Tangled Noodle Salad

It’s been hot here the past few days and when the temperatures soar, there’s nothing that sounds better than a crisp salad for lunch. I’m switching things up today in this addition to my salad series and ditching lettuce as the main ingredient in lieu of soba noodles.

When we were in Japan for our honeymoon, we had chilled soba noodles with soy sauce for lunch one day. In typical Japanese form, the dish was so simple and straightforward, but incredibly delicious. Ever since then, I’ve had a little crush on these buckwheat noodles. The have the perfect springy bite and hold up well in this soba noodle salad.

I paired it with a yummy peanut dressing that makes it pretty irresistible. If you make a big batch, it’s just as tasty the next day for lunch!

We had some leftover flank steak so I added that to make it a little bit more substantial. Salmon or chicken would also be good! I served the salad on these new salad plates from Anthropologie, aren’t they cute?!

On another note, I’m in Colorado today for my sister-in-law’s bachelorette party. We’re headed to the mountains and I’m so excited! Make sure to follow along on Instagram too see what we’re up to!

Tangled Noodle Salad

Ingredients

Salad:
1/2 package soba noodles
1/3 cup shelled edamame beans
1/3 cup shredded red cabbage
1/3 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 avocado, cubed
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp chopped mint
1 Tbsp chopped basil
1/4 cup crushed roasted peanuts

Garnish:
sesame seeds

Dressing:
2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2-1 tsp sriracha, based on how spicy you like!
1/2 lime, juiced
1-3 Tbsp warm water

Directions

Cook soba noodles according to directions. Make sure to run them under cold water to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients through lime juice. Mix thoroughly and add water to thin.
In a large bowl, combine soba noodles and all vegetables. Pour in a bit of the dressing and toss to combine. Serve chilled and drizzle with a bit more dressing on top as desired.

BTW, quinoa arugula salad, and chimichurri steak salad.