I’m feeling all the vegetarian vibes with these Veggie Soba Noodle Bowls.
I thought I had a handle on quick, delicious dishes with my brie mac and cheese and mushroom thyme pasta, both of which use traditional pasta and cook up in about 20 minutes.
However, it’s soba noodles for the win when those hangry “I need to eat NOW!” cravings hit.
I’d heard of these Japanese buckwheat noodles but never really paid them attention until I read The Graveyard Apartment; the Kano family shares a meal of soba noodles as they’re preparing to move out of their “hauntedAF” apartment in Japan.
Since I’ve never met a pasta I didn’t like, I jumped on Amazon during quarantine and ordered some soba noodles. Within just a few days, these Veggie Soba Noodle Bowls were making my mouth water, and I had a new book-inspired recipe to devour.
The nutty, hearty buckwheat noodles are drenched in a teriyaki-style marinade made with soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil, making them totally slurpable and addictive.
Their tender, yet still slightly firm texture goes great with crunchy snowpeas, and the sweet grated carrot and sharp green onions bring pops of color and extra texture to the noodle bowls.
Sprinkle on a few sesame seeds, along with extra drizzles of soy sauce and sesame oil before serving, and you’ve got yourself an Asian-inspired dish that will totally calm your cravings for takeout.
The best thing about soba noodles? They cook up amazingly fast. We’re talking, like, 3 minutes and it’s everybody out of the pool!
While you’re boiling the water for the noodles, you whisk up your quick marinade and prep your veggies. Once the noodles go into the water, dump the marinade into a skillet, then gradually stir in the veggies.
As soon as noodles are cooked and drained, you tip them into the skillet, mix it all together, and BOOM! Dinner’s on the table in 15 minutes.
Meals served in bowl form are all the rage right now, and Veggie Soba Noodle Bowls fall happily into this comfort food trend.
Oh, and the chopsticks are optional. While my husband can wield a pair like a pro, I can’t eat with the things unless I have a drop cloth under me. #Uncoordinated
Veggie Soba Noodle Bowls
Ingredients
MARINADE INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp cornstarch
BOWL INGREDIENTS
- 9 oz uncooked soba noodles
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups fresh snow peas/peapods, cut in half
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 3 bunches green onions, divided
- 1/2 cup sliced Napa cabbage
- 2-3 tbsp sesame seeds
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
PREP INSTRUCTIONS
- Cut peapods in half and set aside.
- Grate carrot and set aside.
- Take 1 bunch green onions and chop, then set aside.
- Take the 2 remaining bunches of green onions and slice them into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
- Whisk together all marinade ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook soba noodles according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.
- While the soba noodles are cooking, cook veggies: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the snow peas. Stir to coat and sautee for about 3 minutes.
- Add grated carrot, 1-inch piece green onions and cabbage (if using). Stir to combine, then sautee 1-2 minutes.
- Add marinade to skillet, then stir until lightly thickened, 1-2 minutes.
- Add drained, cooked soba noodles to skillet and toss to combine. Taste and add salt and/or pepper if desired.
- To serve: Scoop noodles and veggies into bowls, then sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onion. Drizzle with extra soy sauce and sesame oil if desired.
