This Soba Noodle Salad is precisely what you want for a fast, gentle meal. Tossed in a honey sesame dressing, you may simply customise this refreshing salad along with your favourite greens and proteins. Take pleasure in it chilled or at room temperature.
What are a few of your go-to fast lunches? My favourite gentle and fuss-free lunch is that this simple and refreshing Soba Noodles Salad (蕎麦サラダ), which is prepared in lower than 20 minutes.
Craving extra noodles recipes? Attempt my Yakisoba (Japanese stir-fried noodles), Miso Ramen, and Beef Udon.
What Are Soba Noodles?
Soba (そば) or buckwheat noodles are made primarily from buckwheat flour, with a small quantity of wheat flour combined in. It has an ashen brown colour, and a barely grainy texture. When it’s made with 100% buckwheat flour, it’s known as juwari soba (十割そば) and is gluten-free (you should purchase on Amazon).
Soba is usually served chilly, corresponding to Zaru Soba, or in scorching Soba Noodle Soup.
Why I Love This Recipe
- It’s fast to make! You may make the sauce and chop the garnish whereas boiling water.
- Pantry-friendly. Components are one thing that I have already got within the fridge and pantry, so I can at all times make it any time. It’s type of like a more healthy model of prompt ramen.
- Versatile. I stored this recipe easy, however you may add protein or add extra greens to make it into an entire meal.
Components for Soba Salad
- Soba noodles – Use juwari soba for gluten-free
- Inexperienced onions/scallions
- Cilantro – You possibly can skip it and add extra inexperienced onions.
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Dressing – impartial oil, roasted sesame oil, crushed purple pepper flakes, honey, and soy sauce (or tamari)
Discover the printable recipe with measurements under.
Substitutions
- Toasted sesame seeds: In case you can’t discover them, use dry roasted peanuts as an alternative.
- Honey: Use maple syrup for vegan.
- Soy sauce: Use tamari for gluten-free.
The way to Make Soba Salad
Preparation
Step 1 – Make the dressing. Season the oils with chili flakes over the range. Take away from the warmth and add honey and soy sauce. Combine all collectively and put aside.
Step 2 – Prepare dinner the soba noodles. Boil the water and cook dinner the soba noodles. There is no such thing as a have to salt the water. Rinse the noodles below chilly operating water to take away the starch.
Assemble
Step 3 – Toss the whole lot collectively. In a big bowl, combine the soba noodles, inexperienced onions, cilantro, and toasted sesame seeds collectively. Serve and luxuriate in!
Nami’s Recipe Ideas
- Soba noodles cook dinner quick (sooner than spaghetti), so prep the whole lot forward of the time.
- Take away any extra starch by rinsing the soba noodles below chilly operating water. Soba noodles will hold higher with out extra starch.
- Don’t burn the chili flakes! Infuse the oils with chili flakes however don’t burn them.
- Add the honey to grease combination first, earlier than soy sauce. When making the dressing, don’t add soy sauce to the oil. It’s going to splatter! Be certain so as to add the honey first.
- You possibly can put together forward, however put collectively when able to serve. Put together the dressing, chop all of the herbs, and boil the soba noodles forward of time. Toss the whole lot collectively if you find yourself able to serve.
Variations and Customizations
This Soba Noodle Salad recipe is the proper clean slate for personalisation. For substance, be at liberty so as to add veggies or proteins and switch the salad right into a primary dish. Listed here are some scrumptious opt-in substances:
- Totally different sauce variations: Swap soy sauce with soy sauce with miso, gochujang, and tahini.
- Add legumes. Add edamame and sugar snap peas.
- Add greens. Skinny strips of cucumber, carrots, bell peppers, or purple cabbage, a handful of arugula or steamed broccoli, and pickled veggies corresponding to kimchi.
- Add proteins. Grilled or pan-fried tofu, shredded leftover rooster, Miso Salmon, and hard-boiled eggs or Ramen Eggs.
- For a vegan model, swap honey with maple syrup.
What to Serve with Soba Salad
- As a primary course – This salad is a wonderful primary dish as is or with further substances!
