Soba Noodle Cold Salad (Printable Version)

A vibrant, chilled soba salad with crunchy vegetables and a smooth, nutty dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Noodles

01 - 9 ounces 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 (about 50 grams)

→ Dressing

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

→ Garnishes

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

# Directions:

01 - Boil soba noodles according to package directions, usually 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water; set aside to cool.
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 until dressing reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
03 - Add cooled noodles, carrot, cucumber, bell pepper, spring onions, and shredded red cabbage to the dressing. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Divide salad into bowls. Top with toasted sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and sliced chili if desired. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under half an hour, which means you can have lunch ready before your stomach starts complaining.
  • The dressing tastes indulgent but it's actually just peanut butter and pantry basics whisked into something silky.
  • It tastes better the next day, so you can meal-prep without regret.
02 -
  • Cold rinsed noodles are non-negotiable; if you skip this step or do it halfheartedly, they'll taste starchy and stick together in an unpleasant way that no dressing can fix.
  • Make the dressing before the noodles are completely cool rather than after, because the residual warmth helps everything emulsify more smoothly and tastes better that way.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before using them; the difference in flavor is subtle but real and worth the tiny amount of effort.
  • Grate the ginger on a microplane instead of mincing it to get more fiber and less stringiness in the dressing, which makes it texture better.
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