A cool, refreshing soba noodle salad recipe with a sweet-and-salty miso dressing, chopped cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. Pack it for lunch! It’s good chilled or at room temperature.

Cold buckwheat soba noodle salad tossed with cucumber, vegetables and spicy miso dressing in a bowl with a fork and dressing on the side.

This soba noodle salad is full of fresh vegetables, all tossed in a savory, spicy miso dressing. I made this quick and easy dish one very hot summer day, when cooking was the last thing I wanted to do. It’s one of my quickest salad recipes to throw together.

Cold noodle salad tossed with cucumber, vegetables and spicy miso dressing in a bowl with a fork and dressing on the side.

About soba noodles

  • Soba noodles are a Japanese noodle made with buckwheat flour. They have a nutty, earthy flavor — nothing like your typical Italian pasta noodles — and they pair beautifully with bold Asian seasonings like peanuts, miso, soy, chili and sesame.
  • Buckwheat is actually a type of seed, not a grain, so noodles made with buckwheat are an excellent option for those who don’t tolerate wheat, but still crave a noodle fix.
  • Soba are available as gluten-free noodles (made with one-hundred percent buckwheat) or made with a blend of buckwheat and wheat flour.
A halved red bell pepper, sliced cucumber, green onions, basil leaves and soba noodles on a cutting board.

Ingredient list

  • Soba noodles
  • English or Persian cucumbers
  • Red bell pepper
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Green onions (scallions)
  • Fresh basil or mint

Tasty additions

  • Try this cubed maple-glazed tofu
  • Cooked edamame
  • Pickled ginger (chopped)
  • Sliced avocado
  • Fresh sprouts (such as radish, broccoli or microgreens)

More tips

  • If you want a totally gluten-free noodle salad, look for look for grain-free miso paste, and choose pure buckwheat noodles. Make the dressing with tamari rather than soy sauce.
  • Be sure to rinse the noodles well and be sure not to overcook because they can turn gummy. Soba noodles can be cooked a day or two ahead and refrigerated until you’re ready to mix the salad.
5 from 1 rating

Cool Soba Noodle Salad

Karen Tedesco
A cool, refreshing soba noodle salad recipe with a sweet-and-salty miso dressing, chopped cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. Pack it for lunch! It's good chilled or at room temperature.
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Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

For the dressing

  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) white miso paste
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey or maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon sriracha

For the salad

  • 1 8-ounce (227 g) package soba noodles
  • 2 cups sliced English or Persian cucumber
  • 1 pint (475 g) assorted color cherry tomatoes , halved
  • ½ red bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
  • ½ cup fresh basil or mint leaves
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red chili, or to taste

Instructions
 

Make the dressing

  1. Whisk together all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Make the salad

  1. Cook the soba noodles in boiling water according to package directions (usually 7-8 minutes). Rinse with cold water and drain. Transfer to a large serving bowl.
  2. Pour half the dressing over the noodles and toss gently. Add the cucumber, tomatoes, red bell pepper, green onions and basil. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and toss again to coat. Sprinkle with the crushed chili and serve.

Notes

  • The dressing can made up to 5 days ahead. Store it in the refrigerator and stir to blend if it separates.
  • The soba noodles may be cooked up to 1 day ahead. Drizzle lightly with oil and store in the refrigerator. Run them briefly under cold water and drain before tossing with the dressing.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 135kcal Carbohydrates: 14g Protein: 3g Fat: 8g Sodium: 621mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 8g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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