This soba noodle recipe is mega quick, super easy, and offers up a wholesome serving of veggies. Works as a side or main!

Bowl full of soba noodles and vegetables with a fork.

A Dinner or a Side? You Pick!

We love noodle-y dishes in this house. When they’re tossed with fresh veggies, even better!

Sesame, ginger, garlic, and honey play large parts in the sauce here, so these soba noodles give you savory, sweet, and salty flavors.

Because this recipe calls for a lot of veggies, you can totally get away with eating this as a main. But we love having it as a side to this miso salmon.

Flexibility at its finest!

What Are Soba Noodles?

Soba noodles are often served in soups, cold noodle salads, noodle-y stir frys, or chilled with a soy-based sauce for dipping (Zaru Soba). They’re made from buckwheat flour (which gives them their deep and nutty flavor), water, and a smidgen of whole wheat flour to help keep the noodles intact.

You can find soba noodles at your local grocer in the “International aisle”, but if you live near an Asian market, I highly recommend going there instead. You’ll get a way better selection, and I’m all for supporting international markets when possible.

Bowl full of soba noodles and vegetables with a fork.

4 Important Tips on How to Cook Soba Noodles

It’s crucial to note that Soba noodles don’t cook like Italian pastas. If you aren’t careful, they can end up gummy and ruin the dish!

Here are 4 tips on how to cook the perfect soba noodles:

  1. Don’t salt the water. We salt boiling water for Italian pasta to flavor the noodles, but soba noodles don’t need the extra flavor. Some store-bought soba noodles even contain salt, though there are no-salt options available.
  2. Use a large pot. Soba noodles need SPACE (don’t we all?). Even if you’re not cooking a lot of soba noodles, they need extra space so that they don’t stick together and get gummy.
  3. Don’t overcook them. Most soba noodles only need 4-5 minutes of cook time (though, you always want to check the directions on your particular package). Always keep a close eye on your soba noodles and be sure to keep them moving by stirring them occasionally.
  4. Give them a cold rinse. Once your soba noodles are cooked, strain them and transfer them to a pot or large bowl of cold water, then swirl them around with your hands. Let them cool for about 30 seconds.

Flatlay shot of uncooked soba noodles, vegetables, and sauce in a mixing bowl.

Ingredient List

  • Soba noodles
  • Rice wine vinegar
  • Low-sodium soy sauce
  • Sesame oil
  • Honey
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Fish sauce
  • Sesame seeds
  • Mushrooms, preferably shiitake or oyster, but you could use baby bella or cremini
  • Broccoli
  • Zucchini
  • Carrots

How to Make Sesame Ginger Soba Noodles:

  1. Pop all of the ingredients for the sauce into a small mixing bowl. Whisk is with a fork until it’s well blended and set it aside.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Throw in the garlic and simmer until fragrant, stirring often to prevent burning.
  3. Add in the broccoli and mushrooms and toss to coat. Let them cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until tender. If you find your pan is drying out, add a bit more oil.
  4. Bring the heat to low, add the carrots and zucchini, and stir. Cover the pan to keep the veggies warm.
  5. Prepare the soba noodles as per the directions on the package.
  6. When the soba noodles are done cooking, strain them and plunge them into an large bowl or pot of cold water. Swirl them around for about 30 seconds.
  7. Transfer the soba noodles to the pan of veggies as well as the toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle the sauce over the noodles and veggies, and toss to coat.

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Bowl full of soba noodles and vegetables with a fork.

Sesame Ginger Soba Noodle Recipe

This soba noodle recipe is mega quick, super easy, and offers up a wholesome serving of veggies. Works as a side or main!
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Author: Dana Sandonato

Ingredients

Sesame Ginger Sauce.

  • 1 TBSP rice wine vinegar
  • 1 TBSP low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil, plus a bit extra for cooking the veggies in the pan
  • 1/2 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp grated ginger
  • 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds *See notes
  • 1/4 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

Stir Fry.

  • 4 oz soba noodles
  • 1 cups broccoli florets
  • 1 cup shiitake and/or oyster mushrooms, sliced I like using a blend of the two; you could also use baby bella or cremini mushrooms.
  • 1/4 cup julienned zucchini
  • 1/4 cup julienned or shredded carrots

Instructions

  • Put all of the the sauce ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk with a fork until it's well blended; set aside.
  • In a large skillet, heat a glug or two of sesame oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, then simmer until fragrant, stirring often. Make sure the garlic doesn't brown or burn.
  • Add the broccoli and mushrooms to the pan and toss them to coat them in garlic and oil. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the veggies are tender. If the pan seems to be drying out, add a bit more sesame oil
  • Decrease the heat to low, then stir in the julienned carrots and zucchini. Cover the pan to keep the veggies warm.
  • Now it's time to prepare the soba noodles. Cook them as directed on the package.
  • When the soba noodles are cooked, strain them and immediately plunge them into an large bowl or pot of cold water. Swirl them around for about 30 seconds. This gets rid of extra starch and prevents a gluey texture.
  • Pop the soba noodles into the pan with the veggies. Drizzle the sauce over the noodles and veggies, and toss to coat. Serve as a main or as a side!

Notes

*To toast sesame seeds: heat a small dry pan over medium-high heat to get the pan hot. Once the pan is hot, bring the temp down to medium-low and add the seeds to the pan. Let them toast, tossing them around a few times here and there to prevent burning. This should only take a few minutes—keep a close eye on them. They're toasted once they become aromatic and lightly golden in color.