Umami Cold Noodle Salad
A refreshing, umami-packed cold noodle salad featuring nutty buckwheat soba, crunchy julienned vegetables, and a velvety, spicy peanut sauce. Perfect for summer days and healthy meal prepping.
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Colander
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Chef’s knife
Ingredients
For the Salad
- Kosher salt
- 10 ounces soba noodles
- 6 ounces zucchini or cucumber
- 4 ounces radishes
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 ounces roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
- 1 handful cilantro leaves
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
For the Spicy Peanut Sauce
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons chile oil or hot sauce
- 1 garlic clove, grated
Instructions
Cook the soba and chill it fast
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it well until it tastes briny. Add the soba noodles, stirring immediately to prevent sticking, and cook according to the package instructions until just tender.
- Drain the noodles immediately and rinse them under cold running water. Rub them gently with your fingers during the rinse to remove excess starch, ensuring they are completely cold to the touch and won't become gummy.
Whisk the spicy peanut sauce until silky
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, sesame oil, chile oil or hot sauce, and grated garlic. Whisk until the mixture transforms from thick to glossy and cohesive.
- Gradually add water one tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition, until the sauce is creamy and pourable. Taste and add more chile oil if you prefer a bolder heat.
Julienne the vegetables and toss the salad
- Slice the zucchini or cucumber and radishes into 1/8-inch rounds, then cut them into thin matchsticks. Slice the bell pepper into fine strips and combine all the vegetables in a large bowl.
- Rinse the cold soba noodles briefly to loosen them, drain well, and add them to the bowl with the vegetables. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil and toss until the noodles are glossy and separated.
Finish with crunch and lime
- Just before serving, drizzle the spicy peanut sauce over the salad and toss until every strand is lightly coated. Garnish with chopped peanuts, scallions, and cilantro, and serve with lime wedges for an extra burst of brightness.
Notes
Storage Tip: For meal prep, store the noodles and vegetables together but keep the sauce in a separate container. This prevents the noodles from absorbing the dressing and losing their springy texture.
Technique Tip: Thoroughly rinsing soba noodles in cold water while rubbing them between your fingers is the best way to remove surface starch and prevent the salad from becoming a gummy mass.
Texture Tip: Pull the soba off the heat about 30 seconds before they are fully cooked. This al dente approach ensures they maintain a pleasant bite even after they are tossed with the creamy sauce.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.
Nutrition
Calories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 14gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 1100mgPotassium: 450mgFiber: 6gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 800IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 3mg
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