Serves a Crowd

Sesame Noodle Salad with Seared Mushroom "Scallops"

by:
April 29, 2015
5
4 Ratings
Sesame Noodle Salad with Seared Mushroom "Scallops"
Photo by James Ransom
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

Perfect for warm days, this chilled noodle salad is slightly spicy and pairs perfectly with the warm seared mushrooms. I made this dish one night just cleaning out my fridge with what I had on hand! I used king oyster mushrooms for the "scallops," but this recipe would also be great with leftover grilled chicken or pork! —Jenny Goycochea

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: Jenny Goycochea's bright recipes are a reflection of where she lives, in sunny San Diego.
WHAT: A springtime soba salad (slurping optional).
HOW: Toss cooked soba noodles with celery, bell pepper, carrots, cabbage, and jalapeño slices. Top with pan-seared mushroom caps, cilantro leaves, and a sesame dressing that has notes of rice vinegar, ginger, and lime.
WHY WE LOVE IT: The beauty in this salad is its adaptability. Use the noodles and dressing as a foundation, then feel free to sub in the leftover broccoli in your crisper for celery, or top the noodles with some sort of meat or vegetable you don't have mushrooms on hand. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the sesame dressing:
  • 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
  • 2 teaspoons Sriracha
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried red chile flakes
  • For the noodle salad:
  • 6 ounces soba noodles
  • 1/2 cup sliced celery
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage
  • 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
  • 2 king oyster mushrooms, tops removed and cut into 1-inch rounds
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 pinch cilantro leaves, for garnish
  • 1 dash toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
  • 1 lime, for serving
Directions
  1. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. Set aside.
  2. Cook soba noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Toss noodles with dressing and add the celery, bell pepper, carrots, cabbage, and jalapeño slices. Taste for salt and pepper and season accordingly.
  3. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Score the mushrooms on both sides with a knife to make an X (do not go in too deep, just a light cut with your knife will do the trick). Brush the mushroom rounds with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Once the pan is hot, add the mushrooms in one layer into the pan (don't overcrowd the pan). Sear on one side until golden brown, about 4 minutes, then flip and do the same on the other side. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
  4. To serve, portion the noodle salad into bowls. Top with cilantro leaves and sesame seeds and a couple of the mushroom scallops. Serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!
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8 Reviews

Jason R.
Jason R. April 4, 2022
The soba salad is great on its own. I found this recipe looking through scallop recipes. I decided to coat my fresh off the boat scallops in togarashi then seared them in oil forgoing the classic butter treatment. I reserved some of the dressing to pour over the scallops after cooking. Will definitely play with this recipe more,
 
Taylor S.
Taylor S. March 29, 2018
I love this salad! It's crispy and crunchy and flavorful -- everything I want in the spring and summer months! The dressing is arguably the most wonderful part - I used ACV since I was out of rice wine vinegar and subbed chili-garlic sauce for the sriracha. I prepped everything except for the rice noodles and mushrooms ahead of time so assembly was a breeze!
 
Dionisia B.
Dionisia B. July 3, 2015
This was soooo good! I had to call home and tell my mother about it.
 
Nichole P.
Nichole P. May 27, 2015
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was a resounding hit! Grocery store was out of both jalapeño and king oysters, so I subbed for a serrano (I like spicy anyway) and regular oyster mushrooms sautéed whole. It turned out great! Can't wait to make this again :)
 
Lauren L.
Lauren L. May 25, 2015
I made this for dinner tonight with some pan fried tofu and it was awesome! This would be lovely with scallops or shrimp. I will definitely be making this one again!
 
Jenny G.
Jenny G. May 26, 2015
I am so happy that you enjoyed it! Thank you for your kind words :)
 
creamtea
creamtea May 22, 2015
This looks like such a wonderful vegetarian-night option. Saved!
 
QueenSashy
QueenSashy May 21, 2015
Soba salad is always to die for and I love your version. Congrats on being in the finals!