Recipe: $1.53 | Per Serving: $0.38 | Yield: 4
Cucumber noodles for the win! Zucchini noodles are all the rage, I get it, but let's give cucumbers a little time to shine in the form of 5-Ingredient Cucumber Noodle Soba Salad!
This easy salad/side/main dish is inspired by Just A Taste's Chilled Sweet & Sour Cucumber Noodles. My version contains just a few changes from the original. Instead of sugar, I use a little honey, and I pair the cucumber noodles with soba noodles to bulk up the meal. I also skip the red onions because, well, laziness. My favorite way to serve this is with Miso Meatballs and a squirt of sriracha or sambal olek.
When it comes to the cucumbers, I highly recommend using Japanese, English, or Persian cucumbers. Regular garden cucumbers should work too, but you might have to peel away part of the skin. I honestly haven't eaten a garden cucumber in a couple of years though, so I didn't try it out.
If you're looking for something light to serve with a main dish, then go ahead and skip the soba noodles and serve just the cucumber salad. That's how I made it the first time, and it was a massive hit. I wanted to bulk it up for my lunch box so I tried it again with soba and it was a perfect fit. You can go either way with this one!
Sweet & Sour Cucumber Noodles with Soba
Ingredients
- 4 ounces soba noodles
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 2-3 medium cucumbers about 8 ounces
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- green onions & sesame seeds for toppings
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon hot sauce like sriracha or sambal olek, optional
Instructions
- Cook the soba noodles in boiling water, but undercook them by about 2-3 minutes. I boil them in water for about 5 minutes for this recipe, instead of the suggested 7-8 minutes. Immediately drain and rinse, combine with the soy sauce, and set aside.
- Meanwhile, using a julienne peeler, a mandoline, a spiralizer, or a sharp knife, thinly slice the cucumbers until they’re noodle-like. (*You can just cut them into small chunks if you prefer, but you can find a super easy julienne slicer, which is what I use.) Set the noodles aside. (*If desired, drain them on paper towels for 10 minutes to help release some of the water. I never do this.)
- In a large bowl or glass jar, combine the rice vinegar and the honey, then whisk or shake well. Coat the cucumber noodles in the dressing and set aside or chill for about 30 minutes. Mix with the soba noodles and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Hello! Thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe. I've made it twice in the last couple of weeks!! The second rime around I added carrots and substituted the honey with agave nectar ro make it vegan.
Thanks for the comment, Maria! I'm glad you like it! Great call on the addition of carrots. I'll have to try that next time!