Somen salad is one of my favorite midnight snacks. I almost always have the ingredients around, and it makes me think of Hawaii. The first time Eric tried it, he said “Wow, that’s very Asian!” (that was a compliment in case you were wondering) Instead of lettuce being the base for the salad, it’s noodles! The somen salad dressing is made with soy sauce and rice vinegar, and it includes SPAM. Not your typical American salad. But I can eat a ton of it!

At every potluck I ever went to in Hawaii, we all made certain someone was in charge of bringing somen salad.  No potluck felt complete without it.  I remember the flavors and ingredients very well, but out of curiosity, I searched for some somen salad recipes, and found each one to be different.

Below is my version that I found easiest to make with things you’re likely to have around the house. For instance, it’s called somen salad because you typically use somen noodles. But you can buy a big box of ramen noodles from Costco or Sam’s Club, or buy the traditional somen noodles in an Asian grocery store.  Either one is very affordable, but somen noodles are healthier and gluten free.   Also, somen salad usually has fish cake and char siu pork, but those aren’t ingredients I use often, so I go with SPAM. Finally, the sesame seeds are typically mixed in the dressing, but if you’re storing it for a while, they get all bloated and gross, so I add them to the salad.

If you’re not afraid of SPAM, or even if you are, give this recipe a try. It’s a nice blend of flavors, textures and temperatures. I’d suggest preparing the dressing in advance so it can be refrigerated beforehand, but it’s not necessary.  If serving this for dinner, just layer everything in individual bowls.  If serving it at a potluck, layer it in a large casserole dish.  I like to mix the dressing in a jar, makes it easy to shake it to mix everything together.  But it’s often difficult for people to pour from a jar so you can also use a dressing bottle or any squeeze bottle.

I have to clarify that this is not a healthy salad recipe.  It’s not a salad you’d eat to try and lose weight.  But it is packed with protein and makes a filling dinner.  If you’re looking for a healthier Asian salad, I suggest my healthy Chinese Chicken Salad Recipe.