Cold Noodles With Zucchini

By Eric Kim

Published June 21, 2024

Cold Noodles With Zucchini
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
15 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
5(944)
Comments
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Zucchini loves the kiss of heat but can easily turn to mush. Briefly salting and drying half-moons of zucchini before quickly stir-frying them, mostly on one side, maintains their texture while lending so much flavor. An impactful dressing of maple syrup, soy sauce and fish sauce — plus a pinch of concentrated savoriness in the form of garlic powder — seasons both stir-fry and noodle. Ice is the secret ingredient that helps to cool down the noodles for quick eating, as well as to melt down and open up the flavors of the dressing (as water is wont to do) while you eat. The final spritz of citrus is not optional: It finishes the dressing and makes this chill meal taste multidimensional. A tableside sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, furikake or shichimi togarashi is welcome.

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Ingredients

Yield:1 serving
  • 1large zucchini (about 8 ounces)
  • Coarse kosher salt or fine sea salt
  • 3 to 4ounces dried ramen, somen or capellini (see Tip)
  • 2teaspoons maple syrup, plus more to taste
  • 1½teaspoons soy sauce, plus more to taste
  • 1teaspoon fish sauce, plus more to taste
  • ⅛teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1tablespoon avocado, grapeseed or canola oil
  • ½cup cubed ice
  • Lemon or lime wedges and thinly sliced scallions, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)

642 calories; 32 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 77 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 16 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 2778 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Trim off the tips of the zucchini, then halve lengthwise and slice into ⅓-inch half moons. Directly on the cutting board, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, toss to combine and let sit for at least 10 minutes (and up to 30 minutes) to draw out excess moisture.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain, then rinse under cold water until cool to touch. Transfer to an individual serving bowl.

  3. Step 3

    In a medium bowl, stir together the maple syrup, soy sauce, fish sauce and garlic powder; set aside.

  4. Step 4

    Pat the zucchini dry. Heat a large skillet over high, then add the oil. When you see a wisp of smoke, carefully arrange the zucchini in an even layer in the skillet and season with salt. Cook undisturbed until the zucchini is browned on one side, 1 to 2 minutes, then flip the pieces and cook until tender-crisp, about 1 minute.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer the zucchini to the bowl with the sauce. Add the ice, then quickly toss a few times until the zucchini is cool. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if needed. (The dressing should taste boldly salty at this stage, as the melting ice, and later the noodles, will dilute it.)

  6. Step 6

    To eat, pour the zucchini and its dressing over the noodles. Spritz with citrus, top with scallions and eat immediately. (As you eat, you can add more maple syrup, soy sauce or fish sauce, if you’d like.)

Tip
  • The world of Asian noodles is vast and varied. Readily available today in most supermarkets but especially in Asian grocery stores, dried noodles like somen (thin wheat noodles) and instant ramen (thicker, squigglier wheat noodles) often come packaged as convenient single-serving bundles.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
944 user ratings
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Comments

Brie

Since using ice to cool this dish down anyway, make double the sauce and instead of rinsing noodles till cold, pour half of the sauce on hot drained noodles and continue recipe as directed. The hot noodles will absorb some of the liquid umami and be so much more flavorful. I used whole wheat ramen. I added ginger and chili garlic sauce to the sauce and I added a jammy egg, toasted cashews and green onion at the end. Finished with lime.

Pennsyltuckey

I am waiting to cut the zuke rounds in half until after they are crisped…less to turn in the pan.

Audie

Beat the heat suggestions: Cook the ramen in the early morning, cool and toss with a little sesame oil (great suggestion, Cooker!), then refrigerate. Remove it when you get home so it can come to room temp. Slice or grate the zucchini and put it on top of the noodles. Add the sauce and stir. Zucchini is fine raw, but if you really want to cook it, briefly heat the sauce and pour it over the noodles and squash. No boiling water, no standing over a hot skillet.

Hilary M

I made this as written with the exception of adding some cilantro. I also had some leftover chow mein noodles, and I threw those in too! Provided a nice crunch. I like this recipe because many Asian noodle salads are fairly involved in this one was simple and quick.

Dave

My wife made a bright carrot salad with vinegar and red onion a few days prior and we used the marinated cold salad to mix in, a wonderful addition that you can also make days in advance and added some texture and bite.

Dina

Did anyone have some trepidation re: carefully layering zucchini in a pan of smoking oil? Sounds like a burn hazard to me. The salad sounds delicious however

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