One of my favorite smells is yummy food on a grill—a sure sign that summer is here. My parents have a pool and almost every weekend during the summer, we have a swimming party and family cookout.
This Asian Pasta Salad recipe is near and dear to my heart because it’s a family favorite and is a must for our cookouts. It’s not a matter of IF it will be there, but WHO will be making it. It’s just that good. Every time I bring this salad to a party, I get requests for the recipe. It’s just so flavorful, and I think the secret is the sesame oil. Can’t beat that stuff when it comes to Asian cuisine. And this Asian Pasta Salad is so versatile. You can use whatever type of pasta you’d like and add any veggies you have on hand. Our original recipe calls for thin linguine, but I’ve found I prefer smaller, shorter noodles because all the goodies mix in well, whereas they tend to fall to the bottom with the linguine and are harder to mix in.
My sister has even tried this as a main dish salad with chicken and heated it up instead of serving it cold. Her family loved it that way, too. You really can’t go wrong with this Asian Pasta Salad. Try it for your next summer party.
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 6 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 4 Tbsp. red wine OR rice vinegar (I prefer rice)
- 4 Tbsp. canola oil
- 3 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce
- 1 lb. pasta of your choice
- 8 green onions, sliced
- 2 bell peppers (any color), sliced thin
- 1 pkg steamable frozen shelled edamame, cooked and cooled
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- Sesame seeds
- Cook noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a bowl.
- In a bowl or jar, stir (or shake) together soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, canola oil, sugar, and Sriracha sauce.
- Pour dressing over noodles and add vegetables, mixing well.
- For maximum yumminess, chill in the refrigerator to give flavors a chance to combine.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds just before serving.
