These Cold Soba Noodles with Edamame and Snap Peas are – and I say this with humility – the perfect summer salad.
We are currently doing everything we can to avoid unnecessary time in the kitchen but we’re also trying to avoid ordering too much takeout because it taps into our Rosé budget.
These noods take about 20 minutes to make, are vegetarian but are packed with plant-based protein (and fiber thank you very much), and are a perfect make-ahead meal.
Scroll past the recipe if you’re looking for tips, substitutions, questions, etc. and details on how to make this recipe, but if you want to get straight to it, here’s my recipe-ish…
Cold Soba Noodles with Edamame & Snap Peas
Ingredients
- For the dressing:
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp tahini
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 2 tsp hot mustard*
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 3 Tbsp oil
- For the salad:
- 4 bundles soba noodles about 400 grams/14 oz
- 1 cup frozen edamame shelled
- 1 cup snap peas sliced
- 3 green onions sliced
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Make the dressing:
- Combine the soy sauce, tahini, rice vinegar, honey, mustard and oils in a bowl with a pinch of salt.
- Whisk well until completely smooth.
- Cook the soba:
- Cook the soba according to the package instructions, but 1 minute before the end of cooking time, add in the edamame beans.
- Drain and rinse well.
- Make the salad:
- Add the soba and edamame to a bowl.
- Add in the snap peas, onion, cilantro and sesame seeds.
- Add the dressing and toss well.
Notes
my pro tips for making the best cold soba noodles with edamame
Soba – rinse your soba noodles. Do you have to? Yes you do. Forget what you’ve heard about not rinsing pasta, that does not apply here. We are rinsing the noods or you will end up with a mass of glued together, not good at all, gummy noodles.
Chilling – these are a great make ahead meal, but the dressing will firm up in the fridge, so allow them to come to room temperature before tucking in… or throw in the microwave for just a few seconds or stir in a small amount of warm-ish water. You can also store the salad separately from the dressing and toss before serving.
Prep – start the water boiling and make the dressing. Toss the noodles into the water and prep the remaining ingredients. This multitasking makes everything happen much more quickly.
recipe substitutions and variations
Add extra veggies like carrots, baby spinach, kale or even charred broccoli.
Swap the snap peas for chopped cucumbers.
Add extra protein by tossing in crispy tofu, shredded chicken or grilled shrimp.
Citrus Ginger version – swap out the rice vinegar for lime or lemon juice and add in 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger. I like to add some chopped pickled ginger to this version too.
Peanut version – swap the tahini for creamy peanut butter and the sesame seeds for spicy roasted peanuts.
Spicy version – add a big squirt of sriracha to the dressing and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to the salad before serving.
what to do with leftover cold soba noodles with edamame
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Toss again and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Meal Prep refrigerate in single serve containers for an easy grab and go meal.
what to serve with them…
My favourite way to eat this salad is straight out of the serving dish with some chopsticks.
Make them a side dish for your next barbecue patio dinner.
Bring them to a picnic. I like to keep the dressing separate and toss right before serving.
questions?
Must you rinse the soba noodles? yes, we already talked about this.
Can you make this gluten free? yes, but you must make sure you source out 100% buckwheat soba that is labeled gluten free. Also sub tamari or your favourite gluten free substitute for the soy sauce.
Can you use frozen edamame? this is the only kind I use. In fact, I’ve never even seen fresh edamame – have you?
Can you use a different kind of noodle? Yes! Ramen noodles or rice noodles are great as are zucchini noodles. You can even use spaghetti, regular or whole wheat.
If you like this easy Cold Soba Noodles with Edamame and Snap Peas Recipe let me know what you think in the comments below and please find and follow me on Social Media! And if you like it I think you’ll also like my: Asian Spicy Cucumber Salad as a great summer side, Flanken Short Ribs – Asian Style to make it a full meal, Matcha Crepe Cake (Matcha Mille Crepe) or Matcha White Chocolate Cookies for dessert, or my Iced Raspberry Vanilla Matcha Latte to make a lovely little lunch.
