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Easy Soba Noodle Salad with Cold Sesame Dressing featuring colorful vegetables and buckwheat noodles.

Easy Soba Noodle Salad with Cold Sesame Dressing

A refreshing and easy cold soba noodle salad perfect for hot days, packed with fresh veggies and a delightful sesame dressing.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 16 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: Asian, Japanese
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Salad
  • 8 ounces soba noodles Look for packages that say buckwheat.
  • 1 medium cucumber Persian or English cucumbers are easiest.
  • 2 medium carrots Shred or use ribbons.
  • 2 stalks green onions Thinly sliced.
  • 1/4 cup cilantro Optional.
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds Toasted is best.
For the Cold Sesame Dressing
  • 1/4 cup tahini For creaminess.
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce Or tamari for gluten-free option.
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar For tang.
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil For toasted aroma.
  • 1 tablespoon honey Can substitute with maple syrup.
  • 1 clove garlic Grated.
  • 1/2 inch ginger Optional, grated.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Cook the soba noodles according to package instructions, typically about 4-6 minutes.
  2. Rinse the noodles under cold water immediately after draining to stop cooking and remove excess starch.
  3. While the noodles cool, prepare the vegetables: slice the cucumber, shred or ribbon the carrots, and chop the green onions.
Make the Dressing
  1. In a bowl, whisk together tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, grated garlic, and ginger until smooth.
  2. If the dressing is too thick, thin with cold water, one spoonful at a time.
Assemble the Salad
  1. In a large bowl, combine the cooled soba noodles, cucumber, carrots, green onions, cilantro, and toasted sesame seeds.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
Serving
  1. Serve the salad chilled, garnish with additional sesame seeds and green onions if desired.

Notes

The salad keeps well for up to 3 days. Store dressing in a jar and shake before use. Keep cucumbers separate if prepping ahead to prevent watering down.