All week we’re celebrating the release of my new cookbook, Make It Easy: 120 Mix-and-Match Recipes to Cook From Scratch with Smart Store-Bought Shortcuts When You Need Them, and no recipe in the entire book typifies the Make It Easy approach more than this make-ahead dinner recipe for Cold Soba Noodle Salad. This easy dinner has so many virtues for busy home cooks, it’s hard to know where to start.
–Giveaway is closed. We’ll announce a winner soon.–
Okay, it’s not that hard: Let’s start with the fact that this is entirely make ahead. Since you serve this meal chilled or at room temperature, you can prep the entire thing days ahead of time, so that all you have to do the night-of is assemble in minutes.
Soba noodles, a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour and now commonly available at most markets, cook up more quickly than traditional pasta and can be drained, rinsed, and tucked into tupperware up to 3 days before you eat them. Store them next to the simple vinaigrette, which I also make ahead for the whole week, since it can be used as a salad dressing on other nights.
The vegetables in this cold noodle salad are what I like to call lunch box veggies: raw red pepper, cucumber, and carrots. Most weeks, these veggies are already cut and waiting in my fridge for quick school lunch packing. Even if you don’t do that yourself, you can certainly cut these veggies up to 3 days ahead just for this meal—or, fine, cut them while the soba noodles cook. It takes 5 minutes.
Supermarket shortcut: Chopping can take even less time if you cheat with pre-shredded carrots, which I do.
But, wait, there’s more! If you don’t have time to prep this ahead, it still takes only 30 minutes or fewer. For real. And it’s an easy meatless meal that my kids love. If you’re not sure that yours will, too, keep this in mind: One of the most effective ways to nudge picky eaters towards new foods is to build on foods that already know, like, and trust.
Soba noodles are very similar to pasta in a way that might disarm your kids. And if they don’t like the flavors in this Ginger Lime Vinaigrette, use another vinaigrette that they love or make a basic version using our tutorial on how to make a vinaigrette dressing.
If nothing else, this recipe is worth a shot since it’s the perfect dish to get you through busy spring and summer nights when you’ll be outside until the very last minute before dinner. If your kids love it as much as mine do, it will become a weekly go-to, a potluck and picnic staple, and the healthy dish I can count on my kids eating—at least one night a week, in between all those cookout dogs and burgers.
Cold Soba Noodle Salad
From Make It Easy: 120 Mix-and-Match Recipes to Cook from Scratch With Store-Bought Shortcuts When You Need Them by Stacie Billis. Reprinted with permission from Da Capo Lifelong, © 2016. All photos from Make It Easy by Naomi McColloch
Serves 4
1 pound soba noodles
4 scallions, trimmed and chopped
1 cup shredded carrot
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1⁄4-inch-thick strips
1 English cucumber, peeled, cut into 4-inch sections, and then 1⁄4-inch-thick strips
1 cup Ginger Lime Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
1. Cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain some more before placing in a large serving bowl.
2. Add the scallions, carrot, pepper, cucumber, and dressing to the noodles and, using tongs, toss well to combine and coat everything with dressing. Serve immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Ginger Lime Vinaigrette
Makes about 1 cup
1 teaspoon minced garlic (from about 1 clove)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon lime zest (from about 1 lime)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 1 lime)
1/2 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon honey
1. If you have time, place the garlic in a jar, top with the vinegar, lime zest, and lime juice, and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. If you don’t have time, combine the garlic, vinegar, lime zest, and lime juice in a jar and skip to step 2.
2. Add the oil, soy sauce, ginger, mustard, and honey to the vinegar mixture. Seal the jar and shake until the dressing emulsifies. Use immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Extra-cool: Win it!
We’re so happy to be giving away a $250 Target gift card plus your own copy of Make It Easy in celebration of the book launch!
Each day through Friday, May 27 offers more chances to win for each person, for 20 in total!
