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Sesame Soba Noodle Salad

Course Main Course, Salad
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Asian noodles
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Author Christine Ma

Ingredients

Nori granola

  • 1 cup rolled oats (80 grams)
  • ½ cup raw macadamia nuts (64 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • ½ teaspoon togarashi
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 sheets nori, torn into small pieces (4 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Sesame soba noodle salad

  • ¼ cup tahini
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon chili crisp or chili oil
  • 2 tablespoons oil divided
  • ½ lb ground chicken
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon spicy chili bean paste
  • 1 medium zucchini cut in half lengthwise and sliced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper sliced
  • 1 small red onion sliced
  • 1 corn on the cob shucked and kernels cut
  • 3 bundles soba noodles
  • 4 cups mesclun greens
  • ¼ cup chopped scallions

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Make nori granola. Combine oats, macadamia nuts, sesame seeds, fennel, togarashi, salt, and nori in a large bowl. Add maple syrup and olive oil, tossing until well coated. Spread granola in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown, tossing the granola halfway through. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
  • Meanwhile, make soba noodle salad sauce. In a blender, combine tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and chili crisp. Puree until smooth and set aside.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken and saute until browned, breaking up chicken with a wooden spoon into small chunks. Add garlic, ginger, and spicy chili bean paste and saute for 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and wipe the pan clean.
  • Heat another tablespoon oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, corn, and saute for 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are tender and lightly charred. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool slightly.
  • Cook soba noodles according to directions on package. Drain and rinse in cold water.
  • Assemble salads. Place 1 cup mesclun green per salad and top with soba noodles. Spoon vegetables and chicken on top and sprinkle a generous amount of nori granola. Sprinkle chopped scallions on top and serve with soba noodle salad sauce. Serve immediately.

Notes

You can make the nori granola up to 5 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
I used doubanjiang for the spicy chili bean paste which is a salty paste made from fermented broad beans, however you can use any other spicy chili bean paste.