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    Home / Main Courses / Entrees

    Creamy Sesame Soba Noodles

    Published May 10, 2010

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    top down shot of soba noodles
    Today's recipe, a chilled noodle salad tossed with vegetables, crispy tofu, and a creamy sesame dressing, is a wedding of two culinary obsessions: peanut sauce and soba noodles.

    bundles of chopsticks
    I fell in love with peanut sauce my freshman year at UCSC when the boys in the dorm nextdoor, a super-senior named Mike and his New Orleans sidekick, Jimmy, took us girls to Charlie Hong Kong, an awesome order-at-the-counter spot boasting ginormous bowls of affordable, healthy, Asian-inspired munchies perfect for starving students. An order of Spicy Dan's Peanut Delight is enough for two meals, and you can add your choice of toppings ranging from tofu to steak.

    carrots being peeled
    When I moved to SF, I missed Spicy Dan's like nobody's business. I even considered getting a job at CHK for a day in order to pilfer the recipe. Instead, I tried several recipes in my own kitchen until I hit on something just right. I happened upon this recipe in an unlikely place: Once Upon a Tart, a gem of a book written by two friendly-sounding fellows who run a New York cafe.

    Here I give a simplified version made with a bowl and whisk rather than a food processor, and almond butter, amino acids, and lime juice instead of peanut butter, tamari and vinegar. Make a double or triple batch and keep it in your fridge to be spooned over brown rice and steamed veggies, such as bok choy, greens, broccoli, and/or carrots, for your own peanut delight.

    blocks of tofu
    As for the second obsession, I have always loved the nutty-cinnamony flavor of buckwheat in crepes and cereal, and even a toasted buckwheat tea, which I once tried at Medicine. There was nothing medicinal-tasting about it, though buckwheat is high in the amino acid l-lysine, which miraculously ousts canker sores. (Hm, I wonder how toasted buckwheat ice cream would be? Update: it's delicious!)

    veggies on a copping board
    I first became addicted to chilled soba noodles after trying Medicine's refreshing yet filling hijiki-soba salad. I then began making Heidi Swanson's Otsu from Super Natural Cooking. But it wasn't until I paired the cold noodles with this creamy dressing that I found true happiness. It's especially perfect on a hot day, when you're craving something substantial yet cool and refreshing, healthy but indulgent.

    wet ingredients being whisks
    If you are gluten intolerant, you are in luck. Despite buckwheat's (mis)name, it is actually the gluten-free seed of an herb plant native to Russia. Soba noodles made with 100% buckwheat flour are still delicious, though a bit more delicate and strong-tasting than the buckwheat/wheat ones pictured here.

    tofu cooking in a pan
    I like to make a large batch of this salad for several reasons:

    1) It keeps well in the fridge, and tastes even better the second and third day after it has been made.
    2) It makes an excellent, instant one-dish lunch or dinner.
    3) There never seems to be enough of it, I never tire of it, and I like to share it.
    4) It's crowd pleaser-ish, great to take to potlucks, or on a road trip.

    close up of tofu and shredded carrots
    You can of course vary the veg with the seasons. Other nice additions are:
    cucumber slices
    zucchini, sauteed
    bell peppers, julienned
    shiitake mushrooms, sauteed with a bit of mirin and tamari
    peas: snow, snap or pod
    edamame or fava beans
    hijiki or other sea veg
    slivered asparagus
    daikon radish, shaved
    bean sprouts
    toasted peanuts, almonds or cashews

    sesame soba noodles in a bowl

    More noodle recipes:

    • Spring Vegan Miso Soup with Yuba Gluten-Free Noodles
    • Vegan Coconut Curry Noodle Soup {gluten-free}
    • Green Noodle Soup with Coconut Lemongrass Broth {vegan & gluten-free}
    • Curried Noodles with Crispy Tofu & Winter Vegetables {gluten-free & vegan}

    More Buckwheat Recipes:

    • Gluten-Free Banana Buckwheat Pancakes
    • GF Buckwheat Banana Muffins
    • Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Buckwheat Blueberry Scones

    *Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram,  Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this creamy sesame soba noodle recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet  and  #bojongourmet.*

    5 from 1 vote

    Creamy Sesame Soba Noodles

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Cool noodles packed with Asian-inspired flavors. If you can't find gluten-free soba noodles, brown rice spaghetti makes a great substitute.
    Alanna Taylor-Tobin
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total: 20 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    Noodles and veg:

    • 8 ounces soba noodles, cooked, rinsed in cold water, and well-drained
    • 2 medium carrots, peeled then shaved into long strands with a vegetable peeler
    • 1/2 small cabbage, shredded finely (about 3 cups)
    • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (any color or a combination)
    • 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 6-8 ounces extra firm tofu, in 1" chunks
    • 6 scallions, slivered on the diagonal
    • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

