Soba Noodle Sesame Salad

This soba noodle sesame salad is fresh, crunchy, and full of flavor. Buckwheat soba noodles are tossed with crisp vegetables and a sesame ginger dressing. It’s light but filling, perfect for lunch, dinner, or meal prep.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Total Time 20

Servings: 4 people

Course: Main dish, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian-Inspired, Japanese-Inspired

Calories: 320

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Salad:

8 oz buckwheat soba noodles
1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
1 cucumber cut into matchsticks
2 carrots julienned
2 scallions thinly sliced
½ cup shredded purple cabbage
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Fresh cilantro or mint optional, for garnish

For the Sesame Ginger Dressing:

3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove minced
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
Juice of ½ lime

Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Method

Cook the soba noodles:

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles for 4–5 minutes, or as directed on the package. Drain and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and remove excess starch.

Prepare the vegetables:

While the noodles cool, thinly slice the bell pepper, cucumber, carrots, scallions, and cabbage.

Make the dressing:

In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, honey, lime juice, and red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust as needed.

Assemble the salad:

In a large bowl, combine noodles and vegetables. Pour the sesame ginger dressing over and toss until everything is coated.

Finish and serve:

Sprinkle sesame seeds and fresh herbs on top. Serve cold.

Notes

Rinse soba noodles well after cooking—this keeps them from clumping.
The salad tastes even better after chilling in the fridge for 1–2 hours.
Add tofu, shrimp, or chicken for extra protein.
The sesame ginger dressing can be made in advance and stored for up to 5 days.