- With vegetable sides – Serve with leafy greens, grilled greens, some scrumptious dips, or hearty soups, will probably be a beautiful vegetarian/vegan meal!
- With grilled seafood or meat – Grill some shrimp, scallops, or wagyu steak (with ponzu or soy sauce) to go along with this salad!
Storage Ideas
To retailer: You possibly can retailer the leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
To freeze: Retailer within the freezer for as much as 2 weeks. Thaw within the fridge in a single day.
Steadily Requested Questions
I’m not a registered dietitian, so I’m in all probability not the very best individual to seek the advice of your weight loss program. Nonetheless, Japanese individuals like myself contemplate soba noodles a wholesome carb selection, particularly among the many number of noodles. Low in fats, soba noodles are an important supply of amino acids, manganese, protein, and fiber. They’re more healthy than udon, ramen, or common spaghetti. Please ask your well being supplier for the very best recommendation.
Certain! You may make this dish with spaghetti noodles, udon noodles, ramen noodles, rice noodles, or konnyaku (konjac) noodles.
Extra Soba Noodle Recipes
In case you love this Soba Salad recipe, you may take pleasure in different buckwheat noodle recipes! Give them a strive!
- Toshikoshi Soba – scorching buckwheat noodle soup we eat on New Yr’s Eve
- Oroshi Soba – buckwheat noodles with grated daikon on high
Forestall your display from going darkish
To Make the Dressing
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Mix 1 Tbsp impartial oil, 3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, and ½ tsp crushed purple pepper (purple pepper flakes) in a small saucepan.
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Whisk all of it collectively and infuse the oil over medium warmth for 3 minutes. The oil ought to sizzle, however don’t burn the chili flakes. Take away from the warmth and let cool for 1–2 minutes. Tip: In case you scent one thing burnt, the warmth is simply too robust otherwise you cooked it too lengthy.
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Add 3 Tbsp honey and whisk nicely till it has utterly dissolved. Tip: Don‘t add the soy sauce first as it is going to splatter within the scorching oil.
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Add 3 Tbsp soy sauce to the combination and whisk all of it collectively. Put aside.
To Make the Salad
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Add 7 oz dried soba noodles (buckwheat noodles) to the boiling water. Prepare dinner, stirring sometimes, till they’re al dente. Tip: I prefer to boil the noodles for 30 seconds lower than the bundle directions. Mine says to cook dinner for 4 minutes, so I cook dinner for 3 minutes and 30 seconds.
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In the meantime, thinly slice 2 inexperienced onions/scallions.
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Discard the stems of 1 handful cilantro (coriander) and chop the leafy components into small items.
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Drain the soba noodles right into a colander and rinse them along with your hand below chilly operating water. This necessary step removes the surplus starch and stops the cooking.
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Drain nicely and switch to a big bowl. Pour the cooled dressing over the noodles.
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Add the inexperienced onions, cilantro leaves, and 1 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds to the noodles. Toss the whole lot collectively.
To Customise
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Soba noodle salad is the proper clean slate to customise along with your favourite greens like edamame, sugar snap peas, cucumber slices, carrot strips, arugula, or purple cabbage. Attempt including blanched or pickled veggies like kimchi, Fast Recent Kimchi, Spicy Japanese Pickled Cucumbers, and Blanched Broccoli with Sesame Oil. For a extra substantial meal, add hard-boiled eggs, Ramen Eggs, shredded leftover rooster, or grilled tofu.
Energy: 309 kcal · Carbohydrates: 48 g · Protein: 9 g · Fats: 11 g · Saturated Fats: 3 g · Polyunsaturated Fats: 4 g · Monounsaturated Fats: 4 g · Sodium: 904 mg · Potassium: 172 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 9 g · Vitamin A: 269 IU · Vitamin C: 2 mg · Calcium: 44 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Editor’s Word: This put up was initially printed on Might 13, 2013, then was up to date with a video and step-by-step photos in August 2016. The content material was republished with extra useful data, a brand new video, and step-by-step photos on October 11, 2024.