After moving to California, I found myself jumping into summer produce faster than I would have in the midwest. The beginning of June brings zucchini followed shortly by sweet corn and tomatoes. However, there's so much good spring/early summer produce that I miss because let's face it- I'd make everything out of fresh summer tomatoes and sweet corn if I could. This soba noodle salad features two ingredients I often miss because of my excitement: kohlrabi and cabbage.
The beautiful color of the cabbage and the crunch from the kohlrabi is a splendid addition to a cold noodle salad. The produce holds a great crisp, even after being dressed. Pack this salad for an easy work lunch or toss it in the cooler for a summer road trip. Don't have kohlrabi? Just add an extra handful of cabbage.
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PrintCold Soba Noodle Salad with Cabbage and Kohlrabi
A light and refreshing summer soba noodle salad that uses raw cabbage and kohlrabi tossed with sesame oil and plenty of fresh ginger.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Cuisine: lunch
Ingredients
- ½ pound red and Chinese cabbage, shredded
- ⅓ pound kohlrabi, about 1 medium one
- 2 scallions, about ¼ cup sliced
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 6 ounces soba noodles
- Salt, if needed
Instructions
- Shred cabbage, removing the core as needed. Peel the outside of the kohlrabi and cut into thin, matchstick-sized cuts. Finally, prep the scallions by cutting, about ⅛” thick, on the bias. Add everything to a bowl and set aside.
- In a small jar with lid, combine the sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger, and sesame seeds. Shake vigorously until combined. Pour over the cabbage and massage in the dressing. Let sit while you cook the noodles.
- Cook the noodles according to the package. Drain, rinse, and toss with a teaspoon or so of sesame oil. Add to the bowl with cabbage and toss until everything is well combined. Taste and add salt as needed. Top with extra scallions, sesame seeds, and cilantro as desired.
Notes
Tips & Tricks:
You can use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to peel the outside of the kohlrabi.
This salad sits well as the cabbage and kohlrabi don’t lose their crunch. I like to make this salad a few hours ahead of time to let the flavors blend.
Stock up: get the pantry ingredients you will need: cabbage, soba noodles, sesame seeds
Nutrition: see the information.
Nutrition
- Calories: 238
- Sugar: 1.9
- Sodium: 383
- Fat: 8.4
- Carbohydrates: 36.6
- Fiber: 2.4
- Protein: 8.1
- Cholesterol: 0
Soba Noodle Salad
variations
With summer temperatures staying over 100˚F in Sacramento, I’m always prepping more low to no-cook meals. This soba noodle salad is the perfect recipe that is great for lunch or travels well for a solid picnic addition.
Gluten-Free: Soba noodles are made with buckwheat flour but most times, there is wheat flour is added in as well. Look for 100% buckwheat flour soba noodles or use brown rice glass noodles (like Annie Chun's).
Greens: When I buy cabbage, I like to buy smaller heads of different varieties. However, this is not always an option. I’ve also used kale, kohlrabi greens, or chard with or in place of the cabbage.
Miso: I like to add a couple teaspoons of miso to the dressing. This helps add a little extra depth to the overall soba noodle salad.
Kohlrabi: I’m not always able to find kohlrabi however, thinly sliced turnips or even broccoli stalks (just make sure to peel the outer layer before slicing!)
Explore Soba Noodles
We eat quite a few noodle bowls. My husband isn't crazy about rice but I can get him to eat almost any vegetable in a noodle bowl, so soba noodles are usually on hand. One of my favorite post-cooking tricks: cook the noodles according to the package then drain, rinse, and toss with a teaspoon or so of sesame oil.
Chili Spinach Pesto Noodle Bowl
Garlic Soba and Zucchini Noodles
Sesame Soba Noodle Bowl with Edamame
Samantha says
So good my boyfriend willingly ate it. Definitely takes way longer than 10 minutes to prep though; it's a lot of chopping. I definitely recommend adding a few tsp of miso as per the optional section as it provides a lot of savory flavor.
Erin Alderson says
Thanks for the feedback! I usually pad in extra time for prep (I'm a fast chopper) but I forgot this time- I've updated the prep time to reflect!
Laura says
Salads are my go to lunch and dinner on the regular! Also, the biggest congrats on the nomination. Cheering for you all the way!
Jengibre says
Great recipe, healthy and tasty!
★★★★★