When you’re craving a dish that’s both fresh and satisfying, Sesame Soba Noodles with Grilled Shrimp is the perfect choice. This dish combines the nutty, chewy texture of soba noodles with the smoky, savory flavor of grilled shrimp, all brought together by a fragrant sesame dressing. It’s a balanced meal that’s light enough for warm weather yet filling enough to satisfy your hunger.
The star of this dish is the soba noodles, made from buckwheat flour. Their nutty flavor and firm texture make them a perfect base for a variety of ingredients. After boiling the soba noodles until tender, rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process and keep them cool and separate, making them ideal for a refreshing dish.
For the shrimp, marinate them briefly in a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, and a little sesame oil for a savory depth of flavor. Then, grill the shrimp until they’re perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. The smoky char from the grill adds an extra layer of richness that complements the sesame dressing beautifully.
The sesame dressing is what really brings everything together. Made with sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey (or a sweetener of choice), and a touch of grated ginger, it’s savory, tangy, and just the right amount of sweetness. The dressing is drizzled over the soba noodles, which soak up the flavors while keeping their chewy texture.
To assemble the dish, toss the soba noodles with the sesame dressing and add the grilled shrimp on top. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, sliced scallions, and a sprinkle of cilantro for a fresh finish. A squeeze of lime or lemon adds a burst of brightness to tie all the flavors together.
Sesame Soba Noodles with Grilled Shrimp is a simple, flavorful dish that can be enjoyed warm or cold. It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner, a light lunch, or even a meal prep option that will keep you satisfied without feeling heavy.
Ingredients
- 8 oz soba noodles
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined, large
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger grated
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 4 Green onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup peanuts chopped
Instructions
- Cook the soba noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, and ginger. Set aside.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Thread the shrimp onto skewers and brush with the sauce mixture.
- Grill the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through and slightly charred. Remove from grill and set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss the cooked soba noodles with the remaining sauce mixture. Add the sesame seeds, green onions, cilantro, and peanuts. Mix well to combine.
- Serve the sesame soba noodles topped with grilled shrimp.
- Enjoy!
Yummy! Easy to make, but I wish there was more sauce. Great for a quick dinner!
Too much honey? I think I put too much and it tasted weird.
Shrimp is too fishy for me. Did not care for d dish.
I did not have peanuts, so I added cashews. It worked well. 😋
This recipe is a game changer! The flavors are incredible. My family loved it!
This dish is amazing! So easy to make and ridiculously tasty. My whole family loved it!
It was okay. The flavors were a bit too strong for my taste. Next time I’ll cut back on the soy sauce.
Soba noodles are never consistent for me (either too chewy or too mushy). This time they turned out okay, though. Sauce helped a lot. Also, cilantro + peanuts is a wild combo but it works.
Yummy and quick! I added some bell peppers for crunch. Very tasty!
Sounds delicious! I love adding veggies too. Did you use red or green bell peppers?
Quick? This took me forever! Shrimp are tricky to grill right. Maybe I’ll skip them next time.
Made this for dinner and it was ridiculously good—sweet-salty sauce stuck to the soba perfectly. The shrimp char really took it over the top. Will definitely make again!
The noodles were kinda mushy when I made them. Do they have to cook that long?
Yeah, sometimes soba noodles can overcook quickly. Try cooking them for a shorter time next time, like 4-5 min instead of 6-8. They should be al dente! 😊
This dish was amazing! The flavors blended perfectly, and the shrimp were so juicy! Definitely a keeper!
Soba noodles are always a risk for me (they overcook fast), but this recipe was pretty forgiving. I did 2 minutes less than the package and they turned out perfect. My friends asked for the recipe.
Yes!! Soba can go from “just right” to mushy so fast. Love that you shaved off 2 minutes—glad it worked out and your friends liked it!
I tried soba once and it turned into a sticky blob 😅 Maybe I just can’t boil noodles. Do you rinse them after draining or just toss right away? Also, grilling shrimp sounds risky—overcook city.
