Soba Noodle Salad
A cold noodle salad is the perfect on-the-go lunch.
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I love this salad!
Here’s what I love about soba noodles: they’re a bit nutty and sweet. In this salad, served cold and mixed with earthy greens, they help to transform a simple salad into one that’s hearty enough for a meal. It’s the kind of salad that doesn’t take much thought or effort, the ideal healthy meal.
I make this salad pretty often. It’s one of my lunchtime go-tos, especially when I want to eat well with a minimal amount of effort! The soba noodles cook quickly and immediately go into a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking process. While the noodles cool, I whip up a ginger-garlic-soy dressing to pour over the noodles and the fresh baby spinach leaves that also are a part of the salad. Spinach leaves are earthy and hearty, and that flavor balances well against the soba noodles and the umami dressing.
For a little bit of crunch, I like to add in chopped English cucumber. The English cucumber matters, here. It’s firmer and less watery than your typical cucumber. I like the firm bite that it brings to the salad experience.
All of this – the cold noodles, baby spinach, cucumber, and the dressing – is tossed together to chill in the fridge for an hour. This gives the noodles time to absorb the amazing dressing and for a cool crispness to take over the salad. Your decision is whether you want to eat this with a fork or a pair of chopsticks! Soba Noodle Salad is one I come back to again and again, it’s THAT good!
This recipe is featured in our online cooking class, Salad Party Part 2.
Click the link above to watch the step-by-step video of how to make this recipe!
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Soba Noodle Salad
Yield(s): Serves 6
5m prep time
10m cook time
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 8 oz. soba noodles
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 bunch green onion, sliced thin
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 english cucumber, sliced thin quarters
- 1/2 cup cilantro, lightly chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Cook the soba noodles in boiling water until al dente, between 6 - 8 minutes, then immediately submerge cooked noodles in ice-cold water to prevent overcooking.
- In a bowl whisk together the garlic paste, ginger paste, sesame oil, olive oil, soy sauce, honey, and fresh lime juice. Set aside.
- Toss together the soba noodles, sliced cucumber, chopped cilantro, spinach and green onion to the salad. Refrigerate for one hour and enjoy!