Quick and healthy recipe that everyone will enjoy during the dry summer season!
With summer coming, it’s time to dust off the seasonal recipes! Here is an easy and very versatile salad that is best served chilled, so you can easily prep ahead and put it all together in no time for dinner. There is lots of room for customization, so it is a sure winner to adjust to your family’s tastes!
Learn the recipe and share with with your loved ones…
Prep time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4 people
Pairs well with: A tall glass of iced seltzer water, white wine, or a frosty lager beer
Ingredients:
Soba noodles and sauce:
- 9.5 oz (three bundles) of prepared soba noodles following the manufactures preparation instructions
- 2 Tbsp good quality fish sauce, such as Red Boat
- 4 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. Hoisin sauce
- 1 tsp. Sambal Oelek ( ground fresh chili paste)
- ½ lime, juiced
- 2 Tbsp. water with 1 Tsp. of cornstarch dissolved in it
- Sriracha sauce to taste (optional)
Optional Vegetable additions:
- Shredded carrot
- Pak choi
- Shredded purple or green cabbage
- Shelled edamame
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced bell pepper
- Sliced green onion
- Pickled red onion
- Sliced cucumber
- Cilantro
- Chopped basil
- Shredded kale
- Snap or snow peas
- Sliced radish
- Fresh sliced mint
Optional Protein additions:
- Roasted large shrimp or prawns
- Hard boiled eggs
- fried eggs
- sliced Char Siu (Chinese BBQ pork)
- peanuts
- fried tofu
- pan fried potstickers such as Ling Ling brand
- grilled chicken
- baked or pan fried salmon
- grilled sliced steak
Method:
- Prepare your soba noodles to the manufacturers preparation instructions. Drain them in a colander and rinse well under cold water, moving the noodles around with your hand to make sure they are rinsed well and cooled down. This is a very important step! Doing this will remove the excess starch and help you noodles from becoming gummy later. Once drained and cooled, set aside.
- In a small bowl, dissolve the 1 tsp. of cornstarch in 2 Tbsp. of water. Set aside.
- In a big bowl, mix together the rest of the sauce ingredients, including your cornstarch slurry. Mix well, and add in your cooled and drained noodles. Mix to incorporate the sauce into the noodles.
- At this point, you can refrigerate your noodles to serve later, or, you can set them aside while you prep your veggies and/or protein additions. Letting them rest will allow the noodles to soak up the sauce and flavor the noodles.
- While your noodles are resting, prepare your vegetable/protein additions.
- To serve, divide the noodles into four bowls, and pile on the additions and enjoy!
Notes:
- This is a great dish to serve using leftover protein or vegetables which makes it all that much easier.
- Make sure to let your noodles rest in the sauce so they can soak it up before serving so the noodles are seasoned.
- Eggs over easy brings this dish over the top, and is a very easy protein to add.
- If making this ahead, add in your proteins and vegetables right before serving.
Give this recipe a try and let us know what you think! Message us on Instagram, comment below or email hello@happymomlifelab.com.
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