Sesame Soba Noodles

Ready in 10 minutes, these sesame soba noodles are crisp and fresh with cabbage, carrots and bell peppers. Enjoy the leftovers cold from the fridge.

Nothing makes me happier than having a fridge full of leftovers because then I can’t say I have nothing to eat.

The best kinds of leftovers are the ones that manage to taste better as they have time to sit for a bit stored safely in the fridge.

And cold noodles are always a good option, especially when they involve more raw ingredients than cooked ingredients.

With cabbage, carrots and peppers, these sesame soba noodles have a wonderfully crisp bite. 

The sauce is super simple. You just whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, tahini, ginger, garlic, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes for some heat.

What are Soba Noodles?

These Japanese noodles are made mostly from buckwheat flour, which is gluten-free. But makes sure to read the ingredient list on the package to see if there is a blend of flours. They are very skinny, so they cook pretty quickly.

While the noodles are simmering, I like to stir the water occasionally to make sure they don’t stick together.

The noodles finish in 3-5 minutes. After that, it’s important to rinse them off with cold water in a strainer to stop them from cooking. 

You want to make sure not to overcook them.

The Ingredients

For this sesame soba noodles recipe you will need:

• Soba Noodles: You can usually find soba noodles in the Asian food section in the ethnic food aisle at the grocery. 
• Cabbage: With its purple leaves, red cabbage is crunchy especially when it’s sliced into shreds. You can buy it shredded or cut the cabbage yourself.
• Carrots: My preference is to buy shredded carrots. If you are shredding them at home, use the grater disc on your food processor or the big holes of a box grater.
• Red Pepper: I slice a red bell pepper lengthwise into thin strips. Again, it goes with the theme of the veggies in this dish—fresh and crunchy!
• Scallions: This green onion is my go-to when keeping onions raw. They are so easy and quick to slice.
• Cilantro:  Personally, I am a big fan of cilantro. I know that’s not true for everyone. If you don’t care for cilantro, I recommend adding another scallion and go all in on the oniony flavor instead.
• Sesame Seeds: Take the time to lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet on the stove. It will only take a few minutes. Just shake around the pan, as the seeds turn golden.
• Sesame Ginger Sauce: With a base of soy sauce and lime juice, this mixture gets its sesame flavor from tahini and sesame oil. I like stirring it into the noodles before adding the veggies. 

How To Make Sesame Soba Noodles

The only cooking in this recipe involves the soba noodles. The rest of the ingredients are raw. 

1. Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Simmer the soba noodles until they are just cooked through. You want them to still have some bite.
2. Drain & rinse the noodles. Once they have finished cooking, immediately dump the noodles into a strainer and rinse them with cold water. It helps to shake them around to make sure the cold water stops the noodles from cooking and gets rid of the starch that can cause them to stick together. Then transfer the soba noodles to a large bowl.
3. Make the sauce. Whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, tahini, fresh ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a small bowl. You can do this while the noodles are cooking.
4. Pour the sauce into the noodles.
5. Stir the cabbage, carrots, scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds into the soba noodles. Toss everything around to make sure the ingredients are mixed throughout.

How To Serve Easy Soba Noodles & Vegetables

These cold noodles are almost better as leftovers. It gives the flavors a chance to develop. Also, they taste so good when you eat them chilled from the fridge.

That’s why I love these sesame soba noodles for a quick lunch on a weekday or dinner on a busy weeknight. 

With so many veggies thanks to the cabbage, carrots and peppers, I skip a salad and think of this as a main and salad in one dish.

If you have leftover chicken, tofu, or another protein, you can also stir that into the noodles.

Try These Other Noodle Recipes

Sesame Ginger Noodles
Tofu Peanut Vegetable Stir-Fry
Mixed Veggie Tofu Stir-Fry
Udon Noodle Stir-Fry with Asparagus, Mushrooms & Peas

Sesame Soba Noodles

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4
• Category: Noodles
• Method: Simmer, Toss
• Cuisine: Asian
• Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

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Description

Ready in 10 minutes, these sesame soba noodles are crisp and fresh with cabbage, carrots and bell peppers. Enjoy the leftovers cold from the fridge.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 6 ounces soba noodles
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

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Instructions

1. Cook the soba noodles according to package instructions in a large saucepan of salted boiling water, stirring occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking together. Transfer the noodles to a strainer and rinse with cold water. Put the noodles in a large bowl.
2. For the sesame ginger sauce, whisk together the lime juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, tahini, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir into the soba noodles.
3. Then fold the cabbage, carrots, red peppers, scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds into the noodles.

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Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.

Keywords: soba noodles, soba noodle recipe, sesame soba noodles