Spring Soba Salad

Spring is finally here! The weather is heating up in San Francisco after a particularly chilly winter, I couldn’t be happier. When I was growing up, warmer months meant chilled dishes like hiyashi chuka, Hawaii-style somen salad, Japanese-style somen (served on a glass plate and over ice to cool you down) and of course, soba salad. Soba salad also makes an easy, make-ahead lunch! Here’s my California take on a classic soba salad.

Serves: 4

Total Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Cook Time: 75 minutes

Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup toasted black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon grated/ finely chopped ginger

2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
Watercress or other leafy green
Spring vegetables of your choice, cooked (asparagus, snap peas, and fiddleheads are all great additions)
1 avocado, sliced
Shimeji mushrooms, lightly cooked in boiling water
Lightly pickled red onions
7-minute egg
4 servings fresh soba noodles (look in the refrigerator or freezer section of your local Japanese grocery store)
Sansho powder for sprinkling

Instructions:
First, toast your sesame seeds on a pan over the stove for a few minutes, until fragrant. I re-toast them even if the package says they are toasted because I think it helps coax out the flavor. Remove from the heat and cool for five minutes.

Toss the toasted sesame seeds into a blender and blend until it starts to stick together and becomes paste-like. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and blend again until well combined.

Reheat soba noodles according to package instructions. I prefer to use refrigerated or frozen soba noodles because the springy texture is far superior to dried soba noodles. If you don’t have access to a Japanese grocery store, dried soba works fine in this recipe, too.

Toss soba noodles with dressing. Arrange remaining ingredients artfully on top of each bowl. Sprinkle with sansho powder and serve!

Head here to visit our Modern Heirlooms web shop, where I've thoughtfully co-created ritual objects with my favorite artisans (in limited runs) to help you elevate your sacred rituals. 

I truly believe that cuisine is the most accessible gateway into learning more about our rich heritages. In addition to food, there are so many ways to celebrate, honor, and even reclaim, our time-honored traditions. I believe ritual objects really help anchor us in these moments-- especially around the table.