Cold Soba Noodle Salad (Printable Version)

Bright chilled soba with crisp vegetables and a tangy sesame-ginger dressing—quick, light, and refreshing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Noodles

01 - 200 g (7 oz) soba noodles

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium cucumber, julienned
03 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
06 - 50 g (1 cup) shredded red cabbage
07 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

→ Sesame Ginger Dressing

08 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
09 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
10 - 1.5 tbsp toasted sesame oil
11 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
12 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
13 - 1 garlic clove, minced
14 - 1 tbsp tahini or smooth peanut butter (optional, for creaminess)
15 - 1 tsp sriracha or chili sauce (optional, for spice)

→ Garnishes

16 - 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves
17 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (extra, for topping)
18 - Lime wedges (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Cook soba noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water to stop cooking and remove excess starch. Set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
03 - In a large bowl, combine cooked soba noodles with cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, green onions, red cabbage, and sesame seeds.
04 - Pour the sesame ginger dressing over the noodle mixture and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Divide salad among plates or bowls. Garnish with extra sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges if using. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can easily swap in whatever fresh vegetables you have and it always comes out tasting like summer in a bowl.
  • The sesame ginger dressing hits that perfect balance of nutty, tangy, and slightly sweet—I always find myself saving a little to drizzle on everything else.
02 -
  • If you don't rinse soba noodles thoroughly after cooking, they'll clump and turn gummy in the salad.
  • Letting the dressed salad sit for at least 15 minutes in the fridge makes every ingredient taste brighter and more harmonious.
03 -
  • Never let the noodles sit in the colander after rinsing or they'll clump—get them straight into a bowl with a touch of oil if you need to stall.
  • A microplane for ginger and garlic makes the dressing texture so much silkier than chopping by hand.
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