Sesame Soba Noodle Salad

Hot summer days call for a refreshing sesame soba noodle salad. This Japanese-inspired dish is loaded with vegetables and topped with sweet and savory nori granola for an incredibly flavorful meal.

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Rolled oats: Since rolled oats are thicker than quick oats or instant oats, they are ideal for making granola.
• Macadamia nuts: These rich, buttery nuts add a special flavor to the granola. Substitute with cashews or almonds if you can't find macadamia nuts.
• Togarashi: A Japanese spice blend that adds a spicy and citrusy flavor to the granola. You can omit it if you can't find togarashi.
• Nori: Use unsalted nori to make the granola. You can use the same nori used to make sushi wraps, tearing the nori into smaller pieces.
• Tahini: A paste made from ground sesame seeds, tahini has a nutty flavor. If you can't find tahini, you can use peanut butter instead, but the flavor will differ from the original dish.
• Chili crisp: The spicy, crunchy Chinese condiment is made from chili peppers, oil, and other seasonings. I used Lao Gan Ma spicy chili crisp for this recipe. If you can't find chili crisp, you can use chili oil instead.
• Spicy chili bean paste aka Doubanjiang: This spicy chili bean paste is a fermented bean paste with a salty and spicy flavor. You can use any other type of chili paste instead if you prefer; however, you may have to add salt and pepper depending on how salty the chili paste is.
• Soba noodles: A type of Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour with a nutty flavor. If you can't find soba noodles, use udon noodles instead.

Substitutions and variations

• Gluten-free: Use gluten-free rolled oats, gluten-free tamari, and sambal instead of spicy chili bean paste. Most buckwheat noodles are gluten-free, but check the label to ensure that it is.
• Vegetables: Substitute the vegetables for what's in season, such as snap peas, broccoli, summer squash, and asparagus.
• Protein: You can use almost any type of protein for this recipe, including ground beef, ground pork, crumbled tofu, or shrimp.

Recipe

Print Recipe

Sesame Soba Noodle Salad

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Asian noodles

Servings: 4

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Nori granola

• 1 cup rolled oats (80 grams)
• ½ cup raw macadamia nuts (64 grams)
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• ½ teaspoon togarashi
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 sheets nori, torn into small pieces (4 grams)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Sesame soba noodle salad

• ¼ cup tahini
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon chili crisp or chili oil
• 2 tablespoons oil divided
• ½ pound ground chicken
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon spicy chili bean paste
• 1 medium zucchini cut in half lengthwise and sliced
• 1 medium red bell pepper sliced
• 1 small red onion sliced
• 1 corn on the cob shucked and kernels cut
• 3 bundles soba noodles
• 4 cups mesclun greens
• ¼ cup chopped scallions

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Make nori granola. Combine oats, macadamia nuts, sesame seeds, fennel, togarashi, salt, and nori in a large bowl. Add maple syrup and olive oil, tossing until well coated. Spread granola in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown, tossing the granola halfway through. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make soba noodle salad sauce. In a blender, combine tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and chili crisp. Puree until smooth and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken and saute until browned, breaking up chicken with a wooden spoon into small chunks. Add garlic, ginger, and spicy chili bean paste and saute for 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and wipe the pan clean.
• Heat another tablespoon oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, corn, and saute for 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lightly charred. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool slightly.
• Cook soba noodles according to directions on package. Drain and rinse in cold water.
• Assemble salads. Place 1 cup mesclun green per salad and top with soba noodles. Spoon vegetables and chicken on top and sprinkle a generous amount of nori granola. Sprinkle chopped scallions on top and serve with soba noodle salad sauce. Serve immediately.

Notes

You can make the nori granola up to 5 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until ready to use.

I used doubanjiang for the spicy chili bean paste which is a salty paste made from fermented broad beans, however you can use any other spicy chili bean paste.

 

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make granola

First up, let's make the nori granola that will add a delightful crunch to our sesame soba noodle salad. In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, raw macadamia nuts, black sesame seeds, fennel seeds, togarashi, salt, and torn pieces of nori. Add the maple syrup and olive oil, tossing until everything is evenly coated.

Spread the granola on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake it to golden perfection at 300 degrees F. Give the granola a stir halfway through to allow even baking.

While the nori granola bakes, it's time to put together creamy soba sauce. In a blender, combine tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and a dash of chili crisp or chili oil for a kick of heat. Puree the ingredients until they form a smooth and velvety sauce. If you want an extra spicy sauce, add more chili crisp or chili oil.

You can prepare both the granola and the sauce the day before if you prefer.

Step 2: Cook chicken

Now, let's move on to the protein-packed part of our dish - the savory and aromatic chicken. In a large sauté pan, heat some oil over medium-high heat and add ground chicken.

Saute the chicken until it's perfectly browned and breaks into delightful little chunks with the help of a wooden spoon. To amplify the taste, toss in minced garlic, ginger, and a spoonful of spicy chili bean paste, and sauté for a couple more minutes.

If you're looking for a milder version, omit the spicy chili bean paste and season the chicken with salt and pepper instead.

Step 3: Saute vegetables

Next up, we'll sauté a colorful array of vegetables to add a burst of freshness to our salad. In the same pan, heat another tablespoon of oil and toss in sliced zucchini, red bell pepper, red onion, and sweet corn kernels. Saute the vegetables until lightly charred, about 7-8 minutes. You may have to cook the vegetables in batches if the pan is overcrowded.

Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to bring out the natural sweetness of the veggies and set them aside.

Cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions, then rinse them in cold water to retain their delightfully chewy texture. If you can find fresh soba noodles, I recommend using them for this salad.

Step 4: Assemble salad

Now that all of the components are ready, it's time to assemble our show-stopping sesame soba noodle salad. On each plate, place a serving of mesclun greens, topped with a heaping mound of soba noodles. Next, spoon the sautéed vegetables and savory chicken over the noodles. Finally, sprinkle a generous amount of nori granola over the top, adding that perfect touch of crunch and umami goodness. Garnish with chopped scallions and serve the salad with the sesame chili sauce.

Drizzle a good amount of the sauce on the salad and toss everything together before diving in.

Now, isn't that one delicious bowl of cold noodles? Luckily, my husband agreed. The surprisingly delicious nori granola paired with creamy, vibrant dressing, savory chicken, and sauteed vegetables all come together to create one harmonious dish. This is one meal I'll be enjoying on repeat, especially during the summer.

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: You can make the nori granola up to 5 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until ready to use. You can also prepare the dressing the day before.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Frequently asked questions

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