You need just 30 minutes to throw together this Soba Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing. It’s loaded with veggies and tossed in a limey, nutty dressing. It’s an anytime salad: good eaten right away or for lunch the next day.
Table of Contents
Let’s skip straight past the salad portion of this and get down to what really makes this recipe a winner: the homemade peanut dressing. It’s creamy, it’s savory, it’s slightly sweet and a touch sour. It coats the soba noodles and veggies without weighing them down. And best of all, you can make this soba noodle salad a meal-in-a-bowl by simply tossing in some shredded rotisserie chicken.
Bring the water to a boil, grab your favorite veggies and get ready for the fastest, freshest soba noodle salad that can be served hot, cold or at room temp, making it the ideal dish for busy weeknights or lazy weekends!
While store-bought, rotisserie chicken is one of my favorite ways to turn this salad from a side to a full-on meal, it’s equally delicious with Baked Salmon with Honey-Garlic Glaze, leftover roast chicken, grilled shrimp or baked, crispy tofu.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick.
- Make-ahead.
- Veggie-packed.
- Lunch-friendly.
Embrace a burst of Asian-inspired flavors with this easy soba noodle salad. It’s a vibrant and refreshing dish that combines the earthy taste of soba noodles with a medley of crisp vegetables, all harmonized by a creamy peanut dressing.
Best of all, you can customize the veggies based on your preferences or what’s available in your kitchen.
For the Asian-inspired noodle salad you’ll need:
- Soba noodles: Soba noodles are often made from buckwheat flour. If the noodles are 100% buckwheat, they’re likely gluten-free. You could substitute another noodle (like rice noodles), though the cooking instructions may be different.
- Cucumber, carrot and red bell pepper: This trio is my go-to and makes the salad a veritable veggie hero. Asparagus, snap peas, snow peas, broccoli or edamame would also be great here.
- Crushed peanuts: Topping this soba noodle salad with crushed peanuts adds a nice nutty crunch.
- Cilantro: Cilantro and peanuts go together wonderfully, so while you could skip out on this garnish, I would highly recommend not doing so. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you could try basil instead.
For the homemade peanut dressing you’ll need:
- Peanut butter: Opt for creamy peanut butter (not crunchy), which will be easier to mix with the rest of the ingredients. Be sure to get natural peanut butter too—not the stuff with added sugar. If your peanut butter is too thick, gently warm it in the microwave. Almond butter works, too!
- Soy sauce: Soy sauce is your salt here! I prefer to use low-sodium soy sauce as regular soy sauce is very salty.
- Lime juice: You’ll need 2 tablespoons of lime juice for the sauce. This is usually about 1 lime.
- Sesame oil: Sesame oil adds pure nutty, delicious flavor.
- Honey: Try to use runny honey for this sauce, which will mix more easily. (If it’s not runny, warm it up a little!) Instead of honey, you could use maple syrup.
- Garlic: Minced garlic will easily and evenly mix into the sauce. Feel free to use a garlic press!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
This salad not only satisfies your taste buds but also provides a satisfying blend of textures, making it a perfect meal for warm days or a delicious side for any occasion.
- Cook the noodles. Boil the soba noodles in a large pot of water until al dente. Drain the noodles, reserving ¼ cup of water.
- Add the veggies. Put the noodles in a large bowl, then add the vegetables.
- Make the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, honey, garlic and reserved water.
- Add the dressing to the noodles. Toss to thoroughly combine and coat the noodles.
- Serve. Serve the salad topped with crushed peanuts and cilantro.
- To easily core a bell pepper, cut off the top. Then, pull out the core of seeds. Cut the pepper in half and brush away any remaining seeds before dicing.
- You’ll want to chop, dice, and slice your veggies evenly and finely here. They should all be bite-size.
- Soba noodles can sometimes stick together after cooking. To prevent this, immediately rinse the noodles with cold water after draining.
- To avoid a watery salad, scoop out the seeds from the cucumber before dicing. This helps maintain the salad’s crispiness.
The soba noodle salad with peanut dressing can typically be stored in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days. However, there are some considerations to keep in mind to maintain the freshness and quality of the salad:
- If possible, store the dressing separately from the salad. This helps prevent the noodles and vegetables from becoming overly soggy as they absorb the dressing over time.
- Refrigerate in airtight containers to minimize exposure to air and odors in the fridge.
- If the salad includes crunchy elements like peanuts or fresh herbs, consider adding them just before serving to maintain their texture and flavor.
- The specific ingredients in the salad may affect its shelf life. For instance, cucumbers can release water, potentially affecting the texture of the salad. If you notice any significant changes in texture or flavor, it’s best to consume the salad sooner.
- Before serving, visually inspect the salad for any signs of spoilage, such as off odors or changes in color. Trust your senses to determine if it’s still suitable to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Soba noodles are often made of buckwheat flour, which is nutty and naturally gluten-free. Sometimes, soba noodles can also have wheat in them.
The soba noodle salad can be made up to 3 days ahead. It’s delicious cold or at room temperature.
Nearly any protein you like can be added to this soba noodle salad. Shredded rotisserie, roasted or baked chicken, pan-fried salmon, grilled shrimp or steak, or baked tofu would all be great here.
You can easily make this dressing spicier by adding a pinch of chile flakes or a squirt of your favorite hot sauce (such as sriracha). You could also try adding a spoonful of chile crisp.
- Thai Chicken Pasta Salad
- Chicken Lo Mein
- Drunken Noodles with Chicken
- Chilled Sweet and Sour Cucumber Noodles
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 12 ounces soba noodles, uncooked
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 1 medium carrot, julienned
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- Crushed peanuts, for garnishing
- Cilantro, for garnishing
For the dressing:
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Instructions
Make the salad:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Drain the noodles and reserve ¼ cup of the hot water.
- Add the noodles to a large bowl then add the cucumbers, carrots and bell peppers.
Make the dressing:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, honey, garlic and the reserved hot water until creamy.
- Add the dressing to the bowl with the noodles and toss to combine.
- Garnish the salad with crushed peanuts and cilantro (optional) and serve warm, chilled or at room temp.
Kelly’s Notes
- To easily core a bell pepper, cut off the top. Then, pull out the core of seeds. Cut the pepper in half and brush away any remaining seeds before dicing.
- You’ll want to chop, dice, and slice your veggies evenly and finely here. They should all be bite-size.
- Soba noodles can sometimes stick together after cooking. To prevent this, rinse the noodles with cold water after draining.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
This looks so good that I am going to try but one question can we add more ingredients to it.
Absolutely, Sylvia! Enjoy!
This is looking delicious; noodle as a salad. This is unique. Can I replace peanut butter with anything? I don’t like its taste.
Almond butter could work!
The ability to adjust the number of servings is very cool. You are a genius.
Thanks so much, Suzie! So glad you like the new features!