Brady Evans scours the blogs for a fresh vegan recipe, and finds this lovely soba noodle and pea salad.
Text And Photo By Brady Evans
The other night I cooked a delicious roast chicken. Rosemary, thyme, butter. It was a fantastic recipe that I’ll be sure to share. For some reason, however, I felt the need to swing the opposite direction for awhile after partaking in a meat-centered meal. On tonight’s menu was Sticky Rice Balls with Dried Shrimp and Sausage, but I just couldn’t get my mind around having that for dinner.
I searched through the cupboard, unearthed a package of soba noodles, and remembered a recipe from The Way The Cookie Crumbles. I used it as a jumping off point for our dinner and made a fantastic vegan soba noodle salad. 
Soba Noodle and Pea Salad
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
A refreshing vegan soba noodle salad with baby peas, tossed in a tangy sesame-lemon dressing.
Ingredients
- 5 oz (150 grams) soba noodles
- 1 (10-oz, 300 grams) package frozen baby peas
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) sesame oil
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add soba noodles and frozen peas to the pot.
- Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- While the noodles and peas are cooking, whisk together the sesame oil, fresh lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until the sugar is dissolved.
- Drain the noodles and peas in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Shake off excess water.
- Transfer the noodles and peas to a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to combine, ensuring the noodles are evenly coated.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, ensure your soba noodles are made from 100% buckwheat.
- This salad can be served cold or at room temperature.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 8
- Cholesterol: 0
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Green Pea Risotto with Parmesan Crisps
- Buckwheat Soba Noodle Salad with Sambal Chili Dressing
- Vodka-Cured Salmon with Juniper and Rosemary
- Spicy Maple Rosemary Nuts
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this salad actually vegan?
The recipe is vegan as written — the only ingredients are soba noodles, frozen baby peas, sesame oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, and salt. However, the notes mention that for a gluten-free version you should use 100% buckwheat soba noodles, since many commercial soba noodles contain wheat flour.
Why are the noodles and peas rinsed under cold water after cooking?
Rinsing under cold water stops the cooking immediately, preventing the noodles from going mushy, and cools everything down so the sesame-lemon dressing coats the noodles without wilting or being absorbed unevenly. The instructions say to shake off excess water before adding the dressing.
Can I make this ahead and serve it later?
The recipe says serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to let the flavors meld. The notes confirm leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, and the salad can be served cold or at room temperature.
Yum! This looks delicious and so clean! I love soba. :)
This looks so delicious and healthy. I love the lighting on that first shot.
I have a package of soba noodles I need to dig put too! What a perfect recipe. I can’t wait to try it!