Description
Soba noodles are thin Japanese noodles made from buckwheat flour. They are nutty, earthy, slightly sweet, and simply delicious. Full of healthy protein and fiber, soba noodles are a lovely way to switch up your wheat or rice noodle game. For this recipe, we’re tossing them in a bright and savory sesame sauce topped with crunchy radishes, edamame, tofu, and sesame seeds. It’s a delicious, simple, kind of addictive dish that you can enjoy warmed or chilled.
** If you follow a gluten-free diet, make sure to check the ingredient list on your soba noodle package. Most soba noodles are also made with a little bit (20%) of wheat flour. Here is a brand that uses 100% buckwheat flour.
Ingredients
Scale
Sesame Sauce:
- 2/3 cup tahini
- 2 tbsp low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tbsp + 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp ginger, grated or minced
- 1/2 cup water
Other:
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 14 oz. block extra-firm tofu, pressed and drained, then cubed
- 1 tsp low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 10 oz. soba noodles
- 1 cup shelled edamame, thawed if purchased frozen
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup red radish, thinly sliced (from about 4 radishes)
- 1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced (from about 4 scallions or 1 bunch)
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Make the sauce: in a medium bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients thoroughly. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the cubed tofu and 1 tsp tamari or soy sauce. Sauté until tofu is golden brown, about 7-10 minutes. Add in the edamame and ½ tsp salt, and sauté another 2 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.
- Cook soba noodles according to package instructions, about 5-7 minutes. Drain, then immediately rinse the noodles under cold water. Use your (clean) hands to help toss the noodles under the cold water to prevent them from sticking together. This step is critical to avoid the unpleasant texture of overly-starchy-stuck-together-gummy-noodles (sounds irresistible, right??). The point is: don’t skip this 🙂
- Place the rinsed noodles in a large bowl. Drizzle in enough sauce to generously coat the noodles and toss. You will have a lot of sauce left, this is normal.
- Assemble: Place desired amount of dressed noodles in a bowl or on a plate. Top with the tofu and edamame mixture, sliced radish, sliced scallions, and a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve with a side of the remaining sauce and drizzle that in as you see fit. I like to gradually add in more sauce as I go. Enjoy!
