Tasty Peanut Butter Soba Noodles

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) packages soba noodles
• 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 scallions, diced, divided
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons sriracha hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar, or to taste
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once it’s bubbling, add the soba noodles and cook them uncovered, stirring now and then, until they’re just tender but still have a bit of bite—about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking.

Step 2

While the noodles cook, heat a bit of canola oil in a pan over medium heat. Toss in the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent, around 3 to 4 minutes. Then add the carrots, red bell pepper, and half of the scallions. Keep cooking and stirring until the veggies are just tender, which should take another 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 3

In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, peanut butter, sesame oil, hot sauce, and brown sugar until smooth. Add the cooled soba noodles, the cooked veggies, and the cucumber to the bowl. Toss everything together so the sauce coats the noodles nicely.

Step 4

Finally, stir in the rice vinegar and toasted sesame seeds, then give it another good toss. Pop the whole thing in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. When you’re ready to serve, sprinkle the remaining scallions on top and offer lime wedges on the side for squeezing over.