New! Dumpling, cucumber and avocado salad view recipe

Cold soba noodle salad with peach, cucumber and tomato

Nutty soba noodles are my salad noodle of choice. After cooking, cool them immediately and chill them to help them regain their structure, to ready them for the tossing ahead. Peaches, and its stonefruit sisters, will often find their way into my summer dinners, and here, they combine with tomato and cucumber to make a fruity, tangy and umami topping that makes these noodles a surprise.

Jump to Recipe

A bowl of soba noodle salad with chopped mango, cucumber, tomato, and cilantro on a marble surface; wooden chopsticks are beside the bowl. - Hetty Lui McKinnon

The peaches can be subbed with any stonefruit such as nectarines or plums. If you’re after a creamier finish, add a ripe avocado.

Most soba noodles sold in the West will contain some wheat flour, which makes them slightly more elastic. To make this gluten free, use 100% buckwheat soba noodles.

Cold soba noodle salad with peach, cucumber and tomato

Serves

Ingredients

2 peaches (about 400g / 14-ounces), seed removed and diced
2 Lebanese / Persian cucumbers (about 150g / 5-ounces), trimmed and diced
2 medium tomatoes (about 225g/8-ounces), diced
270 g soba noodles
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
handful coriander / cilantro leaves
sea salt and black pepper
toasted white or black sesame seeds

Gingery dressing

1 garlic clove grated
20 g (2.5cm / 1-inch) piece ginger, grated
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil (plus more for drizzling on the noodles)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Instructions

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the soba noodles and cook according to package instructions. Drain, refresh under cold water and drain again. Transfer to a bowl, drizzle with a 1 to 2 teaspoons sesame oil and toss to coat. Cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.
When ready to eat, prepare the salad. In a large serving bowl, make the dressing by adding the garlic, ginger, soy sauce or tamari, sesame oil and rice vinegar. Whisk to combine. Add the cold soba noodles and top with the peaches, cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions, and cilantro (coriander). Toss to coat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, scatter with sesame seeds. Eat immediately.

Tips and Variations

Prep ahead: This salad is best eaten immediately, but it can withstand being made up to 4 hours ahead of time. Keep in the fridge until ready to eat. Add the sesame seeds at the time of eating.