Turn to tender, flavorful soba noodles and the rich sea-flavor of seaweed to provide a uniquely bold flavor to this satisfying, hearty Soba Noodles Seaweed Salad. This healthy vegan salad features traditional Japanese soba noodles, which are made from buckwheat; when cooked, soba noodles offer a delicious base for a salad, as they are tender yet have a firm texture that holds up so well in salads. This soba noodles recipe also features seitan, a nutrient-rich plant-based protein that is part of traditional Asian foodways.
Combined with shiitake mushrooms, seaweed, cucumbers, bell peppers, and a flavorful soy vinaigrette, this soba noodles seaweed salad is brimming with umami flavors and satisfying nutrition. You can find these salad ingredients in many well-stocked supermarkets, Asian grocery stores, and online. Try dried shitake mushrooms for this recipe, which have a long shelf-life in your pantry and can be reconstituted quickly in boiling water.
Make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free soba noodles and soy sauce, and swapping seitan (which is made from wheat) to tofu. Learn more about the benefits of seaweed here.
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Soba Noodles Seaweed Salad
Author:The Plant-Powered Dietitian
Total Time:20 minutes (not including soaking time)
Yield:8 servings 1x
Diet:Vegan
Description
This vegan Soba Noodles Seaweed Salad is brimming with hearty flavors and powerful nutrition by way of buckwheat soba noodles, sea vegetables, seitan and a delicious soy vinaigrette.
Salad:
1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms*
1 cup boiling water
1 (8-ounce) package soba noodles
3 small cucumbers (i.e. Persian), with peel, thinly sliced into matchstick strips
1 medium bell pepper (yellow, red or green), thinly sliced
Place dried shitake mushrooms in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Set aside for 20 minutes. Drain water. Slice thinly.
Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Place soba noodles in the pot and boil (according to package directions) about 4 minutes. Do not overcook. Place in a strainer and rinse well with cold water.
In a large bowl, mix together sliced cucumbers, sliced bell pepper, chopped seitan, sliced seaweed, cooked and cooled soba noodles, and sliced shitake mushrooms.
In a small dish, whisk together the salad dressing ingredients: sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar (optional), wasabi paste, red pepper flakes, ginger, and garlic.
Pour dressing over noodle mixture and toss well.
Place in a salad bowl or platter and garnish with cherry tomatoes and sesame seeds. Chill until serving time.
Yields 8 servings.
Notes
*May use 2 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms (or another variety) instead of dried mushrooms soaked in boiling water.
Make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free soba noodles and soy sauce, and swapping seitan (which is made from wheat) to tofu.
For other salad recipes, check out some of my favorites:
Spicy Cauliflower Salad with Cilantro Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with Peanuts and Papaya Thai Salad with Carrots and Mint Blood Orange Salad with Kale and Hazelnuts Vegan Kale Caesar Salad Swiss Chard Salad with Oranges and Citrus Vinaigrette
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