Soba Noodle Cold Salad (Print Version)

Buckwheat soba noodles mixed with fresh vegetables and a creamy sesame-peanut dressing for a refreshing meal.

# Components:

→ Noodles

01 - 9 oz soba noodles

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
03 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 2 spring onions, finely sliced
06 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage (approximately 50 g)

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tbsp smooth peanut butter or tahini
08 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
09 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
10 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
11 - 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
12 - 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
13 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
14 - 1 to 2 tbsp water, as needed to thin dressing

→ Garnishes

15 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
16 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
17 - 1 small red chili, thinly sliced (optional)
18 - Lime wedges, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Boil soba noodles according to package guidelines, typically 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water to halt cooking and eliminate excess starch. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together peanut butter or tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup or honey, grated ginger, and minced garlic. Add water gradually, one tablespoon at a time, until the dressing reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
03 - Add the cooled soba noodles, julienned carrot, sliced cucumber, red bell pepper, spring onions, and shredded red cabbage to the dressing bowl. Toss thoroughly to coat all components evenly.
04 - Distribute the salad evenly among serving bowls. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and optional red chili slices. Provide lime wedges on the side for added zest.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in under 30 minutes but tastes like you spent the afternoon on it.
  • The creamy sesame-peanut dressing is so good you'll want to drizzle it on everything else you eat that week.
  • It actually gets better after a day in the fridge, making it perfect for meal prep without any of the sad, soggy vibes.
02 -
  • Rinsing the soba noodles properly is non-negotiable—it removes the starch that makes them gluey and clumpy, and it cools them so they don't keep cooking.
  • Make the dressing first and taste it before you add the noodles; it's much easier to adjust seasoning when it's alone than when it's dressed a whole salad.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the noodles and vegetables separate from the dressing until just before serving, or dress everything lightly and refresh with a squeeze of lime and a splash more sesame oil before eating.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds if you have time—30 seconds in a dry pan transforms them from meh to incredible, and your nose will tell you the exact moment they're done.
  • Use a microplane to grate your ginger; it integrates into the dressing so smoothly that you won't get bites of fibrous ginger in every spoonful.
  • If you're serving this to a crowd, make the dressing in advance so you can taste and adjust it without an audience watching you figure out if it needs more salt.
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