Description
This Sesame Chili Cold Soba Noodle Salad is a refreshing, flavorful dish perfect for warm days or light meals. Featuring cold soba noodles tossed in a tangy tamari-lime dressing, shredded red cabbage slaw, and a rich sesame chili sauce made with Chinese sesame paste and chili crisp oil, it balances spicy, nutty, and citrusy flavors. Protein options like smoked tofu or edamame add texture and substance, while fresh herbs like mint and cilantro provide a bright finish. Quick to prepare and utterly satisfying, this salad is a perfect fusion of Asian-inspired ingredients and vibrant freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
Sesame Chili Sauce
- 1/4 cup Chinese sesame paste
- 1 tbsp chili crisp oil
- 1/2 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp tamari
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 2 tsp agave or maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp five spice
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth or mushroom broth
Red Cabbage Slaw
- 3 cups red cabbage, shredded
- 1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 scallions or 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- Juice and zest of half a lime
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp agave or maple syrup (optional)
- Kosher salt, to taste
Noodle Dressing
- Juice of one lime
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp agave or maple syrup
Main Ingredients
- 8 oz soba noodles
- 1 tbsp avocado oil (optional, for cooking tofu)
- 6 oz smoked tofu or 12 oz frozen edamame
- 8 mint leaves, torn
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Make the Sesame Chili Sauce: In a blender cup, combine the Chinese sesame paste, chili crisp oil, Chinkiang black vinegar (or rice vinegar), tamari, grated garlic, agave or maple syrup, five spice, allspice, and vegetable or mushroom broth. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional tamari or vinegar as desired. Set the sauce aside.
- Prepare the Red Cabbage Slaw: In a large bowl, add shredded red cabbage, thinly sliced red chili pepper, and scallions or red onion. Add lime zest and juice from half a lime, toasted sesame oil, optional agave syrup, and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Using clean hands, massage the mixture gently to soften the cabbage and help flavors meld. Set aside to marinate.
- Cook and Dress the Soba Noodles: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions. While noodles cook, whisk together lime juice, tamari, and agave or maple syrup in a medium mixing bowl to make the noodle dressing. Drain the noodles and rinse thoroughly under cold water until completely cool; this stops cooking and prevents clumping. Transfer cooled noodles to the bowl with the dressing and toss well to coat. Add a few ice cubes to keep noodles chilled and set aside.
- Prepare the Protein: For a quick protein, crumble smoked tofu or cook frozen edamame according to package directions. To cook tofu, heat avocado oil in a pan over medium-low heat, then add crumbled tofu, spreading it evenly. Let it cook undisturbed for 3 minutes to develop a golden crust, then stir occasionally until tofu is golden all over. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Assemble the Salad: Drizzle a few spoonfuls of the sesame chili sauce into the bottom of serving bowls. Add a portion of the dressed soba noodles, then scatter a generous amount of crumbled tofu or edamame on top. Drizzle more sesame chili sauce over the noodles and protein. Top with a big scoop of the marinated red cabbage slaw. Garnish with torn mint leaves and chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute tamari with soy sauce if not gluten-sensitive.
- Adjust chili crisp oil amount for desired spiciness.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free soba noodles or another gluten-free noodle variety.
- If you don’t have Chinese sesame paste, tahini can be used but expect a slightly different flavor.
- Edamame is a plant-based protein alternative if avoiding tofu.
- Marinating the cabbage softens the texture and enhances flavor.
- Keep noodles chilled to maintain salad freshness and texture.
