Description

This vibrant salad combines nutty soba noodles with a spicy, creamy peanut dressing, fresh vegetables, and optional protein. It’s a perfect balance of flavors and textures, making it an ideal dish for warm days, meal prep, or a satisfying lunch.

Ingredients

For the Salad:

10 oz (283.5 g) soba noodles
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 large carrot, grated
1 cucumber, diced small
1 green onion, thinly sliced (reserve some for garnish)
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ cup roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
Optional: 1 lb cooked shredded chicken or tofu for added proteinlittlespicejar.com+1theguardian.com+1browneyedbaker.com+1littlespicejar.com+1saltandlavender.comkillingthyme.net

For the Spicy Peanut Dressing:

⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1¾ teaspoons sesame oil
1¾ teaspoons grated peeled ginger
½ to ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Prepare the Noodles: Cook the soba noodles according to package directions. Rinse them under cold water, drain well, and set aside to cool.saltandlavender.com
Make the Dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and water until smooth and well combined.browneyedbaker.com
Prepare the Vegetables: While the noodles are cooling, prepare the red bell pepper, carrot, cucumber, and green onion as described above.
Assemble the Salad: Add the cooled soba noodles, prepared vegetables, and optional protein (if using) to the bowl with the dressing. Toss everything together until evenly coated.killingthyme.net+6littlespicejar.com+6browneyedbaker.com+6

Garnish and Serve: Top the salad with chopped cilantro, crushed peanuts, and reserved green onion slices. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.

Notes

For a vegan version, omit the chicken or tofu.

This salad can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes or sriracha to control the spice level

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: No-cook
Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Keywords: soba noodle salad, spicy peanut salad, cold noodle salad, Asian salad, meal prep salad