Soba Noodle Salad with Cucumber & Crispy Tofu

Soba Noodle Salad

with Cucumber & Crispy Tofu

40 MIN
2 Servings
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From the Test Kitchen

In this recipe, we’re serving a traditional Japanese dish that features soba noodles. The noodles, made with buckwheat (“soba” is the Japanese word for buckwheat), have a hearty flavor and an incredible texture. We’re cooking the noodles, then rinsing them thoroughly with cold water before serving them. This stops the cooking process, preserving the noodles’ texture by keeping them springy and slightly firm. The result is an authentic, refreshing dish—the perfect contrast to summer’s heat.

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  • Nutrition
    PER SERVING
  • Calories
    700 Cals (est.)
fresh
ingredients
Soba Noodle Salad with Cucumber & Crispy Tofu
Title
time-saving
tips & techniques
Rice Flour
Ginger
step-by-step
instructions
Cook Along Triangle Created with Sketch.
Prepare the ingredients:
1 Prepare the ingredients:

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice the white bottoms and cut the green tops into ½-inch pieces. Halve the cucumber lengthwise; using a spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. Thinly slice the cucumber crosswise. Remove and discard the cabbage core; thinly slice the leaves. Pick the cilantro leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Peel and mince the ginger. Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels; medium dice. Place the diced tofu in a medium bowl with the rice flour; toss to thoroughly coat.

Cook the noodles & make the sauce:
2 Cook the noodles & make the sauce:

Add the soba noodles to the pot of boiling water. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds to 1 minute to the stop the cooking process. While the noodles cook, to make the sauce, in a large bowl, whisk together the soy glaze, rice vinegar, sesame oil and ¼ cup of water.

Cook the aromatics:
3 Cook the aromatics:

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of oil on medium-high until hot. Add the white bottoms of the scallions and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Transfer to the bowl of sauce. Wipe out the pan.

Cook the tofu:
4 Cook the tofu:

In the pan used to cook the aromatics, heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high until hot. Add the coated tofu in a single, even layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes, or until crispy and browned on all sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; immediately season with salt and pepper.

Make the noodle salad:
5 Make the noodle salad:

Add the cooked tofu, cooked soba noodles, cucumber, cabbage and green tops of the scallions to the bowl of sauce; season with salt and pepper. Toss to thoroughly combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Plate your dish:
6 Plate your dish:

Divide the noodle salad between 2 dishes. Garnish with the cilantro. Enjoy!

Tips from Home Chefs

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Soba Noodle Salad

Prepare the ingredients:
1 Prepare the ingredients:

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice the white bottoms and cut the green tops into ½-inch pieces. Halve the cucumber lengthwise; using a spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. Thinly slice the cucumber crosswise. Remove and discard the cabbage core; thinly slice the leaves. Pick the cilantro leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Peel and mince the ginger. Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels; medium dice. Place the diced tofu in a medium bowl with the rice flour; toss to thoroughly coat.

2 Cook the noodles & make the sauce:

Add the soba noodles to the pot of boiling water. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds to 1 minute to the stop the cooking process. While the noodles cook, to make the sauce, in a large bowl, whisk together the soy glaze, rice vinegar, sesame oil and ¼ cup of water.

Cook the noodles & make the sauce:
Cook the aromatics:
Heat-Proof Silicone Spatula, 11"
3 Cook the aromatics:

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of oil on medium-high until hot. Add the white bottoms of the scallions and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Transfer to the bowl of sauce. Wipe out the pan.

4 Cook the tofu:

In the pan used to cook the aromatics, heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high until hot. Add the coated tofu in a single, even layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes, or until crispy and browned on all sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; immediately season with salt and pepper.

Cook the tofu:
Make the noodle salad:
5 Make the noodle salad:

Add the cooked tofu, cooked soba noodles, cucumber, cabbage and green tops of the scallions to the bowl of sauce; season with salt and pepper. Toss to thoroughly combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6 Plate your dish:

Divide the noodle salad between 2 dishes. Garnish with the cilantro. Enjoy!

Plate your dish:
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