I love the taste of chilled soba noodles. I find their slightly nutty taste clean and refreshing, and pairing soba with creamy, rich avocado is a match made in noodle heaven. Light and healthy, this easy noodle bowl is a quick fix for a busy schedule.
When the weather starts to warm up, I start to feel more active. Loving the feel of sunshine on my skin, I want to go out and do something. However, sitting huddled up all winter leaves me very sluggish, so this time of year means getting back to an exercise regimen and feeling alive again. So, what do I eat when I’m trying to feel better? Healthy, refreshing noodles, and lots of them!
I’ve been in quite the pasta mood lately, and I just can’t get enough of these noodles. While some pasta dishes are heavy and weigh you down, even after eating the whole bowl, I still feel light and clean. But just because it’s light doesn’t mean it’s not filling! If you’re on a diet or exercise kick, these noodles are a great dish to make, and they’re so quick, it hardly takes any time at all, so they are perfect for a busy weeknight with minimal effort.
As they are, these noodles are a great vegetarian option, but if you want more protein, you can easy add some grilled chicken, tofu, steak, or shrimp for some added flavor. If you want the meat chilled, prepare it before hand and let chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes, or just add the sizzling meat right on top for an interesting combination!
Recipe – Chilled Soba With Cucumber & Avocado:
– Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the soba according to package directions. While the soba is cooking, prepare the toppings:
– Using a sharp knife, cut the avocado in half by turning the knife around the avocado in the middle. You want the knife blade to make contact with the pit, then spin it around the pit. Once you’ve drawn the knife completely around the avocado, twist the two halves in opposite directions to split it apart.
– Use the knife to draw a cross hatch along each side of the avocado, completely piercing it until the knife reaches the skin. Then carefully peel away the skin and separate the avocado cubes in a small bowl.
– Prepare the cucumber and green onion. For the cucumber, slice into quarter inch rings, then cut the rings into smaller pieces. For the green onion, cut it into quarter inch slices in a diagonal cut to make more elegant pieces.
– Prepare your seaweed by cutting the sheet into several long 1 inch strips. Stack those strips on top of each other and cut them into even narrower strips so you have some small seaweed to sprinkle on top.
– Lastly, mix your mentsuyu, wasabi, and sesame oil in a small bowl.
– Once the soba has finished cooking, drain and immediately run cold water over the noodles to allow them to cool.
– Once the soba has chilled, transfer to two bowls, then top with avocado, cucumber, green onion, and your shredded nori strips (or even your favorite furikake seasoning!!)
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