Enjoyed chilled or at room temperature, this Soba Noodle Salad tossed in a honey-soy dressing is exactly what you need for a quick, light meal.
What are some of your go-to warm-weather lunches? When I am not developing or testing a recipe, I like my summer lunch to be light and fuss-free. Today I made an easy and refreshing Soba Noodle Salad (蕎麦サラダ) that’s ready in less than 20 minutes.
In this recipe, I toss earthy Japanese soba noodles in a simple honey-soy dressing and garnish it with green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Simple yet bright in flavors, this salad is a true favorite of mine.
Table of Contents
What Are Soba Noodles?
Soba noodles are a type of Japanese noodles made of buckwheat, which has a completely different flavor and texture compared to the popular ramen noodles and udon noodles. Soba are often served cold such as Zaru Soba, room temperature, or in hot soup such as Soba Noodle Soup.
In Japan, we have different kinds of soba noodles depending on the percentage of buckwheat used in making the noodles.
100% vs. 80% Buckwheat Flour
Ju-wari Soba (十割そば) is made of 100% buckwheat flour, so it is gluten-free. It has a dry and rough texture so the noodles are easily broken compared to Hachi-wari Soba. Ju-wari soba has a strong buckwheat aroma and flavor, and it is hard to make because of the crumbly texture.
Hachi-wari Soba (八割そば) is made from 80% buckwheat flour and 20% wheat flour. Hachi-wari means 80% in Japanese. The noodle is much smoother with an al dente texture. Unlike Ju-wari Soba, it’s easy to swallow and chew. However, the buckwheat aroma is less than Ju-wari.
It’s hard to say which soba is tastier as it really is up to personal preferences.
Are Soba Noodles Healthy?
The Japanese consider soba noodles a healthy carb choice, especially among the variety of noodles. Low in fat, soba noodles are a great source of amino acids, manganese, protein, and fiber. It is definitely healthier than udon or ramen noodles or regular spaghetti.
For gluten-free, look for soba noodles made with 100% buckwheat. Make sure to check the ingredient list. Some Japanese grocery stores offer Juwari Soba (十割そば) that is made of 100% buckwheat flour. In the US, you can find some of the common brands like Hakubaku Organic Soba or Eden Foods Soba (100% buckwheat; gluten-free) available online or at your local grocery stores.
👉🏻 Learn more about soba, including its origin and nutrition on my pantry page.
How to Make Soba Noodle Salad
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Soba noodles
- Green onions
- Cilantro
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Dressing: neutral-tasting oil, roasted sesame oil, red pepper flakes (optional), honey, and soy sauce (or tamari)
This Soba Noodle Salad recipe is the perfect blank slate for customization.
For substance, feel free to add in veggies or proteins and turn the salad into a main dish. Here are some delicious opt-in ingredients:
- Thin strips of cucumber, carrots, bell peppers, or red cabbage
- Edamame, sugar snap peas
- Pickled veggies such as kimchi or quick pickled cucumber
- Blanched broccoli or a handful of arugula
- Hard-boiled egg or ramen eggs
- Shredded leftover chicken
- Grilled tofu
A Few Quick Tips
- Soba noodles cook a lot faster than spaghetti pasta, so this noodle salad is ready in a very short time. It’s important to drain the noodles well and run them under cold running water. This helps to remove any starch from the noodles.
- You can prepare the dressing ahead of time, but toss everything together when you are ready to serve, or else soba noodles will absorb the dressing and become soggy.
More Soba Noodle Recipes
- Zaru Soba (Traditional Cold Soba Noodle)
- Toshikoshi Soba (New Year’s Eve Soba Noodle Soup)
- Soba Noodle Soup
- Oroshi Soba
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Soba Noodle Salad
Video
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
- 3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes)
- 3 Tbsp honey (use maple syrup for vegan)
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
For the Salad
- 7 oz dried soba noodles (buckwheat noodles) (2–3 bundles)
- 2 green onions/scallions
- 1 handful cilantro (coriander) (0.7 oz, 20 g)
- 1 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
To Make the Dressing
- Combine 1 Tbsp neutral oil, 3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, and ½ tsp crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes) in a small saucepan.
- Whisk it all together and infuse the oil over medium heat for 3 minutes. Alternatively, you can put these ingredients in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 3 minutes. Set aside to let it cool a bit; be careful while handling as it‘ll get very hot.
- Add 3 Tbsp honey and 3 Tbsp soy sauce to the oil mixture.
- Whisk it all together until the honey has completely dissolved.
To Make the Salad
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot (you do not need to salt the water). Cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions, but make sure they are al dente. Drain into a colander and rinse the soba noodles under cold running water. This important step removes the excess starch from the noodles and stops the cooking. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
- Thinly slice 2 green onions/scallions and chop 1 handful cilantro (coriander) into small pieces.
- Add the dressing, green onions, cilantro, and 1 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds to the bowl with the soba noodles.
- Toss everything together. Transfer to a serving bowl or plate. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
To Serve
- Soba Noodle Salad is the perfect blank slate to customize with your favorite vegetables like edamame, sugar snap peas, cucumber slices, carrot strips, arugula, or red cabbage. Try adding blanched or pickled veggies like kimchi, Quick Fresh Kimchi, Spicy Japanese Pickled Cucumbers, and Blanched Broccoli with Sesame Oil. For a more substantial meal, you can add hard-boiled eggs, Ramen Eggs, shredded leftover chicken, or grilled tofu.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on May 13, 2013. It is updated with a new video and step-by-step pictures in August 2016. The content was updated with more information in July 2022.
