This Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing is one of those easy dishes I keep coming back to-especially when I'm craving something fresh, crunchy veggies, and full of flavour.
It's loaded with vibrant veggies like cabbage, carrots, and cucumber, plus protein-packed edamame to make it more filling. The sesame-ginger dressing brings everything together with that nutty, zippy punch. It's super simple to throw together in under 30 minutes, and it tastes even better after a little time in the fridge.
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Ingredients
For the Salad
- Soba noodles
- Sesame oil
- Red cabbage
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Shelled edamame
- Sesame seeds
- Scallions
- Cilantro or mint
- Thai chili
For the Dressing
- Toasted sesame oil
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Lime juice
- Fresh ginger
- Honey or maple syrup
- Optional: chili crisp or chili oil
See the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Cook the Noodles
Bring a 3-quart saucepan of water to a boil. Cook the buckwheat soba noodles according to package instructions (usually about 4 minutes).
Rinse thoroughly under cold running water, using your hands to agitate the noodles until they are completely cool and no longer sticky. Drain well. Tip: Rinsing removes excess starch and prevents clumping.
Toss the cooled noodles with 1 to 2 teaspoons of sesame oil (or neutral oil) to prevent sticking.
Mix the Dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, ginger, honey or maple syrup, and chili crisp (if using).
Assemble the Salad
In a large bowl, combine the noodles with the cabbage, carrots, cucumber, edamame, scallions, sesame seeds, Thai red chilis (optional) and herbs. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
Serve
Serve at room temperature or chill the salad for 30 minutes before serving.
Make-Ahead Tips (Up to 24 Hours in Advance)
- For maximum crunch, store the noodles, vegetables, and dressing separately if prepping more than one day ahead.
- To freshen before serving, toss with an extra splash of lime juice or rice vinegar, a drizzle of sesame oil, and a sprinkle of fresh herbs or sesame seeds.
Make it a Vegan Soba Noodle Salad
This salad is naturally plant-based and can be made fully vegan with a simple swap:
- Use maple syrup instead of honey in the dressing.
- Most soy sauces are naturally vegan, made from fermented soybeans, wheat, salt, and water. However, it's always a good idea to check the label, especially with flavoured or speciality varieties, which could include added ingredients like fish extracts or preservatives derived from animal products.
- Not all soba noodles are the same, some brands include wheat flour or even egg. To keep the salad vegan (and optionally gluten-free), choose 100% buckwheat soba noodles or often labelled as juwari soba or check the label to ensure they’re vegan-friendly.
Equipment used: This cold soba noodle salad sesame dressing was cooked in the Hestan Culinary Thomas Keller Insignia 3-qt saucepan, drained in the Provisions colander, then tossed up in the Provisions mixing bowl with a punchy sesame-ginger-lime dressing. Served it up on the OvenBond Quarter sheet pan.
Save 20% off Hestan Culinary by using code ZIMMY20 + our affiliate links. (Offer not available during promotional periods.) Proud Hestan Culinary Ambassador. All opinions in this post are always my own.
📖 Recipe
Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 250 grams soba noodles
- 1-2 teaspoons sesame oil (or neutral oil)
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup julienned carrot
- 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
- ½ cup shelled edamame thawed if frozen
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds white or black
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or mint
- 1 Thai red chili thinly sliced, optional
For the Dressing
- 4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
- Optional: 1 teaspoon chili crisp or chili oil
Instructions
Cook the Noodles
- Bring a 3-quart saucepan of water to a boil. Cook the soba noodles according to package instructions (usually about 4 minutes). Rinse thoroughly under cold running water, using your hands to agitate the noodles until they are completely cool and no longer sticky. Drain well.
- Tip: Rinsing removes excess starch and prevents clumping.
- Toss the cooled noodles with 1 to 2 teaspoons of sesame oil (or neutral oil) to prevent sticking.
Mix the Dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, ginger, honey or maple syrup, and chili crisp (if using).
Assemble the Salad
- In a large bowl, combine the noodles with the cabbage, carrots, cucumber, edamame, scallions, sesame seeds, Thai red chilis (optional) and herbs. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
Serve
- Serve at room temperature or chill the salad for 30 minutes before serving.
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