_{Updated 11.28.25}

Soba Noodles or buckwheat pasta have a few characteristics that not every ordinary pasta has;

They are gluten free (make sure that it is, as there are brands that have other grains added to their dough mix to mask some of the buckwheat flavor.
They are flavorful
They are colorful
They cook fast (which may be a disadvantage if you forget the check the cooking time and they end up mushy)

More and more, less traditional grains are used to create pasta, but soba noodles are around for a long time and most of the time you’ll find them in the Asian section of the grocery store.

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Key Ingredients in This Recipe

Key ingredients to make Soba Noodles with Vegetables in Peanut Sauce

You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.

Soba noodles – you can also make this dish with Udon noodles.
Carrots
Sugar snaps – snow peas or green beans are alternatives.
Green asparagus
Red bell pepper
Garlic
Ginger
Peanut butter
Soy sauce
Rice vinegar
Vegetable broth
Scallions, optional

How to Make Soba Noodles with Vegetables in Peanut Sauce

This recipe is a great example of using various cooking times and ingredients to obtain a variety of textures. Raw carrot shavings, al dente noodles, crunchy red bell pepper and carrot match sticks, delicate asparagus and popping snow peas, all mixed with a peanut butter sauce to add silkiness. Sprinkled with raw green onions and if you like sprinkle with peanuts.

Step 1 – Prepare the ingredients:

Clean the carrots and with a vegetable peeler, shave them lengthwise into a few thin slivers for last minute garnish. Chop the rest of the carrot in matchsticks.
Trim the sugar snaps and cut in half when they are long.
Cut the red bell pepper in short and thin strips.
Cut the asparagus in 2 inch pieces.
Mince a garlic clove and garlic

Step 2 – Heat oil in a skillet and add the minced ginger and garlic and saute for a few second until fragrant. Add sugar snaps and saute for a 2 minutes, add asparagus and saute for 4 minutes. Then add carrot match sticks and bell pepper and saute for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 2 - Heat oil in a skillet and add the minced ginger and garlic and saute for a few second until fragrant. Add bell pepper and sugar snaps and saute for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

tep 3 - Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, vegetable broth and salt & pepper in a saucepan and heat slowly, while stirring. Simmer a few minutes until it starts thickening and becomes smooth. Keep warm.

Step 3 – While the vegetables are sauteing, cook the soba noodles and make the peanut sauce.

Cooking soba noodles takes about 7-8 minutes, depending on the brand.

For the peanut sauce, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, vegetable broth and salt & pepper in a saucepan and heat slowly, while stirring. Simmer a few minutes until it starts thickening and becomes smooth. Keep warm.

Step 4 – Add peanut sauce to the vegetables and stir.

Step 5 – Add the soba noodles (and pasta water if too thick). Divide over 2 plates and garnish with raw carrot shavings and green onions (cut on the bias).

Light blue plate with Soba Noodles with Vegetables in Peanut Sauce and black chopsticks.

This dish can easily be eaten cold or lukewarm. That’s the beauty of a peanut sauce; we are used to eat peanut butter cold, so eating peanut sauce cold is OK as well. It’s a nice alternative to a pasta salad and great for a lunch that you can bring to the office.

Other Asia Inspired Dishes to Try

Soba Noodles with Vegetables in Peanut Sauce

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