rainbow soba noodle salad
When the summer heat kicks and the idea of a hot dinner won’t cut it...enter rainbow soba noodle salad. It’s vegan, filling and satisfying, but also light, bright and cooling from the colorful fresh veggies and sesame-soy marinade. Even better, it’s pretty easy to put together and holds up well over the course of a few days, making it the perfect make ahead lunch.
Soba noodles are traditionally made from only water and buckwheat flour, which is naturally gluten free and has a unique nutty flavor (it’s also high in protein, fiber and essential vitamins and minerals). Many of the current options at the market are made from a blend of buckwheat and wheat, so if you’re limiting or avoiding gluten, make sure to look for 100% buckwheat soba noodles which are easy to find online.
This salad calls for a variety of colorful vegetables, but feel free to omit any you don’t have, or swap in whatever you have on hand.
rainbow soba noodle salad
Yields 3-4 servings
for the salad:
1 8-ounce package 100% buckwheat soba (or substitute brown rice or black rice noodles)
2 cups frozen shelled organic edamame
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, shaved with a vegetable peeler or julienned
1 red pepper, diced or thinly sliced
1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
4-8 handfuls of spring mix or your favorite leafy greens
handful of chopped herbs such as cilantro, mint, basil or a mixture
for the dressing:
juice of 1 whole lime
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar (or substitute unseasoned rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons low sodium tamari, plus more to taste
1 garlic clove, grated or finely minced
1” piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1-2 teaspoons raw honey (optional)
pinch of chili flakes or 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional)
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the noodles and cook until tender, ~8 minutes; add the edamame for about 15 to 30 seconds just to warm, then drain everything in a colander. Rinse under cold water to remove excess starch and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the dressing. Add the noodles, edamame, scallions, cucumbers, pepper, cabbage and herbs, if using and toss well to combine.
To serve, place 1-2 handfuls of mixed greens on each plate and top with noodle salad, dividing mixture evenly.