Cold noodle bowls are one of those meals that feel like way more effort than they actually are. Buckwheat soba brings resistant starch and rutin to the table, and topping it with quick-pickled vegetables adds a tangy crunch along with a little fermented benefit. This is the kind of lunch you'll want to make on repeat once the weather warms up.
Ingredients
- 200g soba noodles (buckwheat)
- 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
- 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp tahini or peanut butter
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (for dressing)
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- Sesame seeds and spring onions to serve
Instructions
- Combine carrots and cucumber with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Let sit for at least 15 minutes while you prepare everything else.
- Cook soba noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cool.
- Whisk tahini, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and garlic together, adding a little warm water if too thick.
- Toss noodles with the dressing. Top with drained pickled vegetables, sesame seeds, and spring onions.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| Calories | 420 |
| Total fat | 14g |
| Total carbohydrates | 62g |
| Dietary fiber | 6g |
| Protein | 14g |
| Sodium | 780mg |
Why This Is Good for Your Gut
Buckwheat soba provides resistant starch and rutin, a polyphenol metabolized by gut bacteria into beneficial compounds. The quick-pickled vegetables introduce mild organic acids from the vinegar. Sesame's lignans are converted by gut bacteria into beneficial enterolignans. Garlic adds prebiotic inulin.
Make the pickled vegetables the night before if you can. They only get better with a little extra time.
This recipe is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.