🥗 Salads

Sweet Sesame Soba Noodle Salad

Chilled nutty buckwheat soba noodles tossed with vibrant crisp red cabbage, sweet carrot, bell pepper, and plump edamame — all coated in a glossy, perfectly balanced sweet-savoury sesame dressing with a hint of zing. Crunchy, colourful, light yet satisfying, and wonderfully refreshing. Delicious served cold or at room temperature — naturally plant-based, egg-free, and dairy-free!

Shared by yuki

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Time

25 min

Serves

Difficulty

easy

🛒 Ingredients

#Noodles & Base;
250 g dried soba noodles (100% buckwheat or buckwheat blend — check label to ensure vegan)
½ small red cabbage — thinly shredded
1 large carrot — julienned or cut into thin matchsticks
1 red bell pepper — thinly sliced into strips
150 g shelled edamame (fresh or frozen, thawed)
2 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds — for garnish
Fresh cilantro or scallion — chopped, for garnish
#Sweet Sesame Dressing;
3 tbsp toasted sesame oil.. 3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2 tbsp maple syrup or coconut sugar.. 2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp lime juice.. 1 clove garlic — finely minced
½ tsp grated fresh ginger.. 1 tbsp water — adjust consistency
Pinch of red chilli flakes (optional, for gentle heat)

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1
Cook soba noodles: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add soba noodles and cook according to package instructions — usually 6–8 minutes — until tender but with a pleasant bite. Drain immediately and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to stop cooking, remove excess starch, and keep noodles firm and separate. Drain well.
2
Prep the vegetables: While noodles cook, shred cabbage, carrot, and bell pepper into uniform thin strips. Place in a large mixing bowl along with edamame.
3
Whisk the dressing: Combine sesame oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, lime juice, garlic, ginger, water, and chilli flakes in a jar or bowl. Whisk or shake vigorously until fully emulsified, smooth, and glossy. Taste and adjust sweetness or tang to your liking.
4
Combine everything: Add cooled, drained soba noodles into the bowl with vegetables. Pour the dressing generously over everything. Toss gently but thoroughly — use tongs to coat every strand evenly without breaking the noodles.
5
Chill & serve: For best flavour, let rest in the fridge for 15–20 minutes so flavours meld and noodles absorb the dressing. Toss once more before serving. Top generously with toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro or scallion. Enjoy chilled!