Rainbow Asian noodle salad is my go-to for a healthy, filling, and fresh mix that’s filled with colorful veggies, soba noodle, and ginger honey dressing made-from-scratch. No salt, no extra oil, gluten-free, and tons of flavor. Add this rainbow soba noodle salad to your meal prep and easy vegan recipes for weekday meals.
Updated on February 24, 2025
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Making Asian salads could be intimidating for some because of lack of ingredient access, but this rainbow salad hits all the marks. It is full of awesome, crisp, fresh fiber-full veggies and they are very easy to find in groceries.
As a party salad, you can be sure there will be no leftovers because the eye-appeal always wins the crowd.
By far, it’s one of my favorite salads when I’m in need of fast, on-the-go meals that don’t require much time and I’m in need of something to fill me up for all day energy.
What is rainbow soba noodle salad
Rainbow soba noodle salad incorporates the colors of the rainbow through a variety of fresh and crisp vegetables and mixes in bouncy soba noodles for a healthy and satisfying meal, snack, or side dish.
- Beautiful to look at, like a rainbow!
- perfect, appealing, yummy party food for potluck and gatherings
- incredibly dense with nutritious vegetables and vitamins
- soba noodle is gluten-free and more healthy than other noodles
- a well-rounded, excellent salad for healthy living
What are Soba Noodles?
Japanese soba noodles may not be accessible in all stores, but these days, I can find soba noodles in the regular grocery all over town.
I especially love soba noodles because they are made of buckwheat (a seed), which despite the name, soba noodles are gluten-free. Just check the ingredients because some soba noodles are also made with wheat flour included.
It’s easy to prepare bouncy soba noodles, and texturally they hold up very well in cold Asian noodle salads and cold soups. Once the water is boiling, be sure to drop the noodles in without any salt or oil. It’s not needed and will create a mushy texture.
Once the noodles are soft (do a taste test and follow package instructions) be sure to rinse the noodles in very cold water.
I hand rinse them and give a very gentle wash by folding my fingers through the noodles to get rid of any starchiness.
Then lay the noodles on a paper towel or in the colander and allow the water to drip off. That’s it.
Ingredients for Rainbow Soba Noodle Salad
It’s easy to eat when something is vibrantly colorful. Here is how to add an array of rainbow hued vegetables to this hearty, cold noodle salad.
I especially love that the prep for this salad has minimal cutting, making for a quick meal and leftovers store well in glass jars.
- Red Thai Chilis – Slice thinly and mix in for heat
- Orange Carrot Ribbons – Sweet and easy to prep by just sliding your peeler and making thin ribbons about 3″ long
- Yellow Bell Peppers – Zesty and crisp. Julienne the peppers.
- Light Green Cucumbers – So refreshing. Just skin them and cut in circles, then in half.
- Green Baby Spinach – Most prepacked and washed already. So easy! Lots of vitamins and when combined with the other ingredients, the spinach flavor becomes well balanced.
- Purple Cabbage – Crisp and earthy. Mandolin the cabbage on thinest setting or slice ultra-thin into long 3″ strips.
- Soba Noodles – Bouncy, hearty, and gluten-free
- Garnish with Crushed Cashews – Creamy, nutty richness and crunchy textures
- Garnish with Cilantro – Zesty and replaces need for onions.
Make Ginger Honey Dressing
This is so easy, but requires a thin grater like a microplane for the ginger. The microplane allows for very fine cuts that give a fluffy and edible texture to the ginger.
- Ginger – Use fresh ginger only. Microplane so it’s very ultra-grated about 2 whole tablespoons.
- Honey – I love raw honey. Use about half a cup.
- Rice Vinegar – 2-3 tablespoons
- Yellow Mustard – I use regular, everyday yellow mustard. A small teaspoon is all you need to balance the sweetness.
- Garnish with Toasted Black Sesame Seeds – You can use black or white toasted sesame seeds for added earthy notes to the dressing.
Whisk (use a whisk or processor) and refrigerate for enough dressing to have for several servings. Add sesame seeds after whisking. There’s no added salt or other ingredients. It’s simple, tangy, sweet, and makes for a perfect sunny day salad dressing.
For an indulgent soba noodle salad, this recipe is more creamy and delectable with Creamy Asian Peanut Dressing.
Equipment
To prepare this vibrant and nutritious salad, you’ll need the following equipment:
- Large Pot: For boiling water to cook the soba noodles.
- Colander: To drain the soba noodles after cooking.
- Vegetable Peeler: For creating carrot ribbons and peeling cucumbers.
- Mandolin Slicer (optional): For thinly slicing purple cabbage, if you prefer a uniform thickness.
- Cutting Board: For chopping and preparing all the vegetables.
- Chef’s Knife: To slice the vegetables into desired shapes and sizes.
- Mixing Bowl: To combine the soba noodles and vegetables before serving.
