Soba Noodle Cold Salad (Printable)

Cold soba noodles tossed with fresh vegetables and a creamy sesame-peanut dressing for a light, vibrant meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

→ 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, to thin

→ 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

# How to make it:

01 - Boil soba noodles for 5 to 7 minutes according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to halt cooking and remove excess starch. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together peanut butter or tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup or honey, ginger, and garlic. Gradually add water, one tablespoon at a time, until smooth and pourable.
03 - Add cooled noodles, carrot, cucumber, bell pepper, spring onions, and red cabbage into the dressing bowl. Toss thoroughly to evenly coat all ingredients.
04 - Divide the salad among serving bowls. Top with toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, and optional chili slices. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

# Recipe Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in under 30 minutes and tastes even better the next day.
  • The creamy sesame-peanut dressing coats every noodle without ever feeling heavy.
  • You can prep the vegetables while the noodles cook, so there's almost no downtime.
02 -
  • Rinsing the cooked noodles properly is the difference between a beautiful salad and a gluey mess—don't skip this step or rush it.
  • The dressing will thicken slightly as the noodles cool and absorb liquid, so make it thinner than you think it should be when you first whisk it together.
  • This salad actually tastes better the next day once the flavors have had time to settle into the noodles.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for about a minute until fragrant—pre-toasted versions fade by comparison, and this takes almost no time.
  • If your noodles stick together after cooking and rinsing, toss them with a tiny drizzle of sesame oil immediately while they're still warm, which prevents clumping without affecting the final salad.
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