Somen Salad with Sesame Dressing
Somen Salad with Sesame Dressing is a refreshing Japanese noodle salad featuring thin, delicate wheat noodles (somen) tossed with crisp vegetables and a creamy, savory sesame dressing. It typically includes ingredients like julienned cucumber, carrots, and sometimes ham or boiled egg, making it a popular summer dish in Japan.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dish is moderate in carbohydrates from the noodles, with a good balance of fiber and vitamins from the fresh vegetables, and provides plant-based protein from the sesame dressing. A typical serving contains roughly 300-400 calories, depending on portion size and dressing amount.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 220 kcal |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbs | 35 g |
| Fat | 7 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 480 mg |
| Potassium | 180 mg |
| Iron | 1.5 mg |
| Calcium | 40 mg |
| Magnesium | 25 mg |
| Phosphorus | 70 mg |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 0.15 mg |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 0.1 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 2 mg |
Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Somen noodles are traditionally eaten cold during Japan's hot, humid summers, and the act of slurping them is considered both polite and a way to enhance flavor. The sesame dressing adds a rich source of healthy fats and minerals like calcium, making this salad a nutritious and culturally significant seasonal treat.
