Chinese Rice Noodle Salad with Beef and Sesame Recipe
This chilled salad with rice noodles, thin slices of beef and a fragrant sesame–soy dressing is a popular type of dish for hot days in China. It’s like a grilled pasta salad, but in an Asian version – perfect as a work lunch or for a party table.
A refreshing, light salad that combines silky rice noodles, tender stir-fried beef and a bold sesame–soy dressing. It’s easy to prepare ahead, travels well and is served cold, making it ideal for hot days, lunch boxes or buffets.
Chef's tips
Slice the beef as thinly as possible – it cooks in minutes and stays very tender. Don’t over-soak the noodles; if they get too soft, the salad will lose its pleasant texture. Adjust the chili to your heat tolerance and always taste the dressing before mixing it with the salad so you can balance saltiness, acidity and sweetness.
How to serve
Serve the salad in individual bowls, topped with extra toasted sesame and a drizzle of sesame oil. Add lime wedges on the side for squeezing and offer extra chili flakes for those who like it spicier. It pairs well with iced green tea or light Asian-style appetizers such as cucumber pickles or edamame.
Ingredients
- thin rice noodles (vermicelli) - 200 g
- beef in thin slices (e.g. roast beef, rib-eye) - 250 g
- fresh cucumber long - 1 piece
- carrot - 1 piece
- oil - 2 tablespoons
- soy sauce - 3 tablespoons
- rice vinegar - 2 tablespoons
- garlic - 2 cloves
- fresh ginger - 10 g
- sugar - 1 teaspoon
- chili flakes or chili paste amount to taste - 0.5 teaspoons
- sesame seeds toasted - 2 tablespoons
- oil for frying the beef - 1 tablespoon
- chives or spring onion - 2 pieces
Preparation
- Pour very hot water over the rice noodles and set aside for 5–7 minutes, until they soften. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain very well. You can snip them slightly with kitchen scissors so the strands are shorter.
- If the beef slices are too large, cut them into very thin strips. Lightly salt on the surface.
- Wash the cucumber and cut into thin matchsticks. Peel the carrot and also cut into thin matchsticks. Finely chop the chives or spring onion.
- Peel and finely chop the garlic. Peel the ginger and grate it on a fine grater.
- In a small bowl, mix sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger and chili. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- In a dry pan, toast the sesame seeds over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until lightly golden and fragrant. Transfer to a small plate.
- In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over high heat. Add the beef in a single layer and fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the meat turns pale and lightly browned but remains tender. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the rice noodles, cucumber, carrot, fried beef and most of the chives. Pour in the dressing from the bowl and mix thoroughly so everything is well coated.
- Sprinkle the salad with the toasted sesame seeds and the remaining chives. Leave for 10–15 minutes at room temperature so the flavors meld, or chill in the fridge if you prefer the salad well chilled.
- Serve in bowls as a light main course or a larger appetizer.
Storage
Sałatkę przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku do 2 dni. Przed podaniem wymieszaj i w razie potrzeby dodaj odrobinę sosu sojowego lub oleju sezamowego, bo makaron wchłania sos.
