I grew up Italian—so you know I love pasta. A perfectly cooked spaghetti, a bubbling baked ziti, or a tortellini pasta salad, and I’m a happy woman. But when I’m craving something a little lighter—especially once the weather warms up—I go for some cold soba noodles. If you haven’t cooked with soba before, this recipe is a great place to start.
What are soba noodles?
Soba noodles are delicate Japanese noodles, traditionally made with buckwheat. Buckwheat has a unique earthy and nutty flavor. When buckwheat noodles are prepared correctly, they have a wonderfully chewy bite. This dish is colorful, fresh, and satisfying. You’ve got tender shrimp, crispy caramelized tofu, sweet corn, edamame, fresh herbs, and a creamy sesame-miso dressing to bring it all together.
What can I serve with these cold soba noodles?
One of the things I love most about this cold soba noodle recipe is how flexible it is. Because this dish already has protein, vegetables, and those satisfying buckwheat soba noodles, it makes a great lunch or a delicious light dinner. It’s also good for picnics if you don’t mind bringing some extra dishes along. If you’re entertaining, it’s easy to pair with other dishes, too!
I recommend serving your chilled soba noodles with crispy vegetable spring rolls, a simple sesame cucumber salad, some steamed dumplings, or even a platter of grilled skewers. A crisp cabbage slaw with rice vinegar would make a great pairing too. If you’re doing a summery dinner spread, these cold Japanese noodles also pair wonderfully with salmon or another miso-glazed fish.
Can I make this cold soba dish ahead of time?
If you’re planning ahead, you can approach this recipe in stages. You can cook the shrimp, prepare the tofu, steam the edamame, and mix the dressing earlier in the day. The noodles can also be cooked ahead—but make sure you rinse them thoroughly with cold water after cooking! This stops the cooking process and removes excess starch. Then toss lightly with sesame oil so they don’t clump and stick together.
I recommend assembling everything within a few hours of serving for the freshest texture. The herbs will taste brighter, the peanuts stay crunchier, and the vegetables keep their bite. The noodles will also hold up better because remember—they are delicate. That being said, the leftovers are still good for lunch the next day!
Should I serve these soba noodles cold or at room temperature?
For the best results, I recommend serving soba noodles cold. Traditional zaru soba and hiyashi soba are meant to be served cold, and there’s a reason for that. Chilling the noodles gives them their signature springy chew and keeps the dish refreshing—especially with my sesame-miso dressing (recipe included) drizzled on top.
If this dish sits out for 20 or 30 minutes while guests gather, nobody’s going to complain. It’s still delicious at a cool room temperature. Just follow the directions and don’t serve it warm!
What can you make with miso dressing?
This creamy miso dressing is an ideal cold soba noodle sauce, but once you taste it, you might want to try it on everything. The combination of white miso, tahini, orange juice, ginger, garlic, tamari, and sesame oil strikes a perfect balance of salty, nutty, tangy, and sweet.
Drizzle it over grain bowls, spoon it onto roasted vegetables, or try it as a sauce for grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp. Thin it out a little bit and it makes a tasty salad dressing. It would even be delicious as a dipping sauce for dumplings or steamed veggies.
Did you enjoy the shrimp in this recipe? Here are some delicious dishes you can try at home!
Cold Sesame Soba Noodles Recipe with Shrimp, Tofu, and Miso Dressing
These fresh cold soba noodles with shrimp, crispy tofu, edamame, and a sesame-miso dressing make an easy, satisfying meal packed with texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine all the tofu marinade ingredients in a medium bowl and then crumble the tofu into bite-sized pieces, much like you would feta. Stir and set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes until pink and opaque. Immediately plunge them into an ice bath then drain and reserve in the refrigerator.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated tofu crumbles and fry without moving them for 6 to 8 minutes until they start to deepen in color. Flip and fry for another 4 to 6 minutes. The tofu pieces should be deeply golden and caramelized in places. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- In a large pan of boiling water, cook your soba noodles to al dente (about 5 minutes), then drain and shock in ice water for 60 seconds to remove the excess starch—this prevents clumping. Drain well and transfer the noodles to a large bowl.
- In the bowl with the noodles, add 2 teaspoons of sesame oil and toss well to coat evenly. Add the chilled shrimp, tofu crumbles, edamame, peanuts, and corn. Gently toss everything together.
- Divide into bowls. Garnish with a few scallions, a sprinkle of black sesame seeds, and the fresh herbs. Serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!
