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Sweet Potato Noodle Salad
When weather really hits hot, Sweet Potato Noodle Salad hits the spot! It was one of those days in the kitchen, 30°C by 10 a.m., the kind of day where the thought of turning on the oven feels like a personal attack. Monday’s are also the ‘low grocery’ day, so in those days we reach for the pantry to bust out a Pantry Staple meal. Purchased at T&T Supermarket, I had a package of Sweet Potato Noodles. With a few staple Asian Condiments, a few random vegetables in my fridge, I was able to make a better than take-out Sweet Potato Noodle Salad in about 15 minutes.
The dressing is one of our favourite balancing acts of miso, soy, a bit of sweet, sour from rice wine vinegar and umami from soy. A bit of heat from chili-garlic paste. All condiments that are hanging out in my fridge anyway. This mixture also worked well as a marinade for some salmon that went on the grill to accompany this Sweet Potato Noodle Salad!
And the best part? The kids loved it! All the colour, texture, and slurpy noodle joy of a stir-fry, but served refreshingly cold.
Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Noodle Salad
This recipe is light but satisfying, colourful but not fussy, and packs a bold, punchy dressing that clings beautifully to the springy Korean sweet potato noodles (also called glass noodles or japchae). Sweet potato noodle salad is naturally gluten-free (I did, actually, use Tamari instead of soy sauce) totally make-ahead friendly, and even picky eaters love the noodle-salad hybrid vibe.
This one hits all the hot-weather meal marks:
✅ No oven
✅ Cold and refreshing
✅ Packed with veggies
✅ Meal-prep and picnic approved
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 Minutes
- Total Time: 20 Minutes
- Yield: 4-6 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 package (400g) sweet potato noodles (a.k.a. Korean glass noodles or japchae noodles)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (for tossing noodles)
- 3 Tbsp white miso
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/8 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2-1 tsp chili garlic paste (adjust to taste)
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 1 English cucumber, julienned
- 1 red pepper, julienned
- Handful of baby spinach
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- Handful of chopped cilantro
- Juice of 1 lime, quartered
Instructions
- Cook the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add sweet potato noodles and cook according to package instructions (typically 6–8 minutes). Drain, rinse under cold water until really cold, shake well to rid of excess water and toss with 1 tsp sesame oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the miso, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili garlic paste until smooth and well blended. Taste and adjust the heat or sweetness as you like. Check out the vid below. It takes a little patience to work the miso so it’s nice & smooth.
- Marinate the mushrooms: add sliced mushrooms to second amount of soy sauce and sesame oil.
- Prep the veggies: Julienne the carrot, cucumber, and red pepper.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine cooled noodles, mushrooms, raw veggies, and spinach. Pour over the miso-sesame vinaigrette and toss well to coat.
- Top and serve: Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Serve with a lime wedge!
Notes
How to store Sweet Potato Noodle Salad
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Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The noodles absorb more flavour as they sit, so it’s even better the next day!
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If the noodles clump, just toss with a splash of water or vinegar before serving.
Make-Ahead Tips
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Noodles can be cooked and tossed with sesame oil up to 2 days ahead. Store in the fridge.
Cook With Us!
Like this recipe? You should try cooking with us! Start with an on-demand pre-recorded class, or jump in to the best experience with our live classes!
We have taken many classes over several years, and they never disappoint! Kristie & team always have great pointers and tricks to learn in the video. We love the Japanese burgers, and they are always a hit with guests. That's the thing: you make the recipe at home, it doesn't take a long time, and the result is so good that you want to make it again and again. Just try one, you'll see. 🙂I had such a fantastic experience at the cooking class! My daughter and I had an amazing time — our Bao Buns and Crispy Chicken turned out delicious, and we learned so much throughout the session. It was a fun, inspiring, and rewarding evening. I can’t wait to come back for another class. Highly recommend!Our virtual cooking class experience was top notch! Well organized, wonderfully communicated, and entertaining! A delicious outcome which boosted our confidence to try more challenging recipes in the future. Highly recommend!I have taken a few classes in the past - always find the products delicious, and I enjoy the challenge of trying to keep up 🙂
I subscribe the updates and get links to recipes - I recently made the Olive Oil Lemon cake. It turned out delicious – as you said in the description, very moist! My daughter has a birthday in strawberry season and typically she asks for strawberry shortcake with a traditional shortcake recipe… I served the lemon came this weekend with a bit of whipping cream and fresh strawberries (your picture was quite enticing) and her comment was that her birthday request this year would be to replace the traditional shortcake with this recipe!I've taken several on-line cooking classes from The Culinary Studio and have really enjoyed each one. The recipes are delicious and the instructions are very well laid out. I always learn new cooking tips and skills.It has been most likely a year and a half since I’ve made moussaka. Having the recording available was a godsend. So good and lots of leftovers! Having the recording is priceless!
