Cold Soba Noodle Salad

Name: Cold Soba Noodle Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Japan-inspired
Ingredients: 3 tbsp soy sauce, or tamari; 2 tbsp rice vinegar; 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tbsp tahini or Japanese sesame paste; 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup; 1 tbsp lime juice; 15 g (1 tbsp grated) fresh ginger, finely grated; 1 clove garlic, finely grated; 250 g (9 oz) dried soba noodles; 150 g (1 cup) frozen shelled edamame; 1 carrot, cut into thin matchsticks; 1 small cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks; 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced; 100 g (1½ cups) red cabbage, finely shredded; 4 scallions, thinly sliced; 15 g (½ cup) cilantro or mint; 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Buckwheat noodles with crunchy vegetables and a sesame-ginger dressing

Serves: 4
Hands-on: 20 min
Total: 25 min
Level: Easy

Soba noodles rinsed cold have a clean, nutty flavor and a slippery bite that makes them ideal for salads. Tossed with crisp vegetables, edamame and herbs in a sesame-ginger dressing, this works as a light lunch or a side for grilled fish or chicken.

Ingredients

Dressing

3 tbspsoy sauceor tamari
2 tbsprice vinegar
1 tbsptoasted sesame oil
1 tbsptahini or Japanese sesame paste
1 tbsphoney or maple syrup
1 tbsplime juice
15 gfresh ginger (1 tbsp grated)finely grated
1 clovegarlicfinely grated

Salad

250 gdried soba noodles (9 oz)
150 gfrozen shelled edamame (1 cup)
1carrotcut into thin matchsticks
1small cucumbercut into thin matchsticks
1red bell pepperthinly sliced
100 gred cabbage (1½ cups)finely shredded
4scallionsthinly sliced
15 gcilantro or mint (½ cup)
2 tbsptoasted sesame seeds

Diet: Vegetarian, Dairy-free
Allergens: gluten, soy, sesame, sulphites
Origin: Japan-inspired

Method

Whisk the dressing ingredients together until smooth.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil (don't salt it; soba contains salt and the dressing is salty). Cook the soba according to the packet, usually 4–5 minutes, stirring early so it doesn't clump. Add the edamame for the final 2 minutes. 5 min
Drain into a colander and rinse under cold running water, rubbing the noodles gently with your hands, until they no longer feel starchy, about 1 minute. Drain very well. 1 min
Toss the noodles and edamame with the dressing in a large bowl.
Add the carrot, cucumber, pepper, cabbage, scallions and herbs and toss again.
Serve scattered with sesame seeds, cold or at room temperature.

Why it works

Soba sheds a lot of surface starch; rinsing and rubbing under cold water removes it, so the noodles stay separate and slippery rather than gummy, and stops their cooking. Tahini thickens the dressing slightly so it coats the noodles instead of running off. Ginger and lime keep the nutty sesame bright.

Common mistakes

Skipping the rinse: the noodles clump into a sticky mass.
Overcooking: soba goes soft fast. Test a minute before the packet time.
Salting the water: the noodles end up too salty with the dressing.

Variations

With salmon or tofu: Top with flaked Teriyaki Salmon or Crispy Tofu with Sticky Soy-Ginger Glaze for a main course.

Make ahead and storage

Keeps 1 day in the fridge (noodles firm up; loosen with a splash of water or lime). Good for packed lunches.

Notes

Most soba contains wheat as well as buckwheat. For gluten-free, buy 100% buckwheat soba and use tamari.