Description
This Sesame Chili Cold Soba Noodle Salad is a vibrant and fresh dish featuring nutty sesame chili sauce, crunchy red cabbage slaw, and perfectly chilled soba noodles. Enhanced with zesty lime, aromatic spices, and your choice of smoked tofu or edamame for protein, it’s a light yet satisfying meal perfect for warm days or make-ahead lunches.
Ingredients
Scale
Sesame Chili Sauce
- 1/4 cup Chinese sesame paste
- 1 tbsp chili crisp oil
- 1/2 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp tamari
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 2 tsp agave or maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp five spice
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth or mushroom broth
Cabbage Slaw
- 3 cups red cabbage, shredded
- 1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 scallions or 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- Juice and zest of half a lime
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp agave or maple syrup (optional)
- Kosher salt, to taste
Noodle Dressing
- Juice of one lime
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp agave or maple syrup
Main
- 8 oz soba noodles
- 1 tbsp avocado oil (optional, for cooking tofu)
- 6 oz smoked tofu or 12 oz frozen edamame
- 8 mint leaves, torn
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Sesame Chili Sauce: In a blender cup, combine the sesame paste, chili oil, vinegar, tamari, grated garlic, agave or maple syrup, five spice, allspice, and vegetable or mushroom broth. Blend until smooth. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings with more tamari or vinegar as desired. Set the sauce aside for later use.
- Make the Cabbage Slaw: In a large mixing bowl, add shredded red cabbage, thinly sliced red chili pepper, scallions or red onion. Add lime zest and juice of half a lime, toasted sesame oil, optional agave syrup, and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Using clean hands, massage the mixture thoroughly to soften the cabbage and help flavors meld. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the noodles.
- Cook and Dress the Soba Noodles: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and cook soba noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Meanwhile, whisk together lime juice, tamari, and agave syrup in a medium bowl to create the noodle dressing. Once the noodles are cooked, drain and rinse them thoroughly under cold water until they are completely chilled. Transfer the noodles to the bowl with the dressing and toss gently to coat. Add a few ice cubes to keep the noodles cool and set aside.
- Prepare the Protein: For smoked tofu, heat a pan over medium-low heat with avocado oil if using. Crumble the tofu and add it evenly to the pan. Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, then stir occasionally until the tofu is golden and warmed through. For frozen edamame, cook according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.
- Assemble the Salad: Drizzle a few spoonfuls of the prepared sesame chili sauce into the bottom of individual serving bowls. Add a portion of the dressed soba noodles on top, then sprinkle with the cooked smoked tofu or edamame. Drizzle more sesame sauce over the protein, followed by a generous scoop of the cabbage slaw. Garnish with torn mint and chopped cilantro leaves. Serve immediately with lime wedges to squeeze over the top. Enjoy!
Notes
- To preserve the noodles’ texture and prevent sticking, rinse thoroughly under cold water after cooking and serve chilled.
- You can substitute tamari with soy sauce if not gluten-sensitive.
- The amount of chili oil can be adjusted based on your preferred spice level.
- Marinating the cabbage slaw softens its texture and allows flavors to develop better.
- To make this dish vegan and gluten-free, use gluten-free tamari and verify all ingredients accordingly.
- Leftover sesame chili sauce can be refrigerated and used as a dressing or dip for other dishes.
