Learn how to make soba noodles with this 20 minute quick and easy cold soba noodle salad. Perfect for summer meals, parties, and more!
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I’ve been looking for ways to still enjoy pasta but have a less refined option. Enter: buckwheat noodles aka soba noodles and this incredibly easy soba noodle salad.
On my journey exploring Blue Zones foods and why people who live in these areas are living longer, I came across these noodles and instantly knew I wanted to try adding them into my meals more.
By making changes like to simple parts of your day like noodles and then loading up on adding in vegetables and umami flavors, you are creating a dish that is not only tasty, but great for your body and mind too!
What are Soba Noodles?
Soba noodles, also known as buckwheat noodles, are a Japanese noodle. They have a grainy texture. The noodles can be served cold like in this salad or hot in a noodle soup.
Soba noodles continue to hold a special meaning to many in Japan, as they are served for the New Year, given as a gift to new neighbors and served from street food vendors to high-end restaurants.
More Vegan Noodle Recipe:
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Why You’ll Love This Dish
- Robust Flavors – While this doesn’t take long to make, the simple ingredients added with the ginger soy dressing are just simply amazing together
- Fast– this makes a large portion of pasta salad in under 30 minutes. Pastas salads are great for coming together so quickly!
- Gluten Free – even though wheat is in the name buckwheat noodles, there’s no gluten in soba noodles, meaning it’s perfect for our gluten free friends. Note: always remember to check your labels as some brands mix gluten with the buckwheat flour.
Recipe Ingredients
Gather your ingredients!
Soba Noodles
These noodles are gluten free, hold up well, have a great source of nutrients, and perfect for a spin on your usual pasta salad.
Substitute: Other noodles, like udon or rice noodles would be a great swap. Alternatively, you could use spaghetti or angel hair pasta as well.
Vegetables and Herbs
We are using red cabbage, carrots, cilantro (not pictured) and green onions for this recipe.
Substitute: Get creative and add in your favorite vegetables or maybe things you have on had that you need to use up. Some ideas could be bell peppers, edamame, sugar snap peas, mushrooms, cucumbers, Japanese eggplant and Daikon.
Sauce
We are making a ginger soy dressing with pantry staples that bring the whole dish together. The ingredients you need for that are: rice vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, agave, sesame oil, and fresh ginger.
Substitute: You could also sub the sauce with any store bought Asian dressing if you’d like this to go faster.
Protein
If you’d like to stretch this even farther consider adding a protein or vegan main substitute like tofu, chickpeas, cauliflower, mushrooms, white beans, or edamame
Add-ons
Drizzle with sesame oil and/or agave, sprinkle some red pepper flakes and/or sesame seeds, or even toss on some chopped peanuts, cashews or sliced almonds.
You can also spice it up with some wasabi on the side.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Step by Step Instructions for vegan easy cold soba noodle salad:
Step 1. Cook your soba noodles according to your packaged instructions. When noodles are done, immediately drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
Step 2. While noodles are cooking, add your dressing ingredients to a bowl and combine together well.
Step 3. Add to a large bowl, add the vegetables and stir together. Add the dressing and toss again. Serve immediately or place in fridge to let it come together.
What to Serve with Soba Noodle Salad
This is delicious as the main dish all on it’s own! However, here’s some ideas for pairings:
- Summer Main: You can try this with our BBQ Seitan Chicken on the grill.
- Winter Warm Up: Enjoy with our Red Miso Soup.
- Veggie Love: Pair it with our Arugula Salad.
Other Vegan Recipes to Consider:
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🥳 Get the Full Recipe
Soba Noodle Salad with Ginger Soy Sauce
Ingredients
- 9.5 oz soba noodles, uncooked
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
- 3 scallions, sliced (plus more for garnish)
- seasoned seaweed, optional, for garnish
For Ginger Soy Dressing
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 3 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1-2 tablespoon agave
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook 9.5oz soba noodles according to the packaged instructions.
- While waiting to cook, make the dressing by add ¼ cup rice vinegar, 3 ½ tablespoon olive oil, 3 tablespoon soy sauce, 1-2 tablespoon agave, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger to a small bowl and whisk together. When noodles are done, immediately drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Add to a large bowl along with 1 cup chopped cilantro, 1 cup sliced red cabbage, 1 cup sliced carrots, and 3 scallions sliced. Stir together well, then add the dressing and toss again.
- Serve immediately or let sit for at least 30 minutes to marinade longer. Top with additional green onions and seaweed if desired.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Recipe FAQs:
Nothing! They are interchangeable. The noodles are just labeled differently depending on the brand.
Yes. Sub the soy sauce for a safe alternative like coconut aminos, no soy soy sauce, tamari, etc. Sub the sesame oil for another oil like grapeseed.
Yes. Once made, you can store in an air tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To be honest this recipe makes a lot of salad. Otherwise, if you truly want to double, you will want to use a larger pot.
We do not recommend freezing this dish.
This is excellent. Added some endamame and snow peas and perhaps a garlic clove. That being said u don’t really need to change a thing.
Glad you enjoyed
This has made itself a spot in the stars rotation. So fast, so simple, so good!
yay!
You are a true inspiration to those around you. Keep shining your light and making the world a better place. Your recipe ‘SOBA NOODLE SALAD’ is a wonderful recipe
Hey, is the cilantro in the recipe a typo? Didn’t see it in the video or the picture of ingredients.
Either way, decided to make it without the cilantro and it was really good. It’s also super fast and easy. I will definitely be making it again.
Hi! It’s not a typo. We tried it a few more times after the video and decided to add it. If you love it without, that’s great. But one time maybe sprinkle some in to see if you like it even more!