I made Dan Dan noodles last month and again referred to the recording as it has been awhile. I was grateful for the reminders, tips and tricks. Not to mention, I love to cook with Kirstie and Jody. They make it so much fun!
Most of the meals I make are from your repertoire. I think I have close to 60!Love these ladies! Classes are easy to follow, informative, filled with all kinds of tricks & tips and best of all DELICIOUS!! This is our "night out" dining adventure that we can re-do & show off to our family & friends.My husband and I joined the Valentine's Day Date Night cooking class. Very enjoyable experience full of informative tips and thorough explanations followed by a delectable meal. Thank you Kirstie & Jodie. We'll be back!I recently did an online Lamb Briyani class. It used some cooking techniques I wasn't familiar with and produced a dish that was as tasty as the best Indian food I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying.I have done a few classes with the Culinary Studio and always enjoy the classes and the fabulous meals. They deliver the food to my door all prepped for the class if I like (which I do!). Highly recommended.We did a virtual zoom cooking class. It was better than cooking classes we have done in a actual class. We really enjoyed our ourselves. We have made the meal a couple of times since the class. We have friends over for the session and have great restaurant quality mealsThe Culinary Studio is an wonderful online chef duo!
You will learn delicious recipes taught in real time from start to end by two good friends who want nothing more than to teach you how to cook and and have fun doing it. Class presentation is practical and encouraging with one chef starting and one playing 'catch up' so you do not miss anything and no question will go unanswered!
The recipe with food pack is perfectly packaged and always arrives on time to make it easy so you do not have to shop!
Several recipes from the Culinary Studio are in our regular rotation!
Excited to keep cooking with you Kirstie and Jody!Online classes have allowed me the convenience to open my computer and learn in the comfort of my home and to do the class on my own schedule rather than missing out due to life's interruptions. Classes are paced well and the chef's are ready to answer your cooking questions even if they are unrelated to the class. I have used the recipes frequently in my day to day life and recently at an event where I overhead participants raving about the soup and cookies I had prepared, which were from Culinary Studio class recipes.
I was at the Studio for the very first class they held and I have continued to take classes for the past 13 years. While some things have changed over the years, the quality, knowledge and skills Jody and Kirstie bring to each class has not.The skills I learned through the their instruction have been used daily.To Chefs Kirstie & Jody! My family and I have thoroughly enjoyed the recipes and techniques we have acquired by following your live sessions and on-demand courses available on your website. You have a casual and an informative style that is very appealing. Most importantly both of you thrive on good food and beverage as much as we do! Bravo - we hope your future includes many more years of teaching and developing new dishes. Thank you. 🙂 -
Vinaigrette keeps well for up to a week in a jar, shake before using. DOUBLE the vinaigrette and use it as a marinade or dressing for other salads.
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Slice veggies and cook mushrooms a day in advance to make final assembly a breeze.
Hosting a picnic? Bring everything separate and toss together just before serving. Or, prep it all in the morning and let it chill until dinnertime. Either way, zero stress.
Why It Works for Families
This noodle salad is colourful and customizable. Don’t love mushrooms? Swap in edamame. Want to add protein? Toss in some grilled chicken, tofu, or even cold shrimp. Try perfectly ripe avocado.
It’s a perfect recipe for those chaotic summer evenings when you’re too hot to think but still want something that feels homemade and a little special.
And bonus: my kids actually asked for seconds. That’s a rare win in Chef Mom world.
Final Word from the Hot Kitchen of Chef Kirstie
If you’re staring down a heatwave and wondering what to feed your family that doesn’t require sweat, stress, or 14 pots and pans, this is the dish.
It’s got everything: chewy noodles, crunchy veggies, a zingy umami-packed dressing, and that magical quality of tasting even better straight from the fridge.