    Creamy sesame-almond dressing:

    • 2 tablespoons smooth almond (or peanut, or cashew) butter
    • 1 tablespoon tahini
    • 2 tablespoons Bragg's amino acids (or tamari/soy sauce)
    • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
    • 1/2 -inch knob of fresh ginger, finely grated (about 1 teaspoon)
    • 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
    • 2 tablespoons lime juice (more if needed to taste)

    Instructions

    Noodles and veg:

    • Combine the noodles, carrots and cabbage in a very large bowl. In a medium skillet, toast the sesame seeds over medium heat, shaking occasionally, until toasty, 2 minutes. Remove to a small bowl. In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the tofu in a single layer, and fry on one side until golden, about 5 minutes. Turn and fry on the second side. Remove from the skillet and add to the bowl of noodles. Add more oil to the skillet if necessary, and add the scallions. Saute one minute, just to take away the bite, and add to the noodles. Toss in the dressing, below, then the cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve right away, or chill for an hour to bring out the flavors.
    • The salad will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    Creamy sesame-almond dressing:

    • Whisk everything together. The dressing will keep for up to a week in the fridge.

    Notes

    If you don't have tahini in the house, you can use an extra tablespoon of nut butter instead. Or go nut-free and use all tahini. 
    This is extra special served with my friend Emma's crispy tofu in place of the simple pan-fried tofu I've shared here. 
    For the veggies, feel free to substitute wilted kale for the cabbage and thinly sliced cucumber for the carrot. Radishes make a nice addition too. 
    Carrot Cashew Sauce
    This is a fun variation! Use cashew butter in place of almond, and add 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped, to the sauce. Blend in a high-speed blender until smooth, adding a little warm water if needed to thin the sauce. Toss with warm noodles (such as Korean sweet potato noodles) and roasted veggies (such as matchstick carrots and asparagus or broccoli). Serve with roasted salmon or tofu for protein. 
    Nutritional values are based on one of four servings.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 482kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 18gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 1001mgPotassium: 608mgFiber: 6gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 5520IUVitamin C: 49.5mgCalcium: 213mgIron: 4.2mg
    Making this? I'd love to see!Tag your snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet!

    soba noodles with chopsticks

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    Alternative Baker celebrates the unique tastes and textures of 14 gluten-free flours, from buckwheat flour to almond flour to sorghum and coconut! This cookbook will fill your kitchen with sweet treats that burst with flavor every month of the year.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jessa says

      May 17, 2010 at 6:06 pm

      This is the tastiest pasta salad ever. I wish I had the ingredients to make it RIGHT NOW.

      Also, my best friend used to work at Charlie Hong Kong and would probably give you the recipe if you asked nicely. Just sayin'.

      Reply
    2. brunokev says

      May 23, 2010 at 5:18 pm

      Finally made the salad yesterday. I'd already made the dressing and applied to various vittles, with excellent results. The salad makes a lovely breakfast, especially if you like, as I do, veggies with your breakfast.

      Reply
    3. alanna says

      May 24, 2010 at 7:10 pm

      Jessa, OMG, REALLY?!?! Yes, please!

      Kev, I'm so glad you like it! I do like veggies for breakfast; I have a hearty appetite in the am and can usually eat just about anything for that meal. I remember a Chinese-style breakfast I had once at Harbin consisting of a giant bowl of brown rice with a heaping mound of a dozen or more steamed vegetables. I thought it was brilliant.

      Reply
    4. Lindsay says

      June 08, 2010 at 9:30 pm

      OMG Alanna!! Yes, I miss you and Mike and Jimmy and Charlie Hong Kong!! What was that delish ice cream brand that had scrumptious flavors such as cinnamon and green tea?

      Reply
    5. alanna says

      April 19, 2011 at 7:50 pm

      Hey Lindsay! Sorry for not responding sooner- I'm a loser! I miss you, Mike (the OT) and Jimmy, too! Marianne's is the ice cream brand you're thinking of. I had such fond memories of it, but the last time I went there, I didn't think it was all that anymore. Maybe they've gone downhill? Charlie Hong Kong, on the other hand, is still the bomb. : )

      Reply
    6. Alyssa says

      March 31, 2013 at 1:05 am

      Thank you so much for this incredible recipe! I didn't have the tahini on hand and the extra dollop of Peanut Butter did the trick. The flavors are the perfect blend of yummmmmmm! It was a perfect dinner and the lime juice makes it :)

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        March 31, 2013 at 8:16 pm

        Yay!!! So glad you liked it! Thanks for the comment. :)

        Reply
    7. pasta maker price says

      June 24, 2020 at 2:44 am

      Soba noodles is the best sweet full In recent years, high nutritional value, the food products, in which the buckwheat meal is used, that is becoming more and more popular. Buckwheat flour is a good source of dietary fiber and contains essential amino acids.

      Reply

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