This recipe is amazing! The flavors are just perfect together.
Seriously? You call that grilling? Next time I’ll just pan fry.
Can you use another kind of noodle? I don’t even know where to find soba.
IDK what soba is, but I used regular noodles once and it still turned out fine. Just get what you can find!
You can use any kind of noodle, like spaghetti or rice noodles! It’ll taste different, but still good! Don’t worry too much about the soba.
I used chicken instead of shrimp because my kid is picky. Still turned out yum!
Do you really need those toppings? I just like the noodles plain.
I think the toppings really make the dish pop! But hey, to each their own! 🤷♂️
Delicious! I’ve never grilled shrimp before but it was super easy! Thanks!
This recipe is amazing! The flavors are just perfect and the grilled shrimp adds a nice touch. My family loved it!
Not sure about grilling on skewers—mine cooked unevenly and I had to finish in a pan. Tasted good though. Also my soba stuck to the pot a little.
Oh no—uneven cooking on skewers is so real. I’ve had that happen when the shrimp are different sizes. Doing a quick pan finish makes sense though, glad it still tasted good! For the soba sticking, try rinsing right after draining and keep it from sitting too long—also a tiny bit of oil in the pot/bowl helps.
Not bad, but way too salty for me. The soy sauce is doing the most. I’d cut it in half or use low-sodium next time. Also sesame seeds everywhere lol.
Totally agree—2 tbsp soy sauce can be a lot depending on the brand. I’ve started using low-sodium and it’s way better. Also good catch about the sesame oil + soy combo doing the most 😄
I had the same issue once. Next time I’ll do half the soy sauce and maybe add a tiny splash of water/extra honey to balance. Sesame seeds are supposed to be kinda everywhere though lol—adds crunch.
I can’t eat shrimp, so I made it with mushrooms. So good! Thanks for this recipe!
Ehhh. Too much garlic for my taste. I will stick to my plain noodles.
Not a fan of shrimp, but the noodles were great! I’ll try it with chicken next time.
I get what you mean! The noodles are super versatile. Chicken will be delicious too!
But shrimp is the best part! You should give it another chance!
Made this tonight and it was a hit. The sauce is sweet-salty in a really good way, and the ginger/garlic flavor comes through. I’d grill the shrimp a tiny bit longer next time for more char, but overall 10/10.
Yummm! 😋 This is now my go-to recipe for quick dinners. So simple!
This sounds fancy but easy. I didn’t have skewers so I just grilled the shrimp loose on the grate and they didn’t fall apart (barely). Sesame seeds and green onions made it look restaurant-y.
Totally agree—sounds fancy but the steps are straightforward. I also didn’t use skewers; just laid the shrimp flat on the grates and watched closely. Turned out juicy! The sesame + green onions combo really does make it look restaurant-y.
I’m skeptical about 2-3 mins per side on medium-high—my shrimp would’ve been overcooked at that time. Also I subbed soy sauce for teriyaki once and it got way too sweet even with the honey. Still, flavor was good though, so I’d tweak timing.
I don’t like peanuts, can I leave them out? Would it still taste good?
I don’t know about this one… My shrimp ended up overcooked.
Soba noodles? What’s that? I used spaghetti instead and it turned out fine.
Spaghetti works too, but you should totally try soba noodles, they are different but tasty!
I followed the instructions exactly, but my shrimp got burnt on the grill! Maybe too high heat?
I followed the recipe mostly, but I only had tahini so I subbed some of the sesame oil with it. Still tasty, but it was a little thicker and not as fragrant. Next time I’ll use the real sesame oil.
Good catch on the thickness/fragrance—tahini is thicker and more roasted, so it makes sense. Next time maybe use a mix like 1:1 or just add a splash at the end so it stays lighter.
I dunno… if you sub tahini for sesame oil that sounds kinda wrong? Tahini’s like a paste, not oil, so no wonder it got thicker. But hey if it was still tasty, I guess keep the tweaking. 👍
Simple and delicious! Just what I needed after a long day. Will definitely make again.
Totally agree! This recipe is so easy and the flavors are amazing. I added some broccoli too, yum! 😍
Looks good but can you really grill shrimp like that? I thought they needed to be boiled or something. 🤔
Simple and delicious! My fam loved it. Will make again for sure!
3 stars only because my noodles clumped a bit. I think I didn’t drain them well enough or I rinsed them (maybe I shouldn’t have). Flavor is solid though—garlic/ginger did not disappoint.
I didn’t think shrimp go well with noodles. Was surprised it was actually good!
This dish is Da Bomb! 😍👌 I could eat it every day! Thanks for sharing!
Y’all, this is so good. I had it for dinner and my kids even loved it! Win!
Sesame soba with shrimp… sounds fancy but easy. My kids actually ate it lol. Will do again!
Honestly this sounds right up my alley—quick enough for weeknights but still feels “fancy.” Love that your kids ate it! I’m def trying this soon.
Sesame soba with shrimp is yum… but is it really easy or does it end up like a lot of steps? also my grill always burns shrimp lol. might use a pan instead.
I tried this recipe but found it lacking flavor. Maybe I needed to add more sauce?
I’m not a big fan of shrimp, can I use chicken instead?
Loved this! The honey + sesame oil combo is so good, and the shrimp grill char really makes it pop. I added a squeeze of lime and it tasted restaurant-level.
I tried this and totally agree—honey + sesame oil is a cheat code 😄 The char on the shrimp makes it taste way more “restaurant” than a plain weeknight meal. I also did a little extra lime at the end and it was perfect.
Really tasty, but I think 1 lb shrimp is a lot for 8 oz noodles—mine ended up a bit shrimp-heavy. Still delicious though. I added extra green onion because I like it.
Mmm. Good but I think it needed more garlic. I’m a garlic lover so maybe that’s just me!
This was absolutely delicious! The flavors blended perfectly. My whole family loved it!
I tried it and it was okay… like 6/10. I used powdered ginger because I didn’t have fresh and maybe it got lost. Also, could use more sauce for the noodles honestly.
This was Sooo Good! My kids loved it too. Will make again.
I’m so glad to hear that! It’s always a win when the kids love it too. What did they like the most?
Sounds good, but I don’t know about that honey. Does it really make a difference? What’s the point?
I used shrimp that wasn’t fresh and it ruined the whole dish. Make sure your shrimp is good!
Pretty good overall, but my shrimp needed closer to 4-5 minutes per side (thicker ones I guess). Also I forgot the cilantro at first—still good, just missing that fresh pop.
I did follow the recipe but I kinda think 2-3 min is too short. Also I used shrimp paste (lol) because I was out of honey. It was still edible tho 😅
Thanks! I love hearing tweaks like that—mine are usually medium shrimp so 2-3 min/side works, but thicker ones definitely need longer. Good call on 4-5.
The sauce was tasty but I found it a little too sweet for my palate. Maybe reduce honey to 1/2 tbsp? Still gonna make again, just adjusted.
Totally get you—mine was a bit sweet too. I’ll try your suggestion and cut the honey to 1/2 tbsp next time. Glad it’s still worth making!
Meh. I’ve had better soba noodles. Didn’t impress me.
Do you really need the cilantro? I’m allergic to it. Can I just skip it?
Not gonna lie, I didn’t love it. The honey made it kind of sweet for my taste, and I felt like it overpowered the sesame. Could be just me though—others might like it.
Totally fair—honey can swing it sweet fast. I’d try cutting it to 1/2 tbsp or even swapping honey for a little extra soy/sesame oil so the sesame flavor comes through more. Also, did you use the full 2 tbsp sesame oil? That’s a lot (in a good way) but it could change the balance.
Really easy to make! I substituted shrimp with chicken, still came out tