Cold Carrot Soba Noodle Salad

This cold soba noodle dish bursts with fresh, vibrant flavors in every bite. Crisp carrot and cucumber "noodles" are tossed with the tender soba and coated in a silky, subtly spicy ginger sauce. Light yet incredibly satisfying, one bowl won't be enough!

Is it a soba noodle dish or a salad? I think both! Since it's served cold and full of healthy veggies, I'm calling it a salad.

It's a comfort food salad that works beautifully as a side dish, and can easily be made a meal as it lends itself to the addition of chicken, tofu, shrimp, or steak.

You can make some of the recipe a day ahead, and you might want to double up on the dressing because you'll practically want to drink it -- it's so good!

About the Ingredients

• soba - Soba is the Japanese name for buckwheat and usually refers to thin noodles made from buckwheat flour or, often, a combination of buckwheat and wheat flour. Their texture is slightly chewy, and the flavor is earthy. (In Japan, making soba noodles is an art form, and it's often considered "the humble jewel of Japanese cuisine." Here's an article about why they're much more than noodles. Soba noodles can be found in the Asian section of most markets, and in Japanese grocery stores.
• carrots - Carrots are as much the star of this recipe as the soba noodles. The bigger carrots you get, the better. They will be easier to cut with a julienne peeler to make "noodles." (See my tip below if you don't have one.)
• cucumber - Cucumber adds a refreshing bite to the salad. I also use the julienne peeler for it.
• green onions (scallions) - I always use the white and green parts of scallions to add more crunch. Substitutions: Thinly sliced red onion or shallots are both good substitutes in this recipe.
• ginger root and garlic - Do not substitute with ground ginger or garlic. The fresh garlic and ginger are what make the dressing so amazing.
• soy sauce - I like to use low-sodium, but this is up to you. Substitution: Tamari is the ideal substitute. The main difference is that tamari usually doesn't contain wheat -- I find them to be interchangeable.
• chili paste - The touch of heat is excellent with the mirin and rice vinegar, which are subtly sweet. I like Sambal Oelek, which you should be able to find at most markets -- use your favorite.
• unseasoned rice wine vinegar - Made from fermented rice, this adds a subtly sweet and tart flavor to the marinade. (Be sure not to use sweetened rice vinegar.) Substitutes: White wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar are good substitutes.
• mirin - This is a sweet rice wine and you should be able to find it in any Asian market and is many larger grocery stores. Substitutes: Some good substitutes for Mirin include sake with a touch of sugar, sherry, and vermouth.

How to Make Carrot Soba Noodle Salad with Carrots

- Prepare the carrots, cucumber and green onion. I use a julienne peeler for the carrots and the cucumber so they mimic the soba.

Recipe Tip: If you don't have a julienne peeler, you can absolutely still make this salad! Either use a Chef's knife to cut the carrots and cucumber into long, thin sticks, or you can make carrot ribbons with a regular vegetable peeler, like I do in this tofu stir-fry, and then cut those into thin strips. Or finally, you can also buy grated carrots. The cucumber is much softer, so it can be cut any way you like.

- Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil, then add the dry soba. Stir to make sure all the noodles are separated, then turn the heat to low and gently simmer until they're tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water.

- Add the cooked soba to a large mixing bowl with the carrots, cucumber, and green onions. Then drizzle the dressing over everything and gently toss until well coated.

- Refrigerate the salad for about 10 minutes before serving.

* Pro Tip * Even though the carrots are cut into skinny 'noodles,' they are still crisp. The crunch is lovely, but if you'd like them to be soft, you can blanch them in a pot of boiling water for about 30 seconds to a minute.

(More detailed instructions are below.)

Variations

• Gluten-free version. While soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour, which is gluten-free, usually they also contain wheat flour -- be sure to read the ingredients if this is important to you. Look for 100% buckwheat or labeled gluten-free soba noodles. Also, be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce or Tamari.
• Other noodles. This recipe also works well with shirataki noodles, udon noodles, or angel hair pasta.
• Add protein to make it a whole meal. Shredded chicken, thinly sliced steak, shrimp, and tofu would all be great mixed into this salad. Miso tofu cubes would be especially delicious!

Serving Suggestions

This cold soba noodle salad is excellent served with salmon, steak, chicken, shrimp and tofu. Chimichurri Salmon, Steak Marinated in Asian Pear, Cilantro Shrimp, or Garlic-Ginger Tofu are all scrumptious choices.

Making it Ahead

The carrots, onion and dressing can all be prepared a day ahead of time. The soba and cucumber should be prepared as close to serving time as possible.

More Must-Try Asian Noodle Recipes

I hope you love this as much as my family and I do!

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