Cold Soy-Marinated Tomato Noodles

Name: Cold Soy-Marinated Tomato Noodles
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 pints cherry tomatoes (large ones halved); 2 tsp olive oil; 1 bunch scallions (chopped); 2 tbsp rice vinegar; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp ginger (grated); 2 garlic cloves (pressed); 1-3 tsp chili crisp (optional (to taste)); 6 ounces dried ramen noodles or rice noodles

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These Cold Soy-Marinated Tomato Noodles are the perfect quick and easy meal for summer. Cherry tomatoes are roasted until they’re bursting, then while they’re still warm, go straight into a marinade of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and scallions and ginger to make a tangy, slightly sweet sauce. Tossed with your favorite type of noodle and served with lots of chili crisp.

Why you’ll love this recipe
Ingredients you’ll need
How to make Cold Soy-Marinated Tomato Noodles
FAQ
More pasta & noodle recipes to try
Cold Soy-Marinated Tomato Noodles Recipe

Why you’ll love this recipe

These noodles take a little inspiration from Japanese somen tomato noodles. The combination of chilled noodles, fresh tomato flavor and a light soy-based sauce is so perfect for summer. But instead of raw tomatoes, I like to roast them in the oven which concentrates their sweetness and creates the easiest, most delicious sauce.

The key is tossing the warm roasted tomatoes straight from the oven into a soy-sesame marinade with rice vinegar, ginger, garlic and scallions. As everything chills, the tomatoes soak up the marinade and release their juices, creating a tangy, savory-sweet sauce with a little kick from chili crisp.

Here’s a few more reasons why I think you’ll love this recipe:

So easy, anyone can make them
A creative way to use up summer cherry tomatoes
Perfect for leftovers
Easy to customize with your favorite noodles (or rice, tofu, veggies, etc–the sauce is so versatile)
Eat as is or serve alongside any protein

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need

Cherry tomatoes: Roast until blistered and bursting so they release plenty of sweet, caramelized juices into the sauce.

Olive oil: Just enough to help the tomatoes soften and caramelize in the oven.

Scallions: Add freshness and a flavor. Use both the white and green parts.

Rice vinegar: Gives the marinade brightness and acidity.

Soy sauce: Adds salty, savory depth to the sauce.

Toasted sesame oil: Brings a rich, nutty flavor. Make sure to use toasted sesame oil rather than regular sesame oil.

Honey: Balances the acidity of the vinegar and the saltiness of the soy sauce.

Fresh ginger: Adds warmth and freshness to the marinade.

Garlic: I like pressing or finely grating it so it distributes evenly throughout the sauce.

Chili crisp: Optional, but highly recommended for a little heat and crunch.

Ramen or rice noodles: Either works well. Ramen noodles are especially good here if you want a chewier texture.

Roasted cherry tomatoes instructions - step 1

roasted cherry tomatoes instructions - step 2

How to make Cold Soy-Marinated Tomato Noodles

1. Roast the Tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan or baking dish with parchment paper. Toss the cherry tomatoes with olive oil and spread them into an even layer.

Roast for 20–25 minutes, until the tomatoes are blistered, softened and beginning to burst. You want them to release plenty of juices, since those will become part of the sauce.

2. Make the Soy Marinade

While the tomatoes roast, combine the scallions, rice vinegar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, honey, ginger, garlic and chili crisp in a large bowl.

Whisk until the honey is dissolved and everything is well combined.

3. Marinate the Tomatoes

Add the hot roasted tomatoes and all of their juices from the pan directly to the marinade.

Gently toss to coat, then refrigerate for 15–20 minutes, or until chilled. As the tomatoes sit, their juices mingle with the marinade to create the sauce for the noodles.

4. Cook and Chill the Noodles

Meanwhile, cook the ramen or rice noodles according to the package directions.

Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water until completely cool. Let the noodles drain well before adding them to the sauce so excess water doesn’t dilute the flavor.

5. Toss and Serve

Add the cold noodles to the tomato mixture and toss until evenly coated.

Divide between bowls and finish with extra scallions and chili crisp, if desired.

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FAQ

What should I serve with Cold Tomato Noodles?

I recommend a protein, the honey-lime chicken thighs from this Almond Butter Chicken Curry are actually a pretty perfect pairing. Crispy tofu, ground beef or pork, a can of olive-oil packed tuna, fried egg and grilled shrimp are all great options. Preferably something with a little crunch/crispiness.

What type of noodles should I use?

I used curly ramen noodles, you can buy dried ramen (not the instant packs) in the Asian section of most grocery stores. But I’ve also tried this recipe with straight ramen noodles, rice noodles and angel hair pasta. All were delicious.

Can I make this recipe gluten free?

Yep! Use a gluten-free soy sauce and swap out ramen noodles for rice noodles. Or serve the chilled tomato sauce over some sticky rice or silken tofu!

It’s the middle of winter, can I use off-season tomatoes?

Yes, absolutely! Roasting cherry tomatoes is actually one of the best ways to prepare off-season tomatoes because it concentrates the flavor. You may need to add just a touch more honey to the sauce, depending on how sweet you’d like it.

How long do the noodles keep?

These cold tomato noodles taste even better the next day! They should keep in the fridge for about 4 days sealed in an airtight container. I wouldn’t recommend freezing them.

More pasta & noodle recipes to try

Made this recipe? I would love to hear what you think in the review section down below! Also, make sure to tag @wandering_chickpea on Instagram with your creations and save this recipe on Pinterest for later!