Summer Noodle Salad With Ginger-Garlic Dressing
A mix of roasted and fresh summer vegetables tossed with soba noodles gets a burst of flavor from a bright ginger-garlic dressing. The salad is perfect as a side for cookouts or a vegan main dish. One tip: If you’re using tomatoes that are not at their peak, roast them all.
You can substitute frozen corn, just defrost it first.
Make ahead: The salad dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance.
Where to buy: Chinkiang (black) vinegar, soba noodles and toasted sesame seed oil can be found at Asian markets, well-stocked supermarkets and online.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Chinkiang vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- One (1 -inch) piece fresh ginger, minced or finely grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
- Fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
For the salad
- 1 pound small summer tomatoes(halved or quartered, or cut into eighths if large), divided
- 1 cup (5 ounces) fresh corn kernels, divided
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- Fine salt
- 8 ounces (227 grams) soba noodles
- 1 zucchini (7 ounces), spiralized or thinly sliced
- 1 cup (1 ounce) arugula or other salad greens
- 1 avocado, halved, pitted and cut into chunks
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon black or toasted sesame seeds
- Sriracha, for serving (optional)
Directions
Step 1
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
Step 2
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, lime or lemon juice, honey, sesame oil, vinegar, ginger, garlic, salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside, giving the ginger and garlic time to mellow.
Step 3
Make the salad: On a large, rimmed baking sheet, add half the tomatoes and half the corn and toss with the olive and sesame oils. Roast for about 20 minutes, or until the corn is slightly charred and the tomatoes begin to shrivel.
Step 4
While the vegetables are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions, about 4 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to stop the cooking. Transfer the noodles to a large serving bowl, along with the roasted tomatoes and corn, and add the remaining fresh tomatoes and corn, the zucchini, arugula, avocado and scallion.
Step 5
Pour most of the dressing over the salad and toss, then taste, and add more dressing as desired.
Step 6
Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Serve family-style, with sriracha, if using, on the side.
