In Japanese, soba means buckwheat, so soba noodles are made with buckwheat flour. If you’re buying soba noodles from the store, which is what I usually do, you’ll mostly likely see noodles that are made from a combination of wheat and buckwheat flour. They get the job done, but the important thing to note is that those noodles won’t be gluten free. Eden Foods is the only brand I’ve seen so far that produces a dried, 100% buckwheat soba noodles. Buckwheat flour doesn’t contain gluten, but the Eden Foods soba noodles are produced in a facility that also processes foods that handles wheat.
Soba noodles are great for weeknight meals because they cook very quickly—about 4 to 5 minutes in boiling water. In this recipe, I’m flavoring the noodles with a sauce that’s made with a combination of almond butter, soy sauce, and a few other seasonings. It’s light and nutty with a hint of sweetness. If you don’t have almond butter, just substitute whatever nut or seed butter you have at home.
The soba noodles recipe may look simple, but I promise that once you start eating them, you won’t be able to stop. I ate this for lunch and dinner several days straight, and I wanted more!
LOOKING FOR MORE VEGAN NOODLE RECIPES?
- Sesame and Olive Soba Noodles
- Easy Green Curry Noodles
- Coconut Curry Stir Fry Noodles with Glazed Tofu
- Vegetable Stir Fry Mung Bean Noodles
Cold Soba Noodles with Almond Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 10 ounces soba noodles
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar, any other sweetener works too, even jam!
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, optional
- 1 cup sliced cucumber
- 1/2 large bell pepper, sliced
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced*
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the soba noodles and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse under cold water.
- In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, almond butter, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and onion powder (if using). If you have an immersion blender, use it! It will save you a lot of time. Transfer the ingredients to a jar, and blend the sauce with the immersion blender.
- Divide the noodles, cucumbers, peppers, and scallions into 2 bowls. This will make tossing the noodles a lot easier. Drizzle half of the sauce into each bowl. Toss everything together. Taste and add a pinch of salt to the noodles, if necessary.
Notes
- *Because the light green and white parts of scallions have a stronger raw bite, chop those parts more finely.
Jeanne says
Love this recipe. Delicious. By the way, Canada “sprung forward” to Daylight Savings Time last weekend as well.
Lisa Lin says
Thank you, Jeanne!
Rose says
So easy and so good. I made it for lunch and I’m about to make it again for dinner!
Lisa Lin says
Rose, thank you so much for trying the recipe! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Christina peter says
Delish! Loved the sauce so easy. Good rwcipe for summer. I whipped this up with a few changes and personal touches and it was sooo good. My toddler ate it up! I used mushrooms and broccolini and added a touch of sriracha, ginger, and garlic. Chopped up some mint and cilantro along with the green onions.
Jess says
Great recipe as always from Lisa. I subbed almond butter for peanut this time
Lisa Lin says
Thanks, Jess!
Michael Chommie says
Hello Lisa,
Your Cold Soba Noodles dish was a wonderfully cool (and tasty) respite from our extreme southern European heat! Prep-to-plate was a snap. Another great recipe. Thank you!
Michael & Dora
Cyprus