It’s been a long time since I’ve made Ginger Soba Noodles. My mom used to make them often and I remember how delicious they were. My whole family would sit around after dinner picking at our plates of noodles. Today everyone just wants less carbs and more sauces. The days of my mom’s noodles are long gone. They are so good, though – I’m going to make them again.
If you’re into cooking easy and healthy meals for yourself, here is a gorgeous and simple Ginger Soba Noodle recipe for you.
Ginger Soba Noodles
You can certainly make the dressing a day or two ahead of time. Just give it a good shake and a taste before using – then adjust the salt and balance if needed.
12 oz / 340 g dried soba noodles
Ginger Dressing:
1 tablespoon freshly grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup / 2.5 oz / 70 g chopped white onion
1 teaspoon mirin (optional)
2 teaspoons brown sugar or honey
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
3 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1 celery stalk, strings removed, then chopped
1/3 cup / 80 sunflower oil or untoasted sesame oil3 tablespoons of chopped tarragon, plus more to taste
a few big handfuls of cubed tofu, pan-fried or baked until golden
1/3 cup + toasted squash seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or sesame seeds
Cook the soba noodles in well salted water, drain, rinse under cold water, and shake off as much of the water as possible.
In the meantime, make the dressing by combining the ginger, toasted sesame oil, lemon zest and juice, onion, mirin, sugar, salt, vinegar, celery, and sunflower oil in a food processor. Blend until very smooth, then press aggressively through a strainer. Taste and tweak a bit if needed – the dressing should have a bit of bite, and an edge. It’ll hit the pasta and you want it to be able to cut the starchiness. Set the dressing aside.
In a large bowl, toss the soba noodles with most of the tarragon, the tofu, most of the squash seeds/nuts, and about 2/3 of the dressing. Really get in there and toss well. Add more dressing if needed (I use all of it), and season again until the noodles are to your liking. It’s nice to serve this with a few wedges of lemon on the side, or a bit of brown rice vinegar. Finish with the remaining tarragon and seeds.
Serves 4 – 6.
Prep time: 10 min – Cook time: 20 min
Ginger Soba Noodles
Ingredients
- 12 oz / 340 g dried soba noodles
- Ginger Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1/2 cup / 2.5 oz / 70 g chopped white onion
- 1 teaspoon mirin optional
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
- 1 celery stalk strings removed, then chopped
- 1/3 cup / 80 sunflower oil or untoasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons of chopped tarragon plus more to taste
- a few big handfuls of cubed tofu pan-fried or baked until golden
- 1/3 cup + toasted squash seeds pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook the soba noodles in well salted water, drain, rinse under cold water, and shake off as much of the water as possible.
- In the meantime, make the dressing by combining the ginger, toasted sesame oil, lemon zest and juice, onion, mirin, sugar, salt, vinegar, celery, and sunflower oil in a food processor. Blend until very smooth, then press aggressively through a strainer. Taste and tweak a bit if needed – the dressing should have a bit of bite, and an edge. It’ll hit the pasta and you want it to be able to cut the starchiness. Set the dressing aside.
- In a large bowl, toss the soba noodles with most of the tarragon, the tofu, most of the squash seeds/nuts, and about 2/3 of the dressing. Really get in there and toss well. Add more dressing if needed (I use all of it), and season again until the noodles are to your liking. It’s nice to serve this with a few wedges of lemon on the side, or a bit of brown rice vinegar. Finish with the remaining tarragon and seeds.