When I Can’t Decide What I Want to Eat, I Reach for These Soba Noodles
This cold soba salad makes the perfect packed lunch: The longer the noodles sit in the peanut dressing, the more flavorful they become.
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When you find something that works, you tend to stick with it. For me, this salad of soba noodles with ginger-peanut dressing just works, and I go for it again and again. It’s simple to make: Just prep the noodles, blitz up ingredients for the no-cook sauce in a food processor, and top with fresh veg right out of the crisper. Even if you’re zonked after a long day, you can handle that.
But then, the thing that makes this recipe even better: You can batch it up for lunches and dinners to come! The peanut dressing actually improves with time, getting better as it sits. So, if you’re even more zonked-out tomorrow night (or, say, you stay for an extra drink at happy hour) and wind up hungry in your kitchen considering ordering pizza, you’ll have a perfect little noodle gift from the you of the past.
Soba Noodle Salad with Ginger-Peanut Dressing
Ingredients
- 6 oz. low-sodium soba noodles
- ½ cup Maranatha Organic No Stir Peanut Butter
- ¼ cup brown rice vinegar
- 1 Tbs. maple syrup
- 1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
- 2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 Tbs. lime juice
- 1 tsp. fresh lime zest
- ½ cup chopped cilantro, divided
- 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced (1½ cups)
- 1 small red bell pepper, sliced (1 cup)
- 1 large carrot, grated (½ cup)
- 2 Tbs. chopped peanuts, optional
Preparation
- Cook noodles in boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Set aside.
- Purée peanut butter, vinegar, agave nectar, ginger, soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, lime zest and half the cilantro in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Gradually add 2 to 3 tbsp warm water to thin out mixture, if necessary.
- In a large bowl, toss together noodles, cucumber, bell pepper, carrot, and peanut butter mixture. Garnish with remaining cilantro and chopped peanuts, if using.
From Vegetarian Times
Nutrition Information
- Calories 404
- Carbohydrate Content 51 g
- Cholesterol Content 0 mg
- Fat Content 17 g
- Fiber Content 17.4 g
- Protein Content 13 g
- Saturated Fat Content 4 g
- Sodium Content 255 mg
- Sugar Content 13.5 g