Springtime means lots of fresh meals, and for this delicious meal option, we made an irresistible Seafood Udon Noodle Salad that’s just as mouthwatering as it is visually delectable. Get the deets below!
Seafood Udon Noodle Salad
On a recent grocery store run, I came across an unusual sighting. Langostino lobster tails!
We don’t see them often around these parts, and I have never cooked with them, so I figured, why not give them a try?
I had already planned to make a Udon noodle bowl for a quick Saturday lunch, but I craved salads when the weekend rolled around. The Mrs. loves salads too, so I pivoted and decided to try something new.
Instead of making soup, I made a Seafood Udon Noodle Salad. This cold salad was ideal for such a hot spring day.
Since the Langostino lobster tails came pre-cooked, it meant less preparation time.
I also grabbed fresh udon noodles from a local Asian market.
It took less than 30 minutes to pull this easy, no-fuss light lunch idea together.
What You Will Need To Make Our Seafood Udon Noodle Salad:
Udon Noodles. I used fresh-packaged Udon noodles (you can also use soba noodles). I think they have the best flavor, and they’re so easy to prepare. I cooked them in boiling water for two minutes, drained off the water, tossed them with equal measures of sesame oil and some hot pepper extra virgin olive oil, and chilled the noodles in the fridge for fifteen minutes.
Langostino Lobster Tails. If you love lobster, then chances are you will love langostino lobster tails; they’re similar in taste and have a natural sweetness. I have pan-fried them briefly with butter and garlic and used them to make yummy seafood soft tacos. We found these at Trader Joe’s. You can also substitute with shrimp or salmon.
Assorted Fresh Vegetables. Here’s where you can grab some of your most desirable vegetables and make them do what they do. This recipe calls for sliced radishes, red cabbage, thinly sliced rings of red onions, green onions, jalapeños, ribbons of sweet carrots, and fresh cilantro.
Asian-inspired vinaigrette. Our Seafood Salad needed a dressing, so I came up with the perfect one for this occasion. It combines extra virgin olive oil, low-sodium soy sauce, crab paste, toasted sesame seeds, and sriracha sauce. You may want to save this recipe because it’s pretty good for dipping egg rolls into; don’t double-dip.
Lime Wedges. Squeeze on fresh lime juice for a bit of fresh citrus zing!
Seafood Udon Noodle Salad
Servings 2
Ingredients:
- 2 servings of fresh udon noodles
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp hot pepper extra virgin olive oil *optional
- 1 cup longanstino lobster tails *cook according to the package (we picked this up at Trader Joe’s)
- 1/2 cup red cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced into rings
- 1 small carrot grated into ribbons
- 2-3 tbsps of thinly sliced green onions
- 1 small bunch of fresh cilantro
- fresh lime wedges
Directions:
- Prepare the noodles following the package directions. Once finished cooking, drain off the water using a colander. Then, place the noodles in a bowl and toss with sesame oil and hot pepper extra virgin olive oil.
- Divide the noodles into bowls and add 1 cup of longanstino lobster tails, 1/2 cup of red cabbage, red onions, ribbons of carrots, thinly sliced green onions, and fresh cilantro.
- Add as much of the Asian-inspired vinaigrette (recipe below) as you like. This will give the recipe the needed “seasoning.”
- Serve with lime wedges.
Additional tip: Top with toasted sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for extra flavor and crunch.
Asian Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsps of mirin, which is a Japanese sweet rice wine
- 4 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp crab paste
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp sriracha
Directions:
- Combine ingredients into a Mason-style jar with a screw-on lid and shake vigorously for 40 seconds.
- Serve—store the unused portion in the fridge for up to one week.
Try these noodle recipes:
Can I make the Noodle Salad a day ahead?
Yes, make the recipe a day ahead and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for five to seven days.
Should I rinse the udon noodles off after cooking and draining off the water?
No. After cooking and draining off the water, place the noodles in a bowl and toss them with sesame oil. Rinsing off the noodles will remove the necessary starch, which will allow the vinaigrette to stick to the noodles.
Can I serve the Seafood Udon Noodle Salad warm?
Although this is primarily served as a cold noodle salad, it can also be served warm.
After cooking the noodles and draining off the water, serve them warm instead of chilled.
You can also quickly stir-fry the vegetables and langostino lobster tails for 2-3 minutes in a hot wok with a tablespoon of sesame oil and a tablespoon of chopped garlic.
Now that you have the recipe, make a list, and then put it all together in the kitchen.
As always, if you have any questions, drop us a line. We would love to hear from you. Drop us a line or two in the comments section below!
Find more salad recipes to try below:
Bacon Lettuce & Triple Tomato Salad
Mixed Veggie Farro Salad Made In The Instant Pot
Seafood Udon Noodle Salad
Ingredients
- 2 servings of fresh udon noodles
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp hot pepper extra virgin olive oil *optional
- 1 cup longanstino lobster tails
- 1/2 cup red cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced into rings
- 1 small carrot grated into ribbons
- 2-3 tbsps of thinly sliced green onions
- 1 small bunch of fresh cilantro
- fresh lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare the noodles following the package directions. Once finished cooking, drain off the water using a colander. Then, place the noodles in a bowl and toss with sesame oil and hot pepper extra virgin olive oil.
- Divide the noodles into bowls and add 1 cup of longanstino lobster tails, 1/2 cup of red cabbage, red onions, ribbons of carrots, thinly sliced green onions, and fresh cilantro.
- Add as much of the Asian-inspired vinaigrette (recipe below) as you like. This will give the recipe the needed "seasoning."
- Serve with lime wedges.
Notes
Asian Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsps of mirin, which is a Japanese sweet rice wine
- 4 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp crab paste
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp sriracha
Directions:
- Combine ingredients into a Mason-style jar with a screw-on lid and shake vigorously for 40 seconds.
- Serve—store the unused portion in the fridge for up to one week.
heather says
this looks delicious! wanted to clarify – is this soba or udon?
T Worthey says
Hi, thank you! We used Udon, but you can use either one. Thanks!