A light and fresh citrus ginger soba noodle salad packed with edamame, purple cabbage, snap peas, Sunkist® Cara Cara orange slices, and a delicious citrus ginger dressing. 

serving dish citrus ginger soba noodle salad

This cold noodle salad is bursting with flavor! It’s a light and fresh Asian-inspired pasta salad that’s both gluten-free and vegan. The salad comes together in less than 30 minutes, making it perfect for an easy weeknight meal, especially once the weather gets warmer.

If you’re looking for a healthy meal prep option, you’re in luck! This citrus ginger soba noodle salad holds up well in the fridge for about 3 days. Make it in advance or enjoy leftovers for the next few days. The salad does get more flavorful the longer it sits!

Citrus Ginger Soba Noodle Salad

This cold pasta salad makes for a delicious, healthy lunch or a lighter dinner option. It’s packed full of vegetables, plant-based protein and bursting with flavor. Edamame, shredded purple cabbage, snap peas, green onions and Sunkist® Cara Cara oranges come together to make this quick and healthy soba noodle salad. Most of the flavor comes from a zippy citrus ginger dressing made from a simple combination of Sunkist® Cara Cara oranges, lime juice, tamari, toasted sesame oil, ginger, and garlic.

This salad showcases a unique and delicious flavor combination, as well as the versatility of oranges. Oranges aren’t just for snacking or turning into juice! They add so much flavor and a touch of sweetness to this savory dish. I hope you give this citrus ginger soba noodle salad a try. Make it for dinner, bring it to a summer picnic, or meal prep it ahead of time for quick, weekday lunches. It won’t disappoint!

Common Substitutions

Don’t be afraid to get creative with what you have on hand. Here are some common substitutions for the main ingredients in this salad.

Soba noodles – if you’re unfamiliar with soba noodles, scroll down for more info about these gluten-free buckwheat noodles and how to cook them. However, if you’re in a pinch, any spaghetti noodle will work. A hearty whole-grain noodle or brown rice noodle will give you a similar texture.

Fresh vegetables – this recipe calls for purple cabbage, snap peas and green onions. Feel free to use another combination of fresh, crunchy veggies you have on hand or that you prefer. Shredded carrots, thinly sliced cucumber or bell peppers, or chopped cilantro would work great!

Tamari – this is a gluten-free soy sauce made from fermented soybeans. However, if need a soy-free option, I recommend liquid aminos or coconut aminos.

Edamame – aka soybeans. If you need this to be soy-free, feel free to leave them out or add in additional snap peas.

citrus ginger soba noodle salad ingredients
Close up of citrus ginger soba noodle salad
hands holding serving dish citrus ginger soba noodle salad
What are Soba Noodles?

Soba noodles are a type of noodle made from buckwheat flour. They have a wonderful nutty flavor and slick, soft texture and are popular in Japanese cooking. Buckwheat is considered a complete protein since it contains all the essential amino acids. Often grains are missing one of the essential amino acids. For instance, thiamine is missing from white rice and lysine is missing from wheat. This makes soba noodles a great protein source, especially for those following a plant-based diet.

Traditional soba noodles are made with only buckwheat flour and water, making them a great gluten-free noodle option. That being said, read your labels! Some brands combine buckwheat flour and wheat flour, so if you need them to be gluten-free, make sure to purchase soba noodles made only with buckwheat flour.

How to cook soba noodles

It’s easy for a package of soba to turn into a big gummy mess, especially if you’re using soba made only from buckwheat.  These are my top tips for cooking soba noodles:

    • Cook you soba noodles in unsalted water.
    • Make sure not to overcook them. It’s best to err on the side of underdone than cooking them for too long. Set a kitchen timer for the time listed on the package or even a minute less.
    • When your noodles are cooked, immediately drain them in a colander and rinse them thoroughly with cold water.  This removes the starches that cause clumping
plated citrus ginger soba noodle salad

Nourished by Nutrition Facts

CARA CARA ORANGES

While Cara Cara oranges may look like Navel oranges on the outside, cut into one and you’ll immediately notice its bright pink flesh. This beautiful pink hue comes from the naturally occurring lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that can help protect your body from damage caused by free radicals. Excess free radicals in the body can create oxidative stress in your body. Research shows that the antioxidant properties of lycopene can help keep levels of free radical levels in check, protecting your body against some health conditions associated with elevated oxidative stress. (1)

Cara Cara oranges are also an excellent source of vitamin C. While all oranges contain vitamin C, Cara Cara oranges contain the most vitamin C out of all Sunkist® citrus varieties. One medium Cara Cara orange contains 100% of your daily vitamin C requirement. Aside from vitamin C, Cara Cara oranges, are a good source of fiber, folate and vitamin A. (2) It’s no wonder Sunkist calls this variety The Power Orange. This amazing citrus variety is available from December through May.

hand holding bowl citrus ginger soba noodle salad

IF YOU LOVE THIS Citrus Ginger Soba noodle Salad, YOU’LL ALSO ENJOY THESE CITRUS RECIPES…

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Citrus Ginger Soba Noodle Salad

A light and fresh citrus ginger soba noodle salad packed with edamame, purple cabbage, snap peas, Sunkist® Cara Cara orange slices, and a delicious citrus ginger dressing.

Ingredients

Scale

6 oz soba noodles

1 cup frozen shelled edamame*

2 Sunkist® Cara Cara oranges, peeled and cut into segments

1 cup shredded red cabbage

1 cup sugar snap peas

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

For the dressing:

¼ cup freshly squeezed Sunkist® Cara Cara orange or Sunkist® Navel orange

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons tamari (or coconut aminos)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 teaspoons finely grated ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Instructions

Make the citrus ginger dressing: In a sealable jar, combine the orange juice, lime juice, tamari, toasted sesame oil, ginger, and minced garlic. Tightly close the lid on the jar and shake vigorously to combine. Set aside.

Prepare the noodles according to package directions. For most soba noodles, heat a pot of unsalted water over high heat. Once boiling, add the noodles. Turn the heat to medium and let boil for 5-7 minutes. It’s best to cook them for a shorter amount of time to avoid them getting sticky. Immediately drain the noodles and rinse to cold water. Let noodles come to room temperature and place them into a large bowl.

To prepare the edamame and snap peas, place 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the frozen shelled edamame. Let boil for 3 minutes then add in the snap peas. Let boil for another 1-2 minutes. Strain and rinse with cold water. Remove the snap peas and cut in half on a diagonal. You can also just add these to the boiling pasta water, if you want to forgo the additional pan.

Once the noodles have cooled to room temperature, toss them with the edamame, shredded cabbage, snap peas, orange segments, and dressing. Taste the salad for seasoning and adjust if necessary (more orange juice, lime juice, tamari, or even a splash of rice vinegar!). Add the chopped green onions and sesame seeds.

Serve the soba noodle salad with additional chopped green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

 

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #nourishedbynutriton and #MySunkistTableYou can also find this recipe on Sunkist.com/recipes/citrus-ginger-soba-noodle-salad/


This post was created in partnership with Sunkist®. As always, I only partner with brands I love and use. I share them because I want you to love them as much as I do. Thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that keep Nourished by Nutrition going!