Vegan, Gluten-Free Option, Nut-Free, Advance Prep Required, Kid-Friendly.

Serves 6 | PREP TIME: 20mins | COOK TIME: 30mins

Once I start eating this beautiful soba noodle salad, it’s hard to stop! It’s light and energizing, but the fiber-rich soba noodles and crispy tofu give it plenty of protein and staying power. The simple sesame-tahini dressing is both sweet and tangy, thanks to the combo of rice vinegar and maple syrup, and sometimes I like to add it to stir-fries and other grain bowls as well as this dish. The soba salad can be served warm or cold, making it a great option for any season. If you would like to experiment with different textures, you can use a spiral or bow-tie pasta or even spiralized carrot or courgette ‘pasta’ in lieu of the soba noodles.

INGREDIENTS For the dressing

- 60ml toasted or untoasted sesame oil
- 3 to 4 teaspoons rice vinegar to taste
- 25ml tahini
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari
- 2 cloves garlic, grated on a Micro plane

INGREDIENTS For the salad

- 1 225g pack soba noodles
- 1 medium red bells pepper, seeded and diced (about 220g)
- 1 medium yellow bowl pepper, seeded and diced 220g
- 3 to 4 onions finely chopped (80g)
- 50g coriander leaves, minced
- 1 batch of cast-Iron tofu
- Fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
- Fresh lime juice, for serving (optional)
- Sriracha, for serving

METHOD

1. Prepare the cast-iron tofu.

2. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until smooth. Cover and refrigerate to thicken slightly.

3. Make the salad: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and place in a large bowl.

4. Add the bell pepper, spring onions, and coriander to the bowl with the noodles. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Add half the tofu cubes and toss again. Taste and season with sea salt if necessary.

5. Top the salad with the remaining tofu, sesame seeds, and coriander scattered on top. You can also add a squeeze of lime juice on top of each bowl just before serving or simply serve with a lime wedge. The salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The tofu will soften as it sits, but it’s still very tasty!

Tip 1.

Use 100%buckwheat soba noodles. Traditional soba noodles are made with buckwheat flour: however, some contemporary brands incorporate wheat flour. Be sure to check the label carefully and use a brand made with just buckwheat flour.

Make it gluten-free:

You can use untoasted or toasted sesame oil: it’s totally up to you! Toasted sesame oil has a much robust flavor, while untoasted is more mellow, so feel free to use whichever you prefer. 2. The veggies have a tendency to fall to the bottom of the bowl, so I like to scoop them up and add them back on top just before serving.