- Whisk or Food Processor: For mixing the ginger honey dressing.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: To accurately measure out the dressing ingredients.
- Paper Towels: For drying the soba noodles after rinsing.
Instructions
- Prepare the Soba Noodles:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the soba noodles. Do not add salt or oil, as it will affect the texture of the noodles.
- Cook according to package instructions, typically around 4-5 minutes, or until soft.
- Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water to stop the cooking process. Gently wash to remove any starchiness.
- Lay the noodles out on a paper towel or in the colander to drain excess water.
- Prepare the Vegetables:
- Thinly slice red Thai chilis and set aside.
- Use a vegetable peeler to create ribbons from the carrots.
- Julienne the yellow bell peppers into thin strips.
- Slice the cucumbers into circles, then cut in half.
- If using, mandolin slice the purple cabbage into thin strips.
- Combine Ingredients:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the prepared soba noodles, sliced chilis, carrot ribbons, yellow bell peppers, cucumber slices, baby spinach, and purple cabbage.
- Toss gently to combine all the ingredients evenly.
- Make the Ginger Honey Dressing:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the microplaned fresh ginger, honey, rice vinegar, and yellow mustard. Whisk until well mixed.
- Add the toasted black sesame seeds and stir to combine.
- Assemble the Salad:
- Drizzle the ginger honey dressing over the noodle and vegetable mixture. Start with a small amount and adjust based on your taste preference.
- Gently toss to coat the salad evenly with the dressing.
- Garnish with crushed cashews and fresh cilantro.
- Serve and Store:
- Serve immediately for the freshest taste, or store leftovers in airtight glass containers or mason jars for up to four days. Keep the dressing separate until ready to eat to maintain the crispness of the vegetables.
Enjoy your vibrant and nutritious Rainbow Asian Noodle Salad!
If you can’t find soba noodles, then you can use spaghetti as an alternative. It’s no longer Asian salad, but still creates a lively and inspired dish. Do not use too many spaghetti noodles (use half the amount) because they are thicker than soba noodles.
Every time I have this Asian noodle salad I make extra. In an airtight glass container or glass mason jar, it can last well with crisp veggies and cucumber for up to four days. The soba noodles are springy and it’s fun to try leftovers with the Asian peanut dressing too.
This Asian Rainbow Soba Noodle Salad is a healthy and superfood inspired meal. It is vegan, gluten-free, almost fat free, has lots of fiber, and has no extra added salt or oil. You can add other proteins and meat as you wish.
Do NOT toss with dressing if you plan to store leftovers. Leftovers should be kept dressing-free.
Rainbow Soba Noodle Salad
Equipment
- microplane or fine grater optional
- mandolin optional
- peeler
- colander
Ingredients
- 2 bundles Soba noodles
- Water for boiling
- 3-4 Red Thai Chilis thin sliced
- ½ Large Carrot make 3" thin ribbons with peeler
- ½ Yellow Bell Pepper julienne
- ½ Cucumber peel then cut half circles
- 2 cups Baby Spinach pre-packed and pre-washed
- ¾ cup Red cabbage use mandolin or cut very thinly
- ¼ cup Cilantro chopped
- ½ cup Crushed salted roasted cashews
Ginger Honey Dressing
- 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger use microplane
- ½ cup honey
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Make Soba Noodles
- Boil water and when boiling, add the soba noodles. Do NOT add anything else to the water.Follow package for the time.2 bundles Soba noodles, Water
- Taste test for soft (but never mushy) soba noodles. Immediately strain from the water and rinse with very cold water. Gently use hands to run through the noodles to rid of starch for one minute.
- Shake off water and let the noodles rest so the water comes off. Use a paper towel to gently blot out any excess water.
Make the Salad
- Combine all the vegetables and the noodles in a big bowl. Gently mix and incorporate everything together until well mixed. Transfer to your serving platter or use same bowl. Garnish on top with the cashews.½ Large Carrot, ½ Yellow Bell Pepper, ½ Cucumber, 2 cups Baby Spinach, ¾ cup Red cabbage, ¼ cup Cilantro, ½ cup Crushed salted roasted cashews, 3-4 Red Thai Chilis
- Serve the salad dressing on the side.
Make Ginger Honey Dressing
- Whisk all salad dressing ingredients together.Then sprinkle in the toasted sesame seeds last.2 tbsp grated fresh ginger, ½ cup honey, 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp yellow mustard, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Finalizing the Salad
- If this is for a party then serve the dressing in its own separate container. If it's to be eaten right way, you can toss with the dressing.Serve everything and Enjoy!
Notes
- try with Creamy Peanut Dressing as another dressing choice
- serve with limes on the side
- top with Firecracker Salmon
- Add edamame
- serve as a side dish next to Filipino Chicken Skewers or BBQ
- Bring to a potluck
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