Somen Salad
Somen salad is a refreshing Hawaiian dish made with thin Japanese noodles called somen. Switch up the toppings to whatever you like, but don't forget my amazing Asian salad dressing.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
For Salad
- 3 bundles somen noodles See notes
- 1/4 lb shredded kamaboko
- 1/2 cucumber thinly sliced
- 1/3 takuan thinly sliced
- 1 cup romaine lettuce shredded
- 1 cup pea sprouts
- 2 eggs
- 2 green onions finely chopped
For the Dressing
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup neutral flavored oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook somen noodles according to package instructions (usually around 2 minutes).
- Drain cooked somen and immediately dunk in ice water to cool.
- Prepare your vegetables and kamaboko if you haven't already, slicing them thinly.
- Make omelette: using one egg at a time, lightly beat the egg in a bowl, then pour into a heated and oiled skillet on stovetop. Cook over medium heat until the thin omelette is cooked through and remove to a cutting board. Repeat with the other egg.
- When the omelettes have cooled down, slice into thin ribbons.
- Assemble your somen salad by placing drained somen at the bottom of a large bowl. Arrange your sliced and shredded toppings on top of the noodles (in any pattern or formation you like).
- Make salad dressing by mixing sugar, rice vinegar, oil, sesame oil, and soy sauce together until homogenous (I like to shake it in a mason jar).
- Pour dressing over arranged salad and top with green onions. You can serve your salad like this, allowing guests to choose toppings as they like, or you can mix the salad together before serving. Somen salad is best eaten the day it is made.
Video
Notes
- This recipe says 3 bundles of somen, but I have made this with as many as 5 bundles for feeding an extra large crowd. If you use more noodles, don't forget to increase the amount or number of toppings you use.
- Somen salad toppings are completely customizable, the ones listed in this recipe as just suggestions. Other potential toppings include ham, char siu, shredded carrot, hijiki seaweed, edamame, and more!