Here’s how:
1. Subscribe to Cool Mom Eats. Easy, right? If you’re already a subscriber, leave us a comment telling us that you’re a subscriber AND why you’re excited to try today’s featured recipe. (Be sure to use the same email that you subscribed with so we can double-check. Don’t worry, no one can see it but us.)
For up to 3 additional entries each day through Friday:
2. Follow @CoolMomEats on Twitter + tweet the link to this post on Twitter, something like: I’m so trying this recipe from #MakeitEasyBook + you should too! https://bit.ly/1sa06HT
3. Like @CoolMomPicks on Facebook + share the link to this post on your feed. Leave the link to your update in the comments here, below this post.
4. Follow @CoolMomEats on Instagram + share a photo from this post on Instagram with the hashtag #MakeitEasyBook. Hint: You can also easily regram the photo from today’s recipe on the @CoolMomEats IG feed.
Contest ends Friday, May 27th at 11:59 p.m. ET. One entry per person per social media account and email. Must be 18 or older to enter. U.S. residents only. Void where prohibited. Read our full contest rules before entering.
Visit the other sneak peek recipes from Make It Easy by Stacie Billis
* Hummingbird Muffins: An easy make-ahead snack that turns a classic cake into something you can eat everyday.
* Steak with Sweet and Sour Peppers: The ultimate simple, decadent dinner perfect for the long weekend, Father’s Day—or whenever you and the family need a treat.
* Slow Cooker Carnitas: The recipe that proves your slow cooker is your best friend all year around. Plus, easy taco night!
I am subscribed. This looks like a great meatless summertime meal
Following on Twitter and tweet sent https://twitter.com/itssoeasy2me/status/735521348987039744
Following on Facebook and shared https://www.facebook.com/itssoeasy2me/posts/604602003049010?pnref=story
I’m already a subscriber and I am going to make this tonight….. Because if I don’t have dinner planned by 10am it might not happen.
I’m a subscriber. I’m excited to try this recipe because cold dinner dishes are always welcome in the hot summer weather.
My kids love noodles! So I am super excited to make this! And I am a subscriber to your emails 😉 id love to win
https://eats.coolmompicks.com/2016/05/25/cold-soba-noodle-salad-recipe-make-it-easy-cookbook/#comment-5158
I am already a follower/subscriber to all of these awesome places! This would be a great take to work lunch when it is summer hot! Going to the grocery store of the was home!!
ON the WAY home! AARGH
I’m a subscriber and I’m always looking for great make ahead meals for nights when we are rushed. This looks like one to try.
I’m already subscribed. This looks great – and as a celiac it’s always nice to have a pasta dish with naturally GF noodles…
Subscribed! I made the Hummingbird muffins yesterday and they were a HIT at home and at work! Thank you for such a simple recipe! 🙂
Subscribed! This whole post had me at “easy”!
Already a subscriber. Always looking for quick & nutritious recipes.
LOVE THE FOOD AND THE GIVE A WAY!!!!!
I am a subscriber and I am excited to try this recipe because I love anything with noodles and all of the veggies make this so healthful.
I follow you on twitter(Kellydpa) and tweeted
https://twitter.com/Kellydpa/status/735838979501756418
I like you on Facebook and shared
https://www.facebook.com/KellyDSaver/posts/1110063822377745?pnref=story
I’m a newsletter subscriber and Twitter follower! I’m excited to try this recipe and have already put it on the food schedule for the week after Memorial Day. Love that it’s not only simple, but that it sounds DELICIOUS.
Also lovin’ this giveaway. We’re renovating/remodeling our new home and I can think of a gazillion ways to use a Target giftcard! (ie; super cute patio furniture)
Im already subscribed under groogruxking40 @ gmail dot com
Im excited for this recipe because it sounds delicious on a hot summer day
I follow on Twitter @groogruxking40
here is my tweet — https://twitter.com/groogruxking40/status/735974623817433089
i cant recall if i did this i subscirbe
https://www.facebook.com/carol.roberts.1976/posts/897993353642768?pnref=story
I’m a subscriber and a sucker for all things noodles and vegetables 🙂