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A hot day calls for these refreshing Cold Tomato Noodles, a quick summer lunch that tosses cherry tomatoes, smashed cucumbers, and udon noodles in a 6-ingredient soy and black vinegar dressing. Vegan, Gluten-Free Option.
These Cold Tomato Noodles with Smashed Cucumber are loosely inspired by Japanese somen, a summer refresher that tosses thin noodles in a savory, tangy sauce. Made with cherry tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, udon noodles, and a soy- and black vinegar-based sauce, this version is just as light and fresh but makes for a filling summer meal. Even better, they only take 30 minutes to toss together!
Table of Contents
A Slurpable Tomato Season Staple
Here’s the thing about most cucumber salad recipes: they’re crisp, refreshing, and delicious, but I can’t stand how much dressing gets left behind at the bottom of the bowl. Sick of watching all that flavor go to waste, I came up with these Cold Tomato Noodles with Smashed Cucumber.
Think of this recipe as a heartier spin on Japanese cold somen noodles. I swapped the thin somen noodles for bouncy udon noodles (perfect for soaking up as much sauce as possible), tossed them with cherry tomatoes and smashed Persian cucumbers, and drowned everything in a soy and black vinegar-based sauce.
Cold, colorful, and satisfying, this is the lunch I want on a hot and muggy summer day. And since peak tomato season only lasts so long, you know I’ll be washing it down with an ice-cold glass of this Sparkling Tomato Lemonade!
Ingredients for Cold Tomato Cucumber Noodles
You need fewer than 10 ingredients to make this cold noodle dish! Some fresh summer produce, noodles, and a handful of Chinese and Japanese pantry staples for the dressing. Here are the key items you need:
- Chinkiang Vinegar: the complex but mild malty-tangy-sweet flavors in this Chinese black vinegar give this dressing an edge over your everyday soy-ginger dressing. You should be able to find it at most Asian grocery stores.
- Cherry Tomatoes: these noodles just wouldn’t be as tomato-forward without bursts of sweet, juicy, and tart cherry tomatoes in every bite.
- Persian Cucumbers: unlike English cucumbers and other varieties, Persian cucumbers are super crunchy, basically seedless, and aren’t watery, meaning your sauce won’t be watered down. They’re my favorite in any smashed cucumber salad, like this 25-Minute Smashed Cucumber Salad with Edamame!
- Udon Noodles: these big and bouncy wheat-based noodles soak up the dressing and make this light meal feel like a hearty main dish.
How to Make Cold Tomato Noodles with Smashed Cucumber
- Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Smash the cucumbers with a rolling pin on a cutting board. Add them to the bowl with the dressing along with the halved tomatoes. Mix to coat, then chill in the fridge.
- Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Add the noodles to the bowl with the dressing and veggies. Mix to combine, then chill in the fridge.
- Divide the cold tomato cucumber noodles between serving bowls and spoon extra dressing over top. Garnish, then serve and enjoy.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Make the dressing ahead of time: Preparing the dressing even 5 minutes (or up to a day) in advance gives the vinegar time to mellow out the sharp bite of raw garlic and ginger, yielding a much more balanced flavor.
- Mix, marinate, and chill as you go. You can definitely just toss the noodles, veggies, and sauce together before digging in. But for the very best bites, I highly recommend marinating the veggies in the dressing for 10 minutes first. Then, add the cold noodles and give them 5 minutes to absorb all those delicious flavors before serving.
Serving Suggestions
I’ve been making these cold tomato noodles on repeat for quick lunches and light dinners all summer long. I’ll usually top my bowl with green onion or chili oil for an extra punch of flavor, but toasted sesame seeds, Thai basil leaves, and/or fresh cilantro would be just as good.
The udon noodles make one serving pretty filling on its own, but when I want a small protein boost, I’ll toss about 1/2 cup of shelled edamame in the bowl or serve it with a batch of my Crispy Baked Tofu on the side.
If you’re looking for more easy vegan noodle dishes, you’ll also love these 10 Minute Peanut Noodles, these Vibrant Vermicelli Noodle Bowls with Tofu, and this Soba Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce!
And if you have more fresh summer produce to use up, you should also try this Corn Cucumber Tomato Salad, this Mango Cucumber Salad with Edamame, and this Southwest Black Bean Quinoa Salad.
How to Store Cold Noodles
The tomato noodles are best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Keep in mind that as the vegetables sit, they’ll start to soften and release their natural juices—this can water down the dressing and make the noodles a little mushy over time. The sooner you eat the leftovers, the better.
On the flip side, if the noodles absorb too much dressing and need to be refreshed, toss them with a drizzle of sesame oil or a splash of soy sauce right before serving.
Freezing isn’t recommended.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Use 4 ounces of rice noodles or gluten-free ramen noodles instead of udon noodles, and make the dressing with tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Chinkiang Vinegar Substitute: If chinkiang vinegar isn’t available where you live, use a 50-50 mix of rice vinegar and balsamic vinegar as a substitute.
- Cherry Tomato Substitute: Grape tomatoes are the second best option here. Or, dice up larger tomato varieties into bite-sized pieces. They won’t taste as tomato-y, but will still be good.
Recipe FAQs
This technique creates rough edges that trap and soak up the liquid more than cleanly sliced cucumbers.
Probably because the water didn’t wash most of the surface starches away. Keep rinsing them under cold running water or toss them with a drizzle of the sauce to loosen them up.
Sure, but the hot noodles will soften the vegetables. Just skip rinsing the noodles and toss them with the dressing and marinated vegetables as soon as they’re done cooking.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Cold Tomato Noodles with Smashed Cucumber
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 1 garlic clove finely grated or crushed
- 1/2 inch piece ginger finely grated
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons chinkiang vinegar* or sub 1 tablespoon each rice vinegar and balsamic
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
For the Noodles:
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 3-5 persian cucumbers
- 7 ounces shelf-stable udon noodles
- Sliced green onion for garnish (optional)
- Chili oil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Bring a small pot of water to a boil to cook your noodles in.
- Dressing: In the meantime, whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside to let the vinegar mellow out the garlic and ginger.
- Smash: Use a rolling pin or similar heavy object to smash or “flatten” the cucumbers onto a cutting board, then cut into bite sized pieces. Place these into the bowl with the dressing along with the tomatoes. Mix well, then place in the fridge for at least 10 minutes; the cucumber and tomatoes will release additional water to thin out the dressing.
- Cook the Noodles: According to the package instructions; mine cooked in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse well with cold water to bring the noodles to room temperature.
- Combine: Add the noodles to the bowl with the dressing and veggies. Mix well; let sit in the fridge for at least 5 minutes, for the noodles to chill further and absorb some of the dressing.
- Serve: Divide the noodles and veggies between serving bowls, then spoon some of the extra dressing on top. Serve chilled, topped with green onion or chili oil, or as desired. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Recipe Notes
- Gluten-Free: replace the udon noodles with rice noodles or gluten-free ramen noodles. These noodles are more lightweight because they are fully dried, so I would use only 4 ounces instead of 7 ounces
- Chinkiang Vinegar: I have only been able to find this Chinese black vinegar at local Asian markets or online – it has a pretty unique flavor that’s malty, tangy, and slightly sweet. Subbing for a 50-50 mix of rice vinegar and balsamic vinegar is good in a pinch though!
Loved how simple and easy this recipe is! I added plain baked tofu and a big avocado and doubled the sauce. It was great for a picnic!
So happy you enjoyed! Those are great additions!