Description
This Cold Soba Noodle Salad offers a refreshing, light, and flavorful lunch option combining nutty buckwheat soba noodles with crisp vegetables and a tangy, savory-sweet dressing. Ready in under 20 minutes, it’s packed with fresh ingredients and easily customizable to suit different tastes and dietary preferences. Perfect for warm days and a healthy midday boost.
Ingredients
Scale
Soba Noodles
- 200g buckwheat soba noodles (or 100% buckwheat for gluten-free option)
Fresh Vegetables
- 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 medium carrot, julienned
- 1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
- 2 green onions, chopped
Herbs & Seeds
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or mint, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Dressing Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (for vegan option)
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Optional Protein Add-ins
- 100g firm tofu, cubed and crispy (optional)
- 100g cooked chicken breast, sliced (optional)
- 100g cooked shrimp (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the Soba Noodles: Boil soba noodles according to package instructions for 4-5 minutes until just tender but still firm. Drain well and immediately rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool the noodles, ensuring a chewy texture.
- Prepare the Vegetables and Herbs: While noodles cook, thinly slice cucumber, julienne carrots and red bell pepper, chop green onions, and roughly chop fresh herbs like cilantro or mint to add freshness and crunch.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey or maple syrup, and freshly grated ginger to create a balanced, flavorful dressing with tangy, sweet, and nutty notes.
- Toss Everything Together: In a large bowl, combine the cooled noodles, chopped vegetables, herbs, and dressing. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top for added crunch.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld and keep it refreshingly cool before serving. Garnish as desired.
Notes
- Rinse noodles thoroughly in cold water to remove excess starch and prevent clumping.
- Lightly toast sesame seeds to enhance their flavor and aroma.
- Use freshly grated ginger for the best zing; powdered ginger will lack brightness.
- Adjust honey or maple syrup amount in the dressing to your preferred sweetness level.
- Chill the salad well before serving for optimal taste and texture.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days; keep dressing separate if possible.
- Freezing not recommended as texture of noodles and vegetables will degrade.
- Serve cold or at room temperature; bring to room temp by sitting out 15 minutes if preferred.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Salad
- Method: Boiling, Mixing
- Cuisine: Asian, Japanese-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/3 of recipe)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Cold soba noodle salad, buckwheat noodles, healthy lunch, Asian salad, gluten free soba, refreshing noodle salad, easy soba salad, vegan noodle salad option
