Cold Noodle Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated March 12, 2025

Cold Noodle Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce
Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(8,607)
Comments
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Soba, Japanese buckwheat noodles, are ideal for salads because they taste particularly great when served cold. Crunchy vegetables are highlighted here, adding lots of crisp, fresh texture. Substitute with any raw vegetables you have on hand, such as cabbage, carrot, fennel, asparagus, broccoli or cauliflower. The spicy peanut sauce is very adaptable: If you don’t want to use peanut butter, you can use any nut or seed butter, like cashew, almond, sunflower or even tahini. Both the soba and the peanut sauce can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge overnight, but wait to combine them until you are ready to eat for the best texture and consistency. The peanut sauce thickens as it sits, so add a tablespoon or two of water to loosen it up, if necessary.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Salad

    • Kosher salt
    • 10ounces soba noodles
    • 1medium zucchini or cucumber (about 6 ounces)
    • 5radishes (about 4 ounces)
    • 1bell pepper (any color)
    • 1tablespoon sesame oil
    • ½cup roasted salted peanuts (about 2 ounces), roughly chopped
    • 2scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
    • Handful of cilantro leaves
    • 1lime, cut into wedges for serving

    For the Spicy Peanut Sauce

    • ½cup smooth peanut butter (not natural)
    • ¼cup soy sauce
    • 2tablespoons maple syrup
    • 2tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
    • 1tablespoon sesame oil
    • 2teaspoons chile oil or hot sauce, plus more to taste
    • 1garlic clove, grated
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

638 calories; 31 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 78 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 14 grams sugars; 23 grams protein; 1581 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the soba, stir to prevent sticking, and cook according to package instructions until just tender. Rinse under cold water until the noodles are completely cold.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, sesame oil, chile oil or hot sauce, and garlic. Add ¼ to ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk until the sauce is a pourable consistency. Taste and add more chile oil or hot sauce as desired; set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Cut the zucchini or cucumber and radishes into ⅛-inch thick slices, then cut into thin matchsticks. Slice the peppers into ⅛-inch pieces. Place them all in a large bowl.

  4. Step 4

    Loosen the soba noodles by running them under some water, then allow to drain again.

  5. Step 5

    Add the soba noodles to the vegetables, add the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil and toss to combine.

  6. Step 6

    When you are ready to serve, drizzle with spicy peanut sauce and top with peanuts, scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately, with lime wedges alongside.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
8,607 user ratings
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Comments

lynn rogers

Because the processed peanut butters emulsify more readily into the sauces… because of the added stuff, oils in them. I won’t use them and like you always am able to make great results with natural peanut butter …

Beto

I like a little fresh grated ginger and chopped cilantro in my peanut sauce.

Acfh

Why not natural peanut butter? Also can I use spiralized zucchini or summer squash noodles?

Jennifer

July 21, 2025. I don't know, not great, but not terrible either. I think I prefer the sesame-based one with fake sausage that I make. I made this one with almond butter. It's a bit glommy, would probably be the same with peanut butter.

Richard

Made this twice, once exactly as written and a second time using wheat flour noodles and rice wine vinegar instead of the lime juice. Loved them both, but preferred the wheat noodles. I find it helpful to thin the peanut sauce a bit with a few tablespoons of water as the noodles can thicken and set up. Saying that, for half the humans in my house, those thick, peanutty, set up noodles are what make the dish. The dog seems happy either way.

Beau

I found out I do not like soba noodles 😖😂

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Credits

By Hetty McKinnon

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