Vegetable Soba Noodle Salad

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings
  • Total: 45 min
  • Active: 45 min
This salad is fantastic served at room temperature or chilled. It's a perfect addition to a buffet or a main dish. It may be vegan, but it lacks nothing when it comes to flavor. The sauteed shiitakes add a wonderful umami flavor and the chile oil a touch of heat. Of course you can always add various kinds of protein. One of my favorite additions is grilled and sliced hanger steak. Like I said, it's not necessary, but it's up to you. Enjoy!
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Ingredients

8 ounces gluten-free soba noodles

6 tablespoons sunflower oil (or other neutral vegetable oil), plus more if needed

10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced (about 7 cups)

Kosher salt

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce

1 tablespoons chile oil

1 clove garlic, grated

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

7 ounces snow peas, trimmed and sliced into julienne strips (about 1 3/4 cups)

1 large carrot, sliced into julienne strips (about 1 cup)

4 scallions, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions

  1. Cook the soba noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package instructions. (I prefer my soba noodles to be al dente, so I usually check the noodles one minute before the recommended doneness.) Rinse the noodles in cold water and drain for at least 10 minutes.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the sunflower oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook on one side until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the mushrooms and continue cook until golden brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Add more oil as needed. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and set aside.
  3. Make the salad dressing: Mix the rice vinegar, sesame oil, tamari, chile oil, garlic, ginger, and the remaining 4 tablespoons sunflower oil in a small bowl. Set aside.
  4. Place the drained noodles in a large bowl along with the mushrooms, snow peas, carrots, scallions and 1 tablespoon of the sesame seeds. Pour the dressing over the noodles and mix well until the dressing is evenly distributed. Taste the salad and adjust seasoning as needed. Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds on top before serving.

Cook’s Note

Try using crushed toasted peanuts in place of sesame seeds. Cilantro and crushed red pepper flakes make a great addition to the salad as well. You can add your choice of protein to this salad: tofu, chicken, salmon or steak. Angel hair and fusilli pastas are great alternatives if you can't find soba noodles and are not trying to keep it gluten-free.

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