Cold Soba Noodle Salad plus Spicy Peanut Butter Dressing

We love that we can eat this straight from the refrigerator, and that it is full of veggies, while also indulging our peanut butter-loving side. The dressing is a spicy peanut butter, soy and sesame-based sauce, which we could probably eat all by itself. If you don’t care for spicy foods, simply omit the red pepper flakes in the recipe. We think it goes without saying, but feel free to add or substitute any of your favorite vegetables for the cucumber, pepper and carrots. Those are traditionally used in Asian dishes, but you could absolutely use whatever you’d like.

While this could keep in the refrigerator for up to five days, it barely lasted three in our house with just the two of us… And We made a batch and a half. Obviously, we really, enjoyed it. We were sad to see it go so soon!

One year ago: Fried Green Tomatoes
Two years ago: Blueberry Cobbler
Three years ago: Everything Bagels
Four years ago: Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream
Five years ago: Vanilla and Brown Sugar Breakfast Polenta

Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Spicy Peanut Butter Dressing

Yield: 4 to 6 servings Soba noodle salad with red peppers, cucumbers and carrots, with a spicy peanut butter dressing.

• 10 ounce (283.5 g) package soba noodles, cooked and cooled
• ⅓ cup (86 g) creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1¾ teaspoons (1.75 teaspoons) sesame oil
• 1¾ teaspoons (1.75 teaspoons) grated peeled ginger
• ½ to ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cucumber, diced small
• 1 red bell pepper, diced small
• 1 cup (128 g) shredded carrots
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced, divided
• Sesame seeds, garnish (optional)

• In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and red pepper flakes.
• Add the cooked and cooled soba noodles to the bowl and toss to evenly coat with the dressing. Add the cucumber, red pepper, carrots, and the white parts of the green onions, and toss to combine. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
• Serve and top with the reserved green parts of the green onion and sesame seeds, if desired. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

Nutritional values are based on one serving

• Yield: 4 to 6 servings
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 5 minutes
• Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 10 ounce ( 283.5 g ) package soba noodles, cooked and cooled
• ⅓ cup ( 86 g ) creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1¾ teaspoons ( 1.75 teaspoons ) sesame oil
• 1¾ teaspoons ( 1.75 teaspoons ) grated peeled ginger
• ½ to ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cucumber, diced small
• 1 red bell pepper, diced small
• 1 cup ( 128 g ) shredded carrots
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced, divided
• Sesame seeds, garnish (optional)

Method

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and red pepper flakes.
2. Add the cooked and cooled soba noodles to the bowl and toss to evenly coat with the dressing. Add the cucumber, red pepper, carrots, and the white parts of the green onions, and toss to combine. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
3. Serve and top with the reserved green parts of the green onion and sesame seeds, if desired. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.