This Cold Sesame Soba Noodle and Cucumber Salad with Poached Shrimp is a healthy, filling Asian-inspired salad, perfect for lunch or a light dinner
During warmer months, I crave lighter, fresher dishes and this Cold Sesame Soba Noodle and Cucumber Salad with Poached Shrimp fits my summertime menu perfectly! It brings a bit of Asian flare with chilled soba noodles, edamame, cucumber and a light sesame seed oil dressing. Topped with a few pieces of chilled shrimp and sliced avocado, this salad is a filling, healthy meal that can easily transition between lunch and dinner!
My Cold Sesame Soba Noodle and Cucumber Salad recipe is inspired by the Vegan Soba Salad at one of my favorite sushi restaurants here in Austin, Kome. Sadly, Kome seems to no longer serves this dish but my version hits all the same flavor notes and can be made vegan simply by leaving out the poached shrimp or substituting it with a bit of tofu.
When creating this Cold Sesame Soba Noodle and Cucumber Salad, my aim was to incorporate my favorite Asian flavors while balancing the salad’s healthy attributes. Much like Kome’s salad, mine begins with soba noodles but also includes cucumber noodles in its base.
Soba noodles are a wonderful addition to any diet and are made from buckwheat flour. Buckwheat is considered a heart healthy grain that has been proven to help prevent heart disease. It’s also a great source of protein, fiber and iron when compared to similar servings of traditional flour-based noodles. Because buckwheat is a whole grain, soba noodles are slow digesting which ensures you’ll stay fuller longer and maintain balanced blood sugar levels while digesting. Needless to say, this is a light meal that will satisfy a hungry appetite!
Although the addition of cucumbers strays a tad from Kome’s version, the cucumber noodles help bulk up the salad without denting its health benefits. I prefer using a spiralizer, like this one, to make cucumber noodles but if you don’t have one available, you can simply substitute thinly sliced cucumber halves. The addition of cucumbers also brings a coolness to the already chilled dish, making it a refreshing meal.
Keeping with the Asian theme, I incorporated edamame, scallions and black sesame seeds into the Cold Sesame Soba Noodle and Cucumber Salad. For the dressing, I chose to use tamari for a bit of saltiness, sesame seed oil as a savory element, and rice wine vinegar to balance out the flavors with the rice wine vinegar’s natural tang and sweetness.
I like pairing poached shrimp with this salad for added protein, as the shrimp are delicate enough to blend with the salad without competing with the light Asian flavors. To finish the salad, I add a few slices of avocado for healthy fat, a dash of red pepper flakes for spice and a sprinkle of black sesame seeds. The black sesame seeds definitely aren’t necessary but they do take this homemade salad up a notch, making it feel like a special, fancy meal!
My Cold Sesame Soba Noodle and Cucumber Salad recipe makes a rather large portion. <3M and I enjoyed it for dinner one night then again for a few lunches in the following days. If you plan to make the full recipe and choose to eat it for several meals, I suggest leaving the cucumber out and simply adding it in as you serve each meal so the cucumber maintains its fresh crunch!
Whether you have this for lunch or dinner, it’s a meal I know you’ll enjoy eating and your body will thank you for making.
- 1 pound shrimp, fully cooked with tails removed and chilled
- 1 9-ounce package of soba noodles
- 1 cup shelled, edamame
- ½ cup (~1 bunch) scallions, whites and greens sliced
- 2 large seedless cucumbers, spiralized into noodles
- 3 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce)
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Optional: avocado, red pepper flakes, black sesame seeds & additional rice wine vinegar
- First, prepare an ice bath to shock the soba noodles and edamame once they're cooked.
- To do this, place cold water in a large bowl, fill with ice then set aside.
- Next, prepare the noodles and edamame by bringing a large stockpot of water to boil (do not salt the water).
- Once boiling, add in the uncooked soba noodles and set a timer for 4 minutes.
- After 3 minutes of cooking, add the shelled edamame to the soba noodles and boiling water.
- At the 4 minute mark, strain the soba noodles and edamame then immediately place the strainer into the prepared ice bath to stop the cooking. Let sit 2-3 minutes then remove and strain completely. Set aside.
- To prepare the dressing mix together the tamari, rice wine vinegar, sesame seed oil, lime juice, ginger, garlic, and salt.
- Place the soba noodles and edamame in a large bowl then add in the cucumber noodles.
- Pour the dressing over the noodles and using tongs, toss to incorporate. Stir in the scallions.
- Chill for at least 1-2 hours before serving.
- To serve, place a portion of the noodle salad in a bowl, top with a few slices of avocado and 5-6 poached shrimp. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and a small splash of rice wine vinegar, if desired.