Sesame Soba Noodle Salad

I have always loved the blog, 101cookbooks.com. Sure, it’s healthy and vegetarian, and the pictures are pretty, but I can never believe the flavors that come out of such unassuming-looking recipes. They never seem like anything super special until you make them. Here is a perfect camping recipe from one of Heidi Swanson’s cookbooks, Super Natural Every Day.

Soba noodles can be a great way to accommodate a variety of dietary restrictions while still providing a hearty meal. They can be gluten-free, but check your package and make sure you don’t see wheat flour in the ingredients. You can make a few versions to include both chicken and tofu, and you can easily get some fresh veggies in this recipe.

We made this recipe for our last Joshua Tree trip. I made it at home so all I had to do was open the container lid for lunch to be ready. This is a great way to do lunch on a day trip built around an activity like hiking or climbing. The recipe is full of protein and carbs for true satisfaction when you need it, and it was delicious cold on a hot day.

Sesame Soba Noodle Salad

Yield

4 servings

Prep Time / Cook Time

10 minutes / 10 minutes

Activity Guide

Car Camping, Day Trip

Ingredients

• 12 ounces soba noodles (wheat free to make this gluten-free)
• 4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup black sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons sunflower seeds, roasted
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons Sriracha
• 12 ounces tofu, pressed and cubed
• 1 bunch asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 4 green onions, sliced

Tools

• Cutting board
• Knife
• Large bowl
• Large pot
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Skillet
• Spoon
• Strainer
• Food processor or mortar and pestle

Method

1. Toast your sesame seeds over medium low heat for a few minutes, tossing frequently and paying close attention to them. Remove from heat just as you start to smell sesame. These burn easily.
2. Grind sesame seeds and sunflower seeds together until they look like “black sand.” Add rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, and Sriracha, and blend again until it’s a paste.
3. Saute tofu cubes in half of the vegetable oil, until brown and crispy on the edges. Remove, set aside.
4. Saute asparagus in skillet after tofu in the rest of the oil.
5. Add soba noodles to boiling water, and cook until al dente, about 5-8 minutes. Strain, reserving about 1/3 cup of the cooking water.
6. Combine reserved cooking liquid with sesame seed paste and add to the noodles. Mix well. Add tofu, asparagus, and fresh green onions.
7. Serve hot or cold, with extra soy sauce and Sriracha available.