I made this and thought it was really good. I will definitely make it again. I have a ton of buck wheat noodles that came from my moms house after she passed away. I now have a great recipe to use them in. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hi Gayle, Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!
Our heart goes out to you. We’re so sorry to hear of your loss.💝
Here are more recipes for you. We hope this helps you to enjoy your mom’s noodles.💞 https://www.justonecookbook.com/search/?q=soba
Not sure where I went wrong here but I had far too much dressing for the amount of noodles called for…..
Hi Theob! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe.
We are sorry to hear that the dressing amount was too much for your taste.😔 We hope you find a reasonable adjustment and enjoy this recipe! 🙂
This will also be delicious with shiso leaves in place of the cilantro.
Hi Del! Thank you very much for sharing your great idea!🙂 It sounds delicious!
Hi Namiko san, thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. This is one of our family staple food since I come across your website 2 years ago. Since then, I have been making your Takikomi Gohan, Dashi, Mentsuyu and many more. Also, your instant pot Japanese rice method is a lifesaver too.
Hi Linda! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipes!
Namiko is so happy to hear this recipe has become your family staple food.🥰 Happy Cooking!
Hi Nami, thank you for this amazing recipe. It will become my go-to dish for hot summer days, it is truly addictive! I had a jar of hot chilli honey that I received as a present and tried that as a substitute of the chilli flakes: it was a success and my family is already asking for more. Thank you as usual for the delicious recipes and the wealth of info on japanese cooking and culture.
Hi Francesca! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback!
You have no idea how much your kind words meant to Nami and JOC team! Thank you.❤️
The hot chili honey version sounds delicious too!☺️
Hi Nami! I’m making this right now but the vegetable oil/sesame oil/crushed red pepper keep burning although I warmed it up on low-medium for 3 min. I repeated it and same thing. I also tried it in the microwave for 3 min. The red pepper keeps turning black and smells burnt
Hi Jean! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
It sounds like your pan/pot is distributing the heat faster. Please lower the heat or use a thick bottom pan/pot and cook slowly.
We hope this helps!
Made this twice already! Surprised at how fast and easily assembled this recipe is. I use gochugaru instead of red pepper flakes (what I had on hand) and made it super spicy. This goes really well with sautéed mushrooms.
Hi Nate, Thank you very much for trying this recipe and sharing your cooking experience with us!
Sauteed mushrooms and gochugaru sounds delicious!😋
Fantastic way to learn how to cook Japanese cuisine
Hi Bob! Thank you very much for your kind feedback! We are glad to hear we can be of help!😊
I miss Japanese food. I have been trying out some of your recipes. I didn’t have cilantro but this soba noodle salad was still so good! Thank you!
Hi Khonie!
Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback!
We are happy to hear you enjoyed it.
Happy Cooking!😉
Fab recipe, but just a quick note, this was tagged as a vegan recipe but the recipe contains honey which vegans don’t consume because commercial beekeeping is a form of animal exploitation. So the recipe isn’t vegan friendly unless you sub the honey with another syrup. I used date syup!
Hi Jasmine!
Thank you very much for your input.
We are not sure where you found this recipe under vegan. It’s tagged as “vegetarian” on this post, not “vegan.”
Using date syrup is a great idea!🙂
Nami,
I made this for lunch today just as written. On my first bite I thought it was interesting, by the last bite I was sorry it was gone. I call that sneaky good! And really easy. I love your recipes and I love your site. Where’s your app?
Bob
Hi Bob!
Hahahaha. We are so happy to hear you enjoyed this simple but tasty noodle salad!
Thank you very for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback. We will make sure to note your request to Nami about the app.😁
Delicious!!!! Thank you, Nami, for this recipe! So glad I found this because I’ve tried a few other soba noodle salad recipes online before and they were just okay.
I added julienned bell pepper, cucumber, and mushroom. Then topped it with slices of chicken. I also used white sugar instead of honey. That made the dish sweeter than I preferred, so next time I’m cutting down on that! FYI for anyone using regular sugar… maybe try just 2 Tbsp instead of 3. ☺
Hi EF! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! Usually, the sugar is much sweeter than honey, so it’s best to use less (or if you want to replace sugar with honey, add more). Honey is more “subtle” sweetness. 🙂
Thank you for your kind feedback!
Hello Nami, this was my first venture into Japanese cooking. This dish is an easy, lovely, light recipe. 10 out of 10 would make again. I look forward to trying more of your recipes in the future. Thank you for posting.
Hi Ashlie! Thanks for trying my recipe and I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you for your kind feedback!
this is an amazingly simple and delicious recipe!! thank you!
Hi Jill! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for your kind feedback! xo
THANK YOU, THANK YOU
Found this recipe about a month ago and have enjoyed it 5 times! So simple and yet so delicious.
How long can the dressing last in the fridge?
Hi Robin! So glad to hear you liked it! You can keep it for 1-2 weeks, but reheat in a pot again. 🙂