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I make this cold soba noodle salad all the time! My whole family loves it, it’s easy to make, and boy, is it delicious. Soba noodles are satisfying and hearty, and this is definitely one of my favorite easy vegan entrees to make all year.
What about these “mushroom scallops” though?
You guys know how much ya girl loves mushrooms. What can you not do with this wondrous creation? Mushroom scallops are one of the easiest foods in the world to make. You slice some king oyster mushrooms, brush a simple marinade over them, and sear them in a skillet on both sides. It’s that easy, and the result: tender juicy morsels with a wonderful chewiness reminiscent of scallops. Divine!
Vegan scallops are super versatile. They mingle well with a wide variety of flavors, and I especially love them served over cold soba noodle salad. I should also mention that they are quite nutritious. King oyster mushrooms (aka trumpet mushrooms) are a good source of niacin, vitamin D, riboflavin, and folate. I buy this brand of mushrooms at my local Korean grocery store.
What is soba?
For the uninitiated, soba is a type of Japanese noodle made with buckwheat flour. Buckwheat has a nutty flavor, and it’s a good source of fiber and protein. If you look at the nutrition label, you’ll notice these noodles are high in carbs, but it’s complex carbohydrates, making them a more wholesome and nutrient dense option compared to noodles made with refined white flour. I love them! They cook quickly and shine in hot or cold noodle recipes. However, this cold soba noodle salad is my favorite way to eat them.
The highest quality and best tasting soba is often made with 100% buckwheat flour. Buckwheat is gluten free, so that variety will be your best bet if you avoid gluten. Soba made with only buckwheat flour does tend to be more expensive, so keep that in mind when you’re shopping.
While soba is usually always vegan, I have seen a soba sold at Sprouts that contains eggs. Double check the ingredients.
Watch: Amazing Vegan Noodles
How to make cold soba noodle salad
- Start by preparing the soba noodles. Boil water and cook the noodles for about 6 minutes, until tender or al dente. Drain the noodles and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking.
- Make the sauce/marinade. For this you’ll simply combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and sesame oil. Oh, and garlic!
- Prepare the king oyster mushrooms by slicing off the tough bottom parts, then cutting the mushroom into 1 inch thick rounds. Use a paring knife to gently score each side in a checkered fashion. Then brush the mushrooms with the marinade.
- Chop the veggies. Use a julienne peeler to create thin slices of carrot. Thinly slice a red bell pepper and green onion.
- Cook the veggies and mushrooms separately. Cook the vegetables first, then remove them from the heat. This will give them time to cool, and now you can cook the mushrooms in a nicely seasoned pan.
- Toss and serve!
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There is so much to love about this vegan cold soba noodle salad:
- Delicious
- Easy-to-make
- Nutritious
- Perfect for meal prep––the flavors get better on day 2 and 3
- Wonderful for the whole family––my toddler loves this dish
Don’t miss these other vegan noodle recipes:
Vegan Japchae-style Sweet Potato Starch Noodles
Sweet Potato Noodles with Tangy Almond Sauce
Vegan Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Mushroom "Scallops"
Ingredients
- 2 bundles of soba noodles, remove the paper wrapper before cooking 😉
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1-2 packages of king oyster mushrooms
- 3 green onions, white parts chopped, green parts chopped and reserved for garnish
- 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 large carrots, julienned (very thinly sliced)
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.
- Add the noodles, and cook for 6 minutes.
- Drain the noodles and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking. Toss with a drizzle of sesame oil, and set them aside.
- Make the marinade by combining the soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a bowl.
- Prepare the king oyster mushrooms by slicing off the tough bottom parts, then cutting the mushroom into 1 inch thick rounds. Use a paring knife to gently score each side in a checkered fashion. Then brush the mushrooms with the marinade. Set aside.
- Warm 1-2 tbsp of oil in a wok or skillet, and sauté the green onions, peppers, and carrots on medium heat, until the carrots are tender. Remove the vegetable from the skillet.
- Add a little more oil to the hot pan, then add the mushrooms, cut side down.
- Cook on each side for about 5 minutes on medium-low heat.
- Flip the mushrooms when the cooked side is golden brown.
- Remove the mushrooms from the heat.
- Transfer the noodles to a mixing bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons of cold water to the sauce, then pour it over the noodles. Add the vegetables and toss well.
- Serve with the mushrooms over the noodles and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
She did it again! Definitely a repeat meal for our house. Super quick, simple and delicious.
Recently discovered your page (I’m a newbie vegan) and I absolutely love your recipes! Have you thought of adding nutritional facts to your recipes? This would help so much with our meal planning, kindly consider.
I made this last night and it was delicious! It was also easy and quick to make. My kid called dibs on the leftovers for lunch. This means I’ll make it again for sure. (I didn’t see the garlic mentioned so I put it into the marinade, not the vegetable stir fry.)
Very tasty. The scallops are amazing!
Thank you so much!