Vegan Spicy Peanut Soba Salad (Printable Version)

Vegan soba noodles with spicy peanut dressing and crunchy slaw make a fresh, colorful, easy dish for any occasion.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ 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

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Cook soba noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine red cabbage, green cabbage, carrot, red bell pepper, scallions, and cilantro.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, sriracha, garlic, and ginger. Add warm water one tablespoon at a time until the dressing is smooth and pourable.
04 - Add the cooked soba noodles to the bowl with the slaw. Pour the spicy peanut dressing over the mixture and toss until everything is evenly coated.
05 - Divide the salad among serving bowls. Garnish with chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, and lime wedges if desired. Serve immediately, or chill for 30 minutes for a colder salad.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • The dressing is so addictive you'll find yourself making extra to drizzle on leftover veggies throughout the week.
  • It's completely vegan, but nobody will notice because the peanut sauce is rich and satisfying enough to make everyone happy.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the hot noodles under cold water—this stops the cooking immediately and keeps them from becoming mushy or clumping together into an unusable mass.
  • Whisk the dressing thoroughly before adding water, because peanut butter can be stubborn about blending smoothly and rushing this step means you'll end up with weird gritty bits.
03 -
  • Toast your own peanuts in a dry pan for two minutes before chopping if you want them tasting fresher and more vibrant than store-bought roasted ones.
  • A squeeze of fresh lime juice right before serving brightens everything and makes the whole dish feel like it's singing.
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