This Cold Soba Noodle Salad recipe is perfect for those nights when you want something full of flavor and bright, but don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking. tossed with a soy lime dressing and full of fresh vegetables and herbs, this is one of my favorite warm weather salads. Save it to Pinterest so you can always find it!
I crave this Cold Soba Noodle Salad recipe on a regular basis. There is just something about the umami flavors in it that gets me over and over again. Maybe it is because I’m a salt lover and it contains a good helping of soy. Maybe it is because I love a good take on Asian flavors full of fresh herbs and colorful vegetables. But everything in this dish goes together just so well. It is perfect for a side dish, a light dinner or even something you could serve at a barbecue or bring to a picnic.
What are Soba Noodles?
Soba Noodles are a Japanese noodles that are usually made from buckwheat flour. They can be served hot or cold and go well in soups, salads and with a protein too. Soba dishes are often eaten on New Year’s Even in Japan and in Tokyo, there used to be a practice of giving soba to new neighbors when they move in.
What is in the salad?
In my Cold Soba Noodles Salad recipe I included carrots, red peppers, red cabbage, green onion and cilantro. I love how all the fresh flavors work together to create a unique flavor profile, but I also love how bright and fresh the dish looks too. 
What is in the dressing?
As I mentioned above, t he dressing has a base of soy sauce on it. It is also combined with fresh ginger and lime juice and zest to really give it the unfordable flavors. I sweetened the dressing with honey and it does a great job of balancing out the acid flavors in the dressing. In addition it that, I’ve used a little bit of rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. Sesame oil has a slightly nutty taste that just creates another layer of flavor in the recipe.
Tips for making my Cold Soba Noodles Salad recipe
- Make the noodles about 2 1/2 hours ahead of time so they have time to properly chill the in the refrigerator. Add 1/2 – 1 tsp of sesame sauce to them after they are drained to keep them from sticking together.
- The servings on this varies. It makes a lot and can either be served as a main side dish for a dinner or a main dish along side a chicken breast. You can get 6-10 servings out of it depending on how you are serving it.
- Use a julienne peeler to create the carrot ribbons and get them thin enough. . I have this one {HERE}.
- Use the noodle chill time to cut the vegetables and make the dressing.
- Once tossed, the dressing will be on the bottom because it is a thinner dressing. I recommend serving this on a platter like I have here to ensure the noodles are still sitting in the dressing. Tossing before taking another serving is a good idea just to re-coat the top noodles with all that flavor.
- To save the Cold Soba Noodle Salad, cover the bowl tightly with tin foil and refrigerate. The salad will keep as leftovers for about 1 day. The noodles tend to become more soggy as they sit so while you can probably eat it safely on day 2, the fresher it is, the better it is.
- Remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before eating it to give the sesame oil in the dressing time to thaw.
What should I serve with the Cold Soba Noodle Salad recipe?
Whenever I make this salad dish, I end up serving it with this Marinated Honey Ginger Chicken {HERE}.
However, it would be delicious as a side for any number of main dishes including:
- Simple Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs {HERE}
- Marinated Steak Kabobs {HERE}
- Sweet Barbecue Chicken Legs {HERE}
- Chicken Satay Skewers {HERE}
- Tequila Lime Flank Steak {HERE}
- Blueberry Basil Gourmet Burgers {HERE}
Looking for more side dish recipes?
If you love a delicious, easy side dish and want a few more, try these:
- Cucumber and Radish Salad {HERE}
- Melon Salad with Honey Lime Dressing {HERE}
- Classic Macaroni Salad {HERE}
- Yellow Mustard Potato Salad {HERE}
- Herb Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad {HERE}
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Thank you so much for visiting today, friends! I hope that you love my Cold Soba Noodle Salad recipe and I hope to see you again. You can find the full printable recipe below. Happy eating.
Cold Soba Noodle Salad recipe
Equipment
- One pot of salted water for cooking the soba noodles
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Cold Soba Noodle Salad
- 14 oz soba noodles
- 2-3 cups julienne sliced carrots This will take about 2-3 carrots.
- 2 red peppers, sliced thin
- 1/4 of a red cabbage, sliced thin
- 5 green onions, sliced with tops and bottoms separated
- 1 1/2 cup steamed and shelled edamame beans You can find these in the frozen aisle.
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped Plus more for topping
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 - 1 tsp of sesame oil to keep the soba noodles from sticking
Ingredients for the dressing
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp honey
- 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
- Zest of 1 lime
- Juice of 1/2 a ripe lime
Instructions
- Cook the soba noodles per package directions about 2 1/2 hours before serving. When they are done, drain them, add the sesame oil and toss in a bowl, Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
- While the noodles are chilling, cut all the vegetables and sent them aside.
- Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Whisk and then set aside until it is needed.
- When the noodles are chilled and you are ready to serve, combine all the vegetables (except the green onion tops) in the same bowl with the noodles. Drizzle on all the dressing and toss to combine well.
- Serve with additional cilantro, the green onion tops and the sesame seeds.
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