside while you chop the veggies and cook the noodles. 

Once your noodles are cooked and drained, be sure to rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process and to prevent the noodles from getting gummy. 

Then, simply toss all of your chopped veggies and chicken together with the noodles and sauce in a big bowl. Done and done! 

How to Serve Gluten Free Asian Noodle Salad

If you’ve got finicky eaters in your house, try serving this Asian Noodle Salad buffet-style. Arrange the chopped vegetables in separate bowls on the counter top.

Toss the noodles in the dressing in a large bowl. Then let each person fill their bowl with the dressed noodles and top them with whatever veggies they like. 

This works in our family, especially with the – ahem – cilantro haters. 

Variations and Substitutions for this Gluten Free Asian Noodle Recipe

The options for customizing this recipe are endless! Here are some ideas to get your started: 

1. Customize your veggies. Try carrots, snow peas or bean sprouts for flavor and textural variations. Speaking of texture, a sprinkle of sesame seeds is really nice too. 

2. Add some nuttiness. Replace the mayo in the sauce with peanut butter to create a nutty dimension. 

3. Experiment with other types of gluten-free noodles. Try gluten free soba noodles, gluten free ramen noodles or gluten free lo mein noodles. These are different from flat rice noodles and are a great option if you can’t find traditional rice noodles.  

Can you make this Asian Noodle Salad ahead of time? 

You can definitely make this gluten free Asian Noodle Salad in advance. If you’re going to be serving it the same day, assemble the entire noodle salad and store it, covered or in an airtight container, in the refrigerator. 

You can also prep everything a day or two in advance. The dressing can be store in its own airtight container in the fridge. The noodles and veggies can be stored in individual Ziploc bags until you’re ready to assemble the salad. 

How to Store Asian Noodle Salad

We actually look forward to enjoying left over Asian Noodle Salad because the flavors have a chance to marry and the vegetables soften without getting soggy.

Store any left overs of this gluten free noodle recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy it for up to 3-4 days. 

When you make this gluten free Asian Noodle Salad, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy! 

For more gluten free recipes, try these:

• Salmon Poke Bowl Recipe with Avocado (Hawaiian Style)
• Roasted Fish with Cherry Tomatoes (One Pan Recipe)
• Easy Taco Bake Recipe

For more Asian-inspired recipes, try these:

• Creamy Chinese Coconut Shrimp Recipe (Buffet Style)
• String Bean Chicken Recipe (Just Like Panda Express!)
• Sushi Bake Recipe with Spicy Tuna