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Gluten-Free Soba Noodles with Roasted Eggplant and Sesame

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on May 23, 2019

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Gluten-Free Soba Noodles with Roasted Eggplant and Sesame

Ingredients

¼ cup vegetable oil 2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces¼ cup gluten-free tamari or soy sauce 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 4 teaspoons sake (Japanese rice wine)1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce 1 tablespoon fish sauce 8 ounces gluten-free dried soba noodles ¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Before You Begin

We prefer this dish made with sake, but an equal amount of vermouth can be substituted. Many brands of soba noodles also contain wheat; make sure to read the ingredient label and buy noodles made with only buckwheat flour. Do not substitute other types of noodles for the soba noodles. Note that because of the salty ingredients, we don't salt the cooking water for the noodles in this recipe.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Toss eggplant with remaining 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon tamari in large bowl, then spread onto prepared baking sheet. Roast until well browned and tender, 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through roasting.
  2. In small saucepan, whisk remaining 3 tablespoons tamari, sugar, sesame oil, sake, chili-garlic sauce, and fish sauce together. Cook over medium heat until sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute; cover and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add noodles and cook, stirring often, until tender. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain noodles and return them to pot. Add sauce and roasted eggplant and toss to combine. Add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Sprinkle individual portions with cilantro and sesame seeds and serve.
Gluten-Free Soba Noodles with Roasted Eggplant and Sesame
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Kendra McKnight.

Gluten-Free Soba Noodles with Roasted Eggplant and Sesame

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

¼ cup vegetable oil
2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup gluten-free tamari or soy sauce
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
4 teaspoons sake (Japanese rice wine)
1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
8 ounces gluten-free dried soba noodles
¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Ingredients

¼ cup vegetable oil
2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup gluten-free tamari or soy sauce
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
4 teaspoons sake (Japanese rice wine)
1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
8 ounces gluten-free dried soba noodles
¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Ingredients

¼ cup vegetable oil
2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup gluten-free tamari or soy sauce
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
4 teaspoons sake (Japanese rice wine)
1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
8 ounces gluten-free dried soba noodles
¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Why This Recipe Works

Roasting proved an easy, hands-off way to cook the eggplant, and tossing it with wheat-free tamari and vegetable oil beforehand helped to season it. For the sauce, we turned once again to tamari for savory richness. An oyster sauce substitute—a combination of fish sauce and brown sugar—that we’d just developed for another soba noodle recipe provided the right briny sweetness. Asian chili-garlic sauce and toasted sesame oil provided a nice balance of sweet and spicy flavors, while a bit of sake contributed a clean flavor that gave the sauce complexity. Finishing with cilantro and sesame seeds kept the recipe simple while adding freshness, complementary nutty flavor, and visual appeal.

Before You Begin

We prefer this dish made with sake, but an equal amount of vermouth can be substituted. Many brands of soba noodles also contain wheat; make sure to read the ingredient label and buy noodles made with only buckwheat flour. Do not substitute other types of noodles for the soba noodles. Note that because of the salty ingredients, we don't salt the cooking water for the noodles in this recipe.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Toss eggplant with remaining 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon tamari in large bowl, then spread onto prepared baking sheet. Roast until well browned and tender, 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through roasting.
  2. In small saucepan, whisk remaining 3 tablespoons tamari, sugar, sesame oil, sake, chili-garlic sauce, and fish sauce together. Cook over medium heat until sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute; cover and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add noodles and cook, stirring often, until tender. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain noodles and return them to pot. Add sauce and roasted eggplant and toss to combine. Add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Sprinkle individual portions with cilantro and sesame seeds and serve.

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