Soba Noodle Salad with Spring Vegetables, Walnuts, and Ginger Lemon Dressing
By Brooke Conroy Bass of Chocolate + Marrow
It’s the middle of Spring and, for most of us, we’re facing an entirely new reality—being stuck inside more than we’re out perusing farmer’s markets or enjoying the fresh bounty that our favorite restaurants might be serving. Now more than ever is the time to get creative with what you’ve got on hand.
Even though this soba noodle salad is packed with fresh produce, it’s all about the base. Soba noodles that are cooked until al dente paired with a bright and acidic lemon and ginger dressing.
I find there’s a wide range of acid preference in people’s pallets when it comes to dressing, so I’ve recommended starting with a small amount of neutral tasting oil, such as grapeseed or even a very mild extra virgin olive oil, and then adding more to dilute the acid to suit your tastes.
The noodles are tossed in the dressing as well as with a heaping pile of crushed walnuts. The walnut serves to be crunchy and filling and the bitterness of the walnut plays perfectly against the bright tangy dressing. Of course, if you prefer, or if you’re just plain out of walnuts, you can substitute with some other kind of protein-packed crunch such as cashews or pistachios.
What I love best about this salad is that once you have the base, you can use whatever produce you have that’s still in the refrigerator. I enjoy it with blanched sugar snap peas, English shelling peas, shaved radishes, and fresh mint as I’ve written the recipe here.
But have some lettuce scraps you want to use instead? Go for it. Some cooked fava beans? That sounds wonderful. A heap of last night’s leftover roasted brussels sprouts? Why not? The only requirement is that you pack the bowl with things that are leafy, green, and full of the vitamins and nutrients we all need in order to stay healthy.
Soba Noodle Salad with Spring Vegetables, Walnuts, and Ginger Lemon Dressing
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of ginger, peeled and grated
1 lemon, juiced, plus some zest
1 clove of garlic, minced
½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon of coconut sugar or sweetener of choice
1/8 cup of unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
¼ cup of neutral tasting oil such as grapeseed or extra virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
12 ounces of dried soba noodles
3 cups of fresh protein-rich spring greens, such as snap peas, shelled English peas, fava beans, or some combination
2 tablespoons of salt
¾ cup of walnuts, chopped roughly
1 cup of thinly sliced crisp vegetables, such as radishes, carrots, cucumbers or some combination
Garnish with fresh soft herbs, such as cilantro, mint, or basil, and/or avocado (optional)
Method:
In a small bowl, combine the grated ginger, lemon juice, lemon zest (to taste, I used about ¼ of the lemon for zesting), garlic, red pepper flakes, coconut sugar, unseasoned rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Add olive oil in a slow thin drizzle, whisking to incorporate and testing as you go. For a tangier dressing, use ¼ cup of oil; for a milder flavor, use a bit more. Set aside.
Cook soba noodles in a large pot according to package directions. Once cooked, place in a colander and with very cold water running over them rinse thoroughly, tussling the noodles to remove all of the starch. Set aside, rinse the pot, and return the pot to the stovetop.
Next, add a few inches of water to the pot. Salt the water generously and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the protein-rich greens and cook until just tender. This will vary on the green you choose so you may need to stagger adding them. For instance, the sugar snap peas may take 7-8 minutes while the shelled English peas may take only 4-5 minutes.
While the greens are cooking, assemble the noodle bowls. Refresh, if necessary, by running cold water over the noodles and tussling them once more with your fingertips. Place in a large bowl and toss with just enough dressing to coat. Add walnuts and toss once more. Divide into bowls. Top each bowl with blanched protein greens, thinly sliced spring vegetables, avocado slices, and fresh herbs and serve.
The dish can be served either chilled or at room temperature. Any leftover dressing will keep in the refrigerator for approximately 2 weeks.
