Broccoli Soba Salad 

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Published June 24, 2025

Broccoli Soba Salad 
Nico Schinco for The New York Times
Total Time
25 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(101)
Comments
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Inspired by the flavors of crave-worthy yamitsuki, a Japanese cabbage dish named for its addictive qualities, this broccoli soba salad is an assured crowd pleaser. A brief marination in salt tenderizes the broccoli, making it more receptive to a humble yet powerful trio of seasonings: salt, garlic and sesame oil. The unlikely addition of vegetable stock paste or bouillon powder bolsters the emphatic umami of this dish; if you have MSG in your pantry, you could add a few pinches of that instead. Using both the flower and stalk of the broccoli adds both texture and crunch to the foundation of nutty soba noodles. This is the perfect prep-ahead dish, as it benefits from chilling to allow the flavors to meld and the soba to become firmer and less fragile.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 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
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

213 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 8 grams protein; 291 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

    Trim the broccoli and remove the woody exterior from the stalk. Roughly chop the florets and stalk into small, bite-size pieces.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Step 4

    To the broccoli, add the sesame seeds, sesame oil, garlic and vegetable stock paste (if using), and toss very well to combine.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
101 user ratings
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Comments

New Recipe Week

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.

Karrie

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?

Rebecca

@Karrie I believe it’s just referring to Better Than Bouillon or something comparable.

Lyndsay

Great, but I think in the future I would make it a day ahead. Flavors meld much better when left overnight - 15 min is too short.

Suzanne

This recipe was way too salty. The one teaspoon of salt for the broccoli "massage" was overkill. Either that, or rinse the broccoli after the massage.

Mary M

In addition to using white miso paste (instead of a bouillon paste) & Penzey’s granulated garlic (instead of raw), extra veggies (edamame, French-cut green beans & slender broccolini), plus a little ginger zest, & just the sesame oil —I think what was missing was a glug or two of Ohsawa Genuine Mirin, sweet rice seasoning with sea salt. Used that to massage the broccolini instead of salt &

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