Broccoli Soba Salad
Published June 24, 2025

- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1pound broccoli
- Salt and pepper
- 7ounces soba noodles
- 2tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, plus more for serving
- 2tablespoons roasted sesame oil
- 2garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1teaspoon vegetable stock paste or bouillon powder (optional)
- 2scallions, thinly sliced
- Extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
- Step 1
Trim the broccoli and remove the woody exterior from the stalk. Roughly chop the florets and stalk into small, bite-size pieces.
- Step 2
Place the broccoli into a large bowl and scatter over 1 teaspoon salt. Massage the salt into the broccoli, breaking up the chunks as you squeeze. Leave to soften for 10 minutes.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the soba noodles and cook according to package instructions until just tender, stirring the noodles every couple of minutes to prevent sticking. Drain, and rinse with cold water until completely cool.
- Step 4
To the broccoli, add the sesame seeds, sesame oil, garlic and vegetable stock paste (if using), and toss very well to combine.
- Step 5
Add the soba and the scallions to the broccoli, drizzle with olive oil and toss well. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
- Step 6
Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to chill and allow the flavors to meld. Serve cold from the fridge, topped with more sesame seeds. This salad keeps in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.
Private Notes
Comments
Included optional bullion. When combined with broccoli prep technique, result was pretty salty. Raw garlic may be too overpowering for some. Could benefit from some acid or heat to balance flavors.
Made this and was surprised at how tasty it is. Didn’t have anything resembling vegetable stock paste or bouillon powder in the house. Not sure I know what’s meant. Is Better Than Bouillon the type of paste that’s called for or is there an Asian product?
I found bugs in my soba noodles, so I had to use udon instead. I don't think that's the cause of my finding this salad dry and bland, with very little taste of anything. I tried adding some extra sesame oil and some soy sauce, but that had little effect. Basically, it tastes like eating raw broccoli with some pasta mixed in. A fail for me.
I roasted the broccoli at 400F for 20 minutes with salt, pepper, and oil. Then sprinkled garlic powder and continued to roast for 8 more minutes. Added a little miso. Very tasty. Next time I will double or triple this recipe, as it didn’t make enough for two people.
I made this but substituted Doejang for the bouillon because that’s what I had on hand and it was so good! I’m going to try it with gochujang next for a spicy kick!
I made this and would make the following changes: blanch the florets and cook the broccoli stems (to make them less “raw”—my preference), cook the garlic to reduce the bite of raw garlic. I used buckwheat noodles instead, and drizzled chili oil to give them a kick.