Vegan Spicy Peanut Soba Salad (Printer-friendly)

Nutty soba noodles combined with crisp slaw and a spicy peanut dressing for a flavorful vegan dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Soba Noodles

01 - 7 oz soba noodles

→ Crunchy Slaw

02 - 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
03 - 1 cup green cabbage, thinly sliced
04 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
05 - 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
06 - 3 scallions, sliced
07 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Spicy Peanut Dressing

08 - 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
09 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
10 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup
12 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
13 - 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha
14 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
15 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
16 - 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water

→ Garnishes

17 - 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
18 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
19 - Lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add soba noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water until completely cooled. Set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine red cabbage, green cabbage, julienned carrot, sliced red bell pepper, scallions, and fresh cilantro. Toss gently to combine.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, sriracha, minced garlic, and grated ginger until well blended. Gradually add warm water, one tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously until the dressing reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
04 - Add cooled soba noodles to the bowl containing the slaw. Pour the spicy peanut dressing over the mixture and toss thoroughly until all components are evenly coated and combined.
05 - Divide the salad among serving bowls. Top with chopped roasted peanuts and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with lime wedges, or refrigerate for 30 minutes for a chilled presentation.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in half an hour, which means weeknight dinners suddenly feel elegant and intentional.
  • The noodles stay tender while the slaw stays crisp, giving you texture that keeps every bite interesting.
  • One dressing, one bowl to toss everything in, and minimal cleanup because you're not actually cooking much.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the noodles under cold water, because the starch coating them will turn them into a gluey mess if you don't.
  • Taste the dressing before you add it to the noodles, because once everything is combined, it's harder to adjust the seasoning and you might end up with too much salt or heat.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for about a minute before garnishing, because the difference between raw and toasted is genuinely noticeable and costs you nothing.
  • If your peanut butter is the thick, natural kind with separated oil on top, whisk that oil into the dressing first before adding the water, because it creates a smoother, more emulsified result.
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