When water’s scarce, wind’s up, and you’re trying to keep dinner moving without firing up the stove, the last thing you want is a pot to wash. Backpacking Sesame Cucumber Noodle Salad keeps your cook kit dry and your cleanup basically nonexistent—mix it in a zip bag or container, eat straight from it, and get back to the trail.
Rice noodles soften with a quick soak while you rest, then you fold in cool cucumber and a sesame-soy dressing that’s salty, tangy, and lightly sweet. The contrast is the payoff: slick noodles with crisp, hydrating crunch that feels especially good after a hot climb. Sesame seeds add nuttiness, and a pinch of chili flakes can wake it up if you’ve got them in your kit.
It’s an easy side for lunch at a shaded overlook or a refreshing add-on to a warm camp meal. Keep the noodles and dressing separate in your food bag, then slice the cucumber when you’re ready to eat for the freshest bite and the least fuss.
Backpacking Sesame Cucumber Noodle Salad
Equipment
- Backpacking stove or hot water flask
- Bowl
- fork or chopsticks
Ingredients
- 2 ounces instant rice noodles thin
- 1 cup cucumber thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 green onion sliced
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to a near boil with backpacking stove or hot water flask.
- Add rice noodles to bowl. Pour hot water over to cover and let soak 4–5 minutes until soft. Drain off water.
- Toss noodles with cucumber, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and green onion. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Stir well and serve immediately.