Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
This cold soba noodle salad is one of those easy dishes I keep coming back to—especially when I’m craving something fresh, crunchy, 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.
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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