I love soba salads, and I make many variations on this. Sometimes I make sesame noodles with soba, sometimes I add chicken meatballs, and sometimes I make a more salad-heavy version like this. It’s healthy and fiber-filled, plus the greens are hearty and the sesame seeds give it a nice crunch.
Since the move, I’ve started making my lunch for the week (or at least the first 3 or 4 days) on Sunday. It’s been great because I don’t even have to think about it in the morning, I can just enjoy my coffee and puttering around. This is a great salad to make, because it only gets better as it sits for a few days. The salad can be eaten on it’s own as well, or you can up the amount of soba and make it more of a noodle dish and less of a salad.
Soba with Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad
6 brussels sprouts, cores removed and shaved
1 cup kale, julienned
1 package soba (4-6 servings), cooked according to package instructions in salted water
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons fish sauce (substitute more soy sauce if you want to make it vegetarian)
2 tablespoons mirin
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons grated ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (black or white)
3 scallions, minced
3 tablespoons minced parsley or cilantro
Combine the brussels sprouts and kale with half the vinegar and sesame oil and toss together. This can sit for a little while if you’re busy. Combine the liquid ingredients and add the soba. Toss to coat. Add the greens, scallions, parsley, and sesame seeds and toss. This salad gets better as it sits, but it’s also great right away.
