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This soba noodle salad brings together tender shrimp, crisp vegetables, and a creamy sesame dressing in one bowl that feels fresh and filling. You can serve it cold or at room temperature, which makes it handy for meal prep, easy lunches, or make-ahead meals.
Why This Soba Noodle Salad Comes Together So Well
I made the dressing creamy enough to really cling to the noodles instead of pooling in the bottom of the bowl. The tahini gives it that rich sesame flavor, and the mayonnaise adds a creamy texture.
I kept the dressing balance simple with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey. It has enough salty, tangy, and sweet flavor to keep it interesting, but nothing goes too far and takes over the whole salad.
I also poach the shrimp gently so they stay tender. It only takes a few minutes, and it gives you shrimp that are soft and juicy instead of overcooked and rubbery.
If you like working with soba noodles, my scallops with soba noodles is another one that’s worth making.
If this is your kind of salad, my cold noodle salad with miso ginger dressing and my glass noodle salad are both worth a look.
Recipe Tips
Don’t skip the rinse: Cold water stops cooking and washes away starch so the soba noodles stay separate and slick.
Salt the poaching water: It seasons the shrimp just enough without overpowering the dressing.
Adjust the dressing texture: If it feels too thick, loosen with a teaspoon of water at a time until it pours easily.
Cut vegetables thin: Julienned carrots and sliced peppers blend better with the noodles instead of sitting in clumps.
Chill before serving: Even 20 minutes in the fridge helps the flavors settle and the salad tighten up.
Shrimp and Soba Noodle Salad
This soba noodle salad is the kind of recipe you can come back to when you want something fresh but still filling. It’s simple, flexible, and easy to make ahead. If cold shrimp salads are your thing, my shrimp pasta salad is another one worth checking out.
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Soba Noodle Salad with Shrimp
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Ingredients
Creamy Sesame Dressing
- 5 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 5 tablespoons tahini
- 4 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the salad:
- 9 ounces soba noodles
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 ½ cups shredded cabbage, or coleslaw mix
- 2 large carrots, julienned
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 3 green onions, sliced
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, or cashews, chopped
Instructions
- Make the dressing. Whisk everything together until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a teaspoon or two of water until it loosens up to a pourable consistency.
- Cook the soba noodles. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and remove excess starch. Toss in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and set aside.
- Poach the shrimp. Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil). Add a pinch of salt. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until they turn pink and opaque.
- Drain immediately and transfer to a bowl of cold water or an ice bath to stop the cooking. Once cooled, drain and pat dry.
- Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, combine the soba noodles, cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro. Add the shrimp and pour the dressing over the top. Toss until everything is evenly coated. Top with chopped nuts. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I love soba noodles, and those morels! This is a spectacular dish, but so clean and simple 🙂
Hi, Sue….And, those soba noodles are gluten-free so that is an extra bonus. 🙂
I’m sure everyone tells you this but your photos are STUNNING. This looks so wholesome and virtuous 🙂 great recipe 🙂
Hi, Emma, thank you for your photo comments, it has been a journey. This buckwheat, noodle and shrimp salad is delicious and I also love it as a hot dish. 🙂
ooh! the noodle salad looks absolutely scrumptious!
Hi, Priya….this is a great salad hot or cold. Thank you for the comment. 🙂
This looks like you gave so much thought to it. From the flavours you used to the arrangement of your subject in the photograph, amazing!
Hi, Evan….This is a delicious salad or hot dish. Thanks for the kudos 🙂
A cold dinner sound excellent to me right now! And I love the flavors you have here, with the shrimp and the buckwheat noodles and the nice, thick tahini dressing. Yum.
Hi, Annemarie….Oh, yes, this buckwheat noodle salad with shrimp is a great summer salad. Or, any season for that matter. It is also wonderful served warm. 🙂
Every time I see morel mushrooms, I am reminded of the stories my friends and family tell me from around Seattle. I guess they are so highly coveted that there is essentially a mushroom mafia, and if you are caught trying to collect them in someone else’s territory, you could find yourself gravely injured! So crazy! But I understand why, because morel mushrooms are amazing, and I bet they are spectacular in this dish!
Thanks, Karly….Yes, these morel mushrooms are wonderful. I have also heard that mushroom story but in regard to chanterelle mushroom hunting. 🙂
Wow your photos are incredible! This recipe sounds delish too, I love buckwheat noodles but haven’t really cooked with them at home, so I’m looking forward to trying. Morel mushrooms look so interesting but I’m not sure I can get them in my area, what other mushroom varieties would you recommend? 🙂
Hi, Laura…thanks for the nice comments. If you are not able to find morel mushrooms in your area a good substitute would be whole baby crimini mushrooms. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do. 🙂
Gorgeous pictures!! I wish I could just pluck this straight off the screen and eat it!
Thank you, Renee! This was delicious 🙂
I love buckwheat noodles! They’re a bit harder to find than other noodles, but they’re worth looking for! This looks amazing.
Hi, Kylee….If you have an Asian market locally, or even an international section of your grocery store you should be able to find the buckwheat noodles. If they are not 100% buckwheat they are still delicious but if you are going gluten-free search out the 100% buckwheat noodles. 🙂
Morel mushrooms always look so great, don’t they? And taste even better! This is such a nice dish — just loads of different flavor and textures, all working together so nicely. Good stuff — thanks.
Thanks, John, yes a lot of different flavors and textures here and all so good 🙂