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    Home » Vegan Recipes » Vegan Lunch Ideas » Tenderstem Broccoli Salad with soba noodles

    Tenderstem Broccoli Salad with soba noodles

    Published: Jun 8, 2016 · Modified: Jan 21, 2022 by Kate Ford · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Tenderstem Broccoli Salad
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    This Tenderstem Broccoli Salad with soba noodles is a perfect lunchbox filler, with a crunchy peanut sauce and crispy broccoli with garlic & ginger.

    🍴Why you will love this recipe

    A quick and easy noodle salad that is packed with delicious flavours - perfect for a lunchbox or as a light midweek dinner.

    Crunchy tenderstem broccoli and nutty soba noodles with a creamy peanut sauce. This lovely salad takes just 15 minutes to make, and is a really filling lunch or substantial supper for two.

    If you're taking this to work in a lunchbox, I recommend taking the peanut sauce separately and adding it just before eating so that the salad doesn't become soggy. You can also customise it to your own taste - how about adding a bit of fresh chilli, chopped coriander, crunchy peanuts shiitake mushrooms or vegan 'chicken' pieces for extra protein?

    Jump to:
    • 🍴Why you will love this recipe
    • 📝 What you need
    • 👩🏽‍🍳 How to make your Tenderstem broccoli salad
    • 🔪 Top Tips & FAQs
    • 🍽 If you liked that...
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments and Reviews
    Ingredients for Tenderstem Broccoli Salad

    📝 What you need

    Tenderstem broccoli is perfect for stir-frying as its slender stems cook through without the need to steam or boil. If you can't get hold of Tenderstem, you can use normal broccoli and slice the thicker stems lengthways into thinner pieces.

    Soba noodles have a deliciously nutty texture and flavour. They are made with buckwheat and are naturally gluten-free. Make sure you rinse them thoroughly after draining them, so they don't stick together and to stop them cooking any further.

    Peanut butter gives a lovely creaminess and crunch to the salad - I use crunchy peanut butter as I like the peanut chunks, and sometimes add a handful of chopped peanuts too. My Spicy Thai Salad also has a creamy peanut sauce - take a look!

    👩🏽‍🍳 How to make your Tenderstem broccoli salad

    For a full, printable recipe with ingredients and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this page.👇🏼

    cook noodles and fry broccoli

    Boil the soba noodles then drain and rinse. Fry the broccoli, garlic and ginger.

    Slice cucumber and spring onions

    Use a potato peeler to shave long strips of cucumber into the bowl with the noodles. Slice the spring onions.

    Make peanut sauce and toss through salad

    Mix the peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil and water into a smooth sauce. Toss the sauce through the noodles, divide between bowls and top with the Tenderstem.

    🔪 Top Tips & FAQs

    Don't be tempted to over-cook the noodles - they should be nutty and al-dente. not soft and floppy. If your water is already boiling, 5 minutes is perfect.

    Rinse the soba noodles well in cold water after draining. This stops them sticking together and cools them quickly so they don't continue cooking.

    Fry the broccoli over a medium heat. If your pan is too hot it will char on the outside before it cooks through.

    lunchbox broccoli noodle salad
    Does this salad keep well in a lunchbox?

    It does, but I would recommend keeping the peanut sauce separate and adding just before you eat, as it will make the salad a bit soggy. If you are preparing this ahead I would also suggest leaving out the cucumber which doesn't keep so well, or adding this just before serving.

    Can you eat the stems of Tenderstem broccoli?

    Yes - you can eat the whole stem. As the name suggests, the stems are tender and juicy - a bit like asparagus, and delicious when just cooked.

    What else can I add to this salad for variation?

    I like to add chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, fresh coriander, chopped fresh red chilli, fried shiitake mushrooms, or vegan 'chicken' pieces for variation each time I make it.

    Loved this recipe? ⭐️ Leave a star rating below! 📸 Snap a photo of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram, tagging me @thevegspace or #thevegspace 📩 And get all my latest recipes in a weekly e-mail by subscribing to my newsletter.

    🍽 If you liked that...

    .... you might also enjoy these vegan recipes from The Veg Space:

    • Spicy Thai Salad
      Spicy Thai Salad
    • Vegan Potato Salad
      Vegan Potato Salad
    • Five Fruity Salad Dressings
      Five Fruity Salad Dressings
    • Vegan Tuna Mayo
      Vegan Tuna Mayo

    📖 Recipe

    Tenderstem Broccoli Salad

    Tenderstem Broccoli Salad with soba noodles

    Kate Ford | The Veg Space
    This Tenderstem Broccoli Salad with soba noodles is a perfect lunchbox filler, with nutty noodles, a crunchy peanut sauce, and crispy broccoli with garlic & ginger.
    5 from 12 votes
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    Prep Time 3 mins
    Cook Time 12 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine Asian
    Servings 2 people
    Calories 507 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 100 g soba noodles
    • 2 tablespoon rapeseed oil
    • 200 g tenderstem broccoli tips
    • 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed (or 1 teaspoon ready-chopped garlic)
    • 1 cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated (or 1 teaspoon ready-chopped ginger)
    • half cucumber
    • 3 spring onions
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter
    • 40 ml water

    Instructions
     

    • Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the soba noodles. Simmer for 5 minutes until tender, then drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Transfer to a large bowl.
    • Whilst the noodles are boiling, heat the oil in a small frying pan and add the ginger, garlic and broccoli. Cook over a medium heat stirring frequently for 10 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, use a potato peeler to shave off long strips of cucumber, and add these to the bowl with the noodles. Slice the spring onions finely and add these to the bowl.
    • In a mug or small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, peanut butter and water into a sauce, and pour over the noodles, tossing to combine. Taste and season with a little salt or more soy sauce if needed.
    • When the broccoli is cooked, divide the noodles between two plates (or lunchboxes) and top with the broccoli.

    ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

    Video

    Notes

    Don't be tempted to over-cook the noodles - they should be nutty and al-dente. not soft and floppy. If your water is already boiling, 5 minutes is perfect.
    Rinse the soba noodles well in cold water after draining. This stops them sticking together and cools them quickly so they don't continue cooking.
    Fry the broccoli over a medium heat. If your pan is too hot it will char on the outside before it cooks through.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1portionCalories: 507kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 16gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 1017mgPotassium: 324mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1944IUVitamin C: 96mgCalcium: 113mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was! Mention @thevegspace or #thevegspace
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    Vegan in 15 by Kate Ford

    For more quick and easy vegan recipes take a look at my latest book Vegan in 15.

    "Brilliant! Chock full of easy recipes and great tips and advice"  Hello! Magazine

    For more noodle salad recipes from blogging friends, take a look at:

    • Nicola's Easy Nutty Noodle Salad from Kitchen Sanctuary
    • Choclette's Samurai Samphire Noodles with Miso Marinated Tofu from Tin & Thyme

    Please note that all recipes and images on The Veg Space are copyright protected. If you would like to share the recipe, please use the share buttons provided. Do not screenshot or copy and paste the recipe, (even if credited to The Veg Space). Many thanks for your understanding

    « Smoky Mexican Quinoa Soup
    Broad Bean, Fennel & Baby Carrot Pilaf »

    About Kate Ford

    Hi! I'm Kate, vegan home cook and blogger behind The Veg Space and author of Vegan in 15. I'm passionate about creating easy vegan recipes that even a first-time cook can follow.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Toni says

      January 21, 2022 at 1:54 pm

      Such a perfect complete meal! It quickly became a favorite at my house!

      Reply
    2. Ieva says

      January 21, 2022 at 1:52 pm

      I tend to love everything that contains peanut butter, but this has exceeded my expectations! So flavoursome and tastes healthy! Highly recommended!

      Reply
    3. Beth says

      January 21, 2022 at 1:39 pm

      I made this the other day for my dinner and it was delicious. I am trying to eat a little healthier and this hit the spot just right. Thanks for the great recipe.

      Reply
    4. Jessica Stroup says

      January 21, 2022 at 1:32 pm

      This was just the recipe I needed to get out of my dinner time rut! So good!

      Reply
    5. Gina says

      January 21, 2022 at 1:15 pm

      This is totally my kind of noodle bowl! Love tender broccoli (fave veg!) and combining it with a simple peanut noodle is perfection for a light meal!

      Reply
    6. Jess says

      January 21, 2022 at 1:12 pm

      This is perfect for a lunch option to change up my usual schedule of pb&j!

      Reply
    7. Savita says

      January 21, 2022 at 12:57 pm

      This looks amazing, looks perfect for the brunch and lunch option.

      Reply
    8. Jacqueline Meldrum says

      July 03, 2016 at 7:10 pm

      I can over for a drool of this before. Thought I'd left a comment, but obviously not. Maybe I was on my phone. Just gorgeous Kate. Love it! Thanks for submitting it to No Croutons Required. The roundup is now live.

      Reply
    9. Jason Cruickshank says

      June 10, 2016 at 2:49 pm

      Mmmm. That noodle salad looks amazing!

      Reply
    10. Eb Gargano says

      June 09, 2016 at 8:59 pm

      I love this...such fab flavours and perfect for a packed lunch! Definitely pinning this on my must make board 🙂 Eb x

      Reply
    11. Nicky says

      June 09, 2016 at 6:02 am

      These noodles sound amazing! I'm not a fan of peanut butter on it's own, but I love it in dressings like this!
      So true about the hot and cold foods - I'd never though of it before.

      Reply
    12. Diana says

      June 08, 2016 at 9:58 pm

      I've never tried soba noodles before, but after seeing this recipe I will have to! Noodle salads are great to pack to work!

      Reply
    13. Gingey Bites says

      June 08, 2016 at 9:19 pm

      Love this! It's perfect in plastic tubs as it's exactly how I'd imagine eating it! Perfect packed lunch. Yum.

      Reply
    14. Ceri Jones says

      June 08, 2016 at 8:54 pm

      I only recently got into noodle salads, really enjoy them! Even cold! Love the idea of using tenderstem - shows how versatile salads can be!

      Reply
    15. The VegHog says

      June 08, 2016 at 8:46 pm

      Hi Kate!

      This looks fabulous! I really enjoy stir frys as cold lunches the next day, they are very suitable for that. I eat most of my lunches cold, as warm food during work somehow makes me very tired.

      Please link this alsi with Eat Your Greens, as it contains such beautiful greens! 🙂

      Reply

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