I am always looking for healthy, veggie packed chilled salads to prep for the work week. I’ve been working from home for nearly a year, and I’ve found out that meal prep isn’t just for the office. There’s nothing worse than having back to back meetings with a growling stomach and nothing prepped for lunch in the fridge.
In the last year alone, I’ve probably tried about 35 different “meal-prep” type salads, and I’m a bit obsessed. It’s kind of a problem. (Seriously, just check out the Salad section of my blog. You’ll see.)
Anyway, this past weekend I put together a Cucumber and Soba Noodle Salad with the Mini Cucumbers that Pure Flavor® sent my way for this month’s recipe, and WOW. These cucumbers were an absolute delight in this salad! I spiralized them using my spiralizer attachment on my stand mixer; the little curls of cucumber held the tangy Sesame Ginger Tahini Sauce so well! Give it a try! You won’t regret it!
For this recipe you’ll need:
Sesame Ginger Tahini Sauce:
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Ginger, minced or grated
- 3 tablespoon Scallions, minced
- ⅓ Cup Tahini
- ¼ Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
- ¼ Cup Soy Sauce or Tamari
- 3 tablespoon Water
- 3 tablespoon Chili Garlic Sauce
- 2 tablespoon Molasses
- 1 teaspoon White Sesame Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Black Sesame Seeds
- ½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
Cucumber and Soba Noodle Salad:
- ½ Lb. Pure Flavor® Mini Cucumbers, spiralized (approximately 4 – 6 Mini Cucumbers)
- 8 oz Japanese Buckwheat Noodles (Soba Noodles)
- ½ Cup Lima Beans
- ⅓ Cup Chopped Cilantro
- ¼ Cup Chopped Green Onion
- Toppings: Crushed Red Pepper, White and Black Sesame Seeds, Lime Wedges
- Optional Add-Ins: Shredded Carrots, Sliced Bell Peppers, Red Cabbage, Spiced Cashews or Peanuts
What is a spiralizer? Do I have to “spiralize” the cucumbers?
A spiralizer is a tool used to cut vegetables and fruits into long ribbons or strips, resembling noodles or spaghetti. You can use it to cut your veggies into spirals as I’ve done here, to peel the skin off of an apple or create long thin spaghetti strands out of carrots or zucchini. It’s really a game changer for the salad lovers of the world.
Spiralizers are sold as attachment to a stand mixer or as a stand alone “hand crank” type of device.
You absolutely do not have to cut these cucumbers into spirals if you don’t prefer that, or if you don’t have a spiralizer. (I was just dying to use mine.) This salad would be just as delicious if you chose to just chop, dice, or julienne the cucumbers!
Let’s talk about this sauce.
This Sesame Ginger Tahini Sauce is SO GOOD. I mean so good. I’m already thinking of a hundred other things I want to put it on! It’s got a nice salty flavor, without being overpowering, and it’s absolutely perfect with these cucumbers! I added several spicy elements and texture devices to it to add some variety to the salad. I like to add half or three quarters of the prepared sauce directly to my salad and then keep some on the side to drizzle over the top.
Okay, let’s make it!
Start with making the Sesame Ginger Tahini Sauce. Gather and prep all of your ingredients first, this makes prep so much easier.
- In a large bowl, whisk all of the sauce ingredients together, taste and adjust soy sauce and spice to personal preference and set aside.
Prepare the Soba Noodles and Cucumber Salad:
- Cook the soba noodles in boiling water for 6 – 8 minutes, then drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Place the noodles in a large serving bowl.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a spiralizer attachment (or free-standing spiralizer), spiralize the mini cucumbers.
- Gently separate the spirals and add them into the serving bowl.
- Using chopsticks or large serving forks, give the soba noodles and cucumbers a gentle toss.
- Pour half of the prepared sauce over the soba noodles and cucumbers, leaving the remaining sauce to serve on the side.
- Add the lima beans, chopped cilantro and green onion on top of the salad.
- Sprinkle with crushed red pepper, white and black sesame seeds and serve with fresh lime wedges.
Meal Prep Tip!
If you’ll be meal prepping this salad, add the soba noodles and cucumbers into the bottom of your meal prep containers and wait to toss them until it is time to eat. Add the lima beans and green onion on top of the salad, then keep the sauce and cilantro in dressing cups on the side. This helps keep the cilantro from wilting and the salad crisp. Add the sauce and cilantro when it’s time to eat, give it a gentle toss and enjoy!
This salad looks great in large scale as well! A big bowl of green is always a stunner!
If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to post a rating and comment!
I’d love to see your pictures on Instagram too! Tag @a_toastedcrumb and @pureflavor!
This post is sponsored by Pure Flavor®. Learn more about Pure Flavor and their commitment to supporting healthier lifestyles by visiting their website.
Cucumber and Soba Noodle Salad
Ingredients
Sesame Ginger Tahini Sauce
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 2 tbsp Fresh Ginger minced or grated
- 3 tbsp Scallions minced
- ⅓ cup Tahini
- ¼ cup Rice Wine Vinegar
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce or Tamari
- 3 tablespoon Water
- 3 tablespoon Chili Garlic Sauce
- 2 tablespoon Molasses
- 1 teaspoon White Sesame Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Black Sesame Seeds
- ½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
Cucumber and Soba Noodle Salad
- ½ lb. Pure Flavor® Mini Cucumbers spiralized (approximately 4 - 6 mini cucumbers)
- 8 oz Japanese Buckwheat Noodles (Soba Noodles)
- ½ cup Lima Beans
- ⅓ cup Chopped Cilantro
- ¼ cup Chopped Green Onion
- Crushed Red Pepper
- White and Black Sesame Seeds
- Lime Wedges
Optional Add-Ins or Toppings
- Shredded Carrots
- Sliced Bell Peppers
- Red Cabbage
- Spiced Cashews or Peanuts
Instructions
Prepare the Ginger Tahini Sauce
- In a large bowl, whisk all of the sauce ingredients together, taste and adjust soy sauce and spice to personal preference and set aside.
Prepare the Soba Noodles and Cucumber Salad
- Cook the soba noodles in boiling water for 6 – 8 minutes, then drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Place the noodles in a large serving bowl.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a spiralizer attachment (or free-standing spiralizer), spiralize the mini cucumbers.
- Gently separate the spirals and add them into the serving bowl.
- Using chopsticks or large serving forks, give the soba noodles and cucumbers a gentle toss.
- Pour half of the prepared sauce over the soba noodles and cucumbers, leaving the remaining sauce to serve on the side.
- Add the lima beans, chopped cilantro and green onion on top of the salad.
- Sprinkle with crushed red pepper, white and black sesame seeds and serve with fresh lime wedges.
Leave a Reply