Looking for a refreshing, flavour-packed meal that doesn’t require standing over a hot stove? This vegan Liang Mian (Chinese cold noodles) is creamy, satisfying and nourishing, making it the perfect recipe for hot summer days, meal prep and busy weeknights.
Traditionally served chilled, Liang Mian combines cooked noodles with a rich sesame or peanut dressing and crisp vegetables. This plant-based version is naturally dairy-free, easy to customise and can be prepared in advance, making it ideal for family meals, packed lunches and heatwaves when you want to keep the kitchen cool.
As a registered dietitian, I love recipes like this because they’re simple, balanced and an effortless way to increase your fibre intake and plant diversity without spending hours in the kitchen.
What is Liang Mian?
Liang Mian (涼麵), which translates to “cold noodles,” is a popular Chinese and Taiwnaese dish traditionally made with chilled noodles, a savoury peanut or sesame dressing and crunchy vegetables such as cucumber and carrots. It’s commonly enjoyed during the warmer months because it’s refreshing, satisfying and easy to prepare ahead of time.
While recipes vary between households, the combination of chewy noodles, creamy sesame or peanut sauce and fresh vegetables makes Liang Mian a versatile meal that can easily be adapted with your favourite vegetables and plant-based proteins.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for warm weather and heatwaves.
- Great for meal prep and batch cooking.
- Packed with colourful vegetables.
- Naturally dairy-free and easy to make gluten-free.
- Easily customised with your favourite vegetables and protein.
- Delicious served straight from the fridge.
- Family-friendly and ideal for packed lunches.
Ingredients You’ll Need
One of the reasons I love this Liang Mian recipe is that it’s made with simple, everyday ingredients that come together to create a flavour-packed meal.
Noodles provide the main source of carbohydrate, giving you energy while creating a satisfying base. Wholewheat noodles are a great choice if you’re looking to increase your fibre intake, but regular wheat noodles, ramen noodles, soba or gluten-free noodles all work well.
Sesame paste or peanut butter creates the creamy dressing that’s characteristic of Liang Mian. It’s naturally rich in unsaturated fats and contributes minerals including calcium, magnesium and copper.
Soy sauce, rice vinegar and garlic create the balance of savoury, tangy and aromatic flavours that make this dish so moreish.
Cucumber and carrots add crunch, freshness and colour while increasing your vegetable intake.
Adding tofu, tempeh or edamame boosts the protein content, creating a balanced meal that will help keep you satisfied for longer.
Ingredient Swaps
Liang Mian is incredibly versatile, making it perfect for using ingredients you already have at home.
- Swap wholewheat noodles for ramen, udon, soba or gluten-free noodles.
- Use another nut butter sesame or penaut isn’t available or suitable.
- Replace cucumber or carrots with shredded cabbage, peppers, bean sprouts or courgette ribbons.
- Add tempeh, edamame or roasted chickpeas for extra protein.
- Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free version.
- Add chilli oil or fresh chilli if you enjoy extra spice.
Using what’s already in your fridge is a simple way to reduce food waste while creating your own version of this classic dish.
Nutritional Benefits
Rich in plant diversity
Eating a wide variety of plant foods supports a healthy and diverse gut microbiome. Depending on your ingredients, one serving of this recipe can contribute around 8–12 different plant foods, helping you work towards the goal of eating at least 30 different plant foods each week.
A good source of fibre
Wholewheat noodles, vegetables, sesame seeds and edamame all contribute dietary fibre, which supports digestive health, helps you stay fuller for longer and feeds beneficial gut bacteria.
Healthy fats
Sesame seeds and peanut butter provide predominantly unsaturated fats alongside calcium, magnesium, copper and vitamin E. Including healthy fats also helps your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins found in colourful vegetables.
Plant-based protein
Adding tofu, tempeh or edamame transforms this into a protein-rich meal that supports muscle maintenance while keeping the recipe completely plant-based.
Perfect for meal prep
Liang Mian is one of those dishes that tastes just as good the next day. Preparing a large batch can save time, reduce food waste and make healthy eating much easier throughout the week.
Dietitian’s Top Tips
- Include a source of plant protein such as tofu, tempeh or edamame to create a balanced meal.
- Add plenty of colourful vegetables to increase fibre and plant diversity.
- Make the dressing ahead of time and store it separately for quick meals throughout the week.
- Batch cook extra noodles for easy lunches.
- Taste and adjust the dressing before serving with lime juice, rice vinegar or a touch of maple syrup.
Why This Recipe Is Perfect During a Heatwave
When temperatures rise, many people lose the motivation to cook. Standing over a hot hob or turning on the oven can quickly make your home even warmer, especially if you don’t have air conditioning.
Recipes like Liang Mian are the perfect solution because they can be prepared ahead of time, chilled in the fridge and enjoyed straight from the bowl. I often make a large batch so there’s enough to feed the whole family without any additional cooking later in the day.
Cold meals can still be balanced, satisfying and nutrient-rich. Pairing noodles with colourful vegetables, healthy fats from sesame and a source of plant protein creates a practical meal that’s perfect for warmer weather.
Plant Points
Depending on the ingredients you use, this recipe can provide around 8–12 plant points, including:
- Wholewheat noodles
- Sesame
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Cucumber
- Carrot
- Spring onions
- Coriander
- Chilli
- Edamame
- Lime
Eating a greater variety of plant foods throughout the week may help support a healthy and diverse gut microbiome.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
For the best texture, keep the dressing separate until you’re ready to serve if preparing meals in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Liang Mian healthy?
Yes. Liang Mian can be a balanced meal when made with vegetables, a source of plant protein such as tofu or edamame and a sesame-based dressing. It provides fibre, healthy fats and a variety of plant foods.
Can I make Liang Mian ahead of time?
Absolutely. It’s an ideal meal prep recipe because it’s served cold and often tastes even better after the flavours have had time to develop.
What noodles work best?
Traditional wheat noodles are commonly used, but wholewheat noodles, ramen noodles, soba noodles and gluten-free noodles all work well.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Yes. Simply use gluten-free noodles and replace soy sauce with tamari.
What protein can I add?
Tofu, tempeh, edamame and roasted chickpeas are all excellent plant-based options.
Can children enjoy this recipe?
Yes. Simply reduce or omit the chilli to make it suitable for younger children.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like:
These recipes are perfect for meal prep, busy weekdays and helping you include more plant foods throughout the week.
Made This Recipe?
I’d love to hear what you think! If you make this vegan Liang Mian, leave a review below and tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations. Your feedback helps others discover the recipe and supports my work sharing evidence-based plant-based nutrition.
Recipe Highlight
This easy vegan Liang Mian is creamy, refreshing and packed with colourful vegetables, fibre and plant diversity. Perfect for meal prep, packed lunches and hot summer days, it’s a nutritious family-friendly meal that’s just as delicious the next day as it is freshly made.
Liang Mian (Cold Noodles)
Ingredients
- * 300g dried rice noodles
- * 8 tbsp natural peanut butter
- * 6 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- * 4 tbsp maple syrup
- * 6 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- * 300g cucumber shredded
- * 4 tbsp sesame seeds
- * 6-8 chives or 4 spring onions finely sliced
- * 2 tbsp chilli flakes optional
Instructions
- Cook the rice noodles according to the packet instructions until tender. Drain well and set aside. If serving cold, rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, tamari (or soy sauce), maple syrup and apple cider vinegar until smooth and creamy. If needed, add 1-2 tablespoons of warm water to loosen the sauce.
- Add the cooked rice noodles and shredded cucumber to the bowl. Toss until the noodles are evenly coated in the peanut sauce.
- Divide between four bowls and garnish with the sesame seeds, sliced chives (or spring onions) and chilli flakes, if using.
- Serve immediately while warm or refrigerate and enjoy cold.
Notes
* Add a splash of warm water to thin the sauce if using a thick peanut butter.
* This recipe can be enjoyed warm or cold, making it ideal for lunchboxes and meal prep.
* Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days
* For extra protein, add baked tofu, edamame beans or tempeh.