There are times I create a recipe and every element is even better than what I had pictured in my head. This is a rare occurrence, but this is what happened when developing this tofu and soba noodle salad with peanut dressing.
Inspired by a great salad on the menu of a cafe just down the street from me, I thought that this salad would be a great option for those looking for a flavourful yet plant-based meal option – especially in the warmer months when all you want to eat is something cool and fresh.
There are a few steps to this recipe, but lots of stuff can be done simultaneously so it’s a meal that can be made in under 30 minutes – which passed the “weeknight-friendly test” in my book! It’s a great, Asian-inspired alternative to something like my cauliflower and chickpea salad or my kale and butternut squash salad or even a plant-based alternative to my seared tuna salad.
Tofu Soba Noodle Salad with Miso-Peanut Vinaigrette
There are a few different phases to making this salad – making the dressing, baking the tofu, assembling the salad and prepping the noodles.
It may seem like a bit, but each step is super simple and some can be done simultaneously.
Start with baking the tofu! You can assemble everything else in the salad while the tofu is in the oven.
Add some cubed, extra-firm tofu to a large bowl. Top with a bit of cornstarch, soy sauce and some neutral oil. The cornstarch may seem like an odd ingredient, but it will allow the tofu to get a bit crispy once it’s cooked.
Stir until everything is well coated and then spread it out over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Transfer it to the oven and cook until it’s golden brown and crispy looking – this will take about 20 minutes.
Now, as you’re cooking the tofu, make the dressing. This is super simple and the dressing is so delicious!
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together some lime juice, miso paste, peanut butter (I like to use natural peanut butter, but you can use whatever kind you have on hand!), lime zest, sesame oil and honey.
Also grate in some ginger and a clove of garlic. Add in a bit of cool water to loosen the dressing to the desired consistency. This dressing would also be good on something like my Asian green salad.
Next, cook your soba noodles according to your package instructions – usually, this is only a few minutes. After they’re cooked, drain them in a colander and run them under cold water to stop the cooking.
While you’re cooking the soba noodles, add some soy sauce, lime juice and a clove of garlic to a large bowl. Then, toss in your noodles and coat them in the marinade.
Now, put together the salad. Add some napa cabbage, edamame, sliced radishes, julienned red pepper and carrot, some peanuts, cilantro and sesame seeds to a large salad bowl.
Pour over about two thirds of the dressing over the salad and toss it to combine. Then, use tongs to lift the noodles – letting the marinade drip off back into the bowl – into the salad and toss them to combine.
Add your cooked tofu to the bowl with the soy and lime marinade and toss to coat. Then, add it to the salad along with the rest of the dressing. Toss everything to combine and then serve.
Edamame, Tofu & Soba Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing
Ingredients
Miso-Peanut Dressing
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon lime zest from about 1/2 lime
- 1 teaspoon white miso paste
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 clove garlic grated
Soba Noodle Salad
- 150 g (5 oz) extra firm tofu cut into cubes
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 20 ml (1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) soy sauce
- 100 g (3.5 oz) dried soba noodles
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 75 g (1 cup) napa/chinese cabbage thinly shredded
- 200 g (1 cup) frozen edamame thawed
- 4-5 radishes thinly sliced
- 1 small red pepper julienned
- 1 small carrot peeled and julienned
- 2 tablespoons roasted unsalted peanuts roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200℃/400℉. Then, make the dressing. In a medium bowl, add the lime juice, peanut butter, lime zest, miso paste, sesame oil, honey, ginger and garlic along with 2 tablespoons of cool water.
- Whisk together to combine, adding up to 2 more tablespoons of water to get a thin and viscous consistency – how much water you need to add will depend on the style and brand of peanut butter you use. Set the dressing aside.
- Meanwhile, bake the tofu. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, add the tofu, neutral oil, ½ teaspoon of the soy sauce and the corn starch. Stir until the tofu is coated and then spread over the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the tofu in preheated oven for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through, or until it is deeply golden brown, crispy and puffed.
- While the tofu is baking, cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain in a colander and run under cool tap water to halt the cooking and cool the noodles.
- In the same large bowl that you seasoned the tofu with (there is no need to clean it), whisk together the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce, lime juice and the garlic. Add the cooled and drained soba noodles to the bowl and toss to combine.
- In a large salad bowl, add the cabbage, edamame, radishes, carrot, peanuts, cilantro and sesame seeds. Pour over ⅔ of the dressing and toss to combine. Use tongs to lift the soba noodles from the bowl, allowing the lime juice mixture to drip off before adding them to the salad. Toss until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Once the tofu is finished baking, allow it to cool for about 5 minutes before adding to the bowl with the soba noodle marinade (after you've removed the noodles). Toss to coat in the liquid, then add to the salad. Add the rest of the dressing and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This soba noodle salad is great as a light dinner or hearty lunch option. Lots of elements -including the dressing – can be made in advance, as well.
Are you looking for a delicious tofu, soba noodle and edamame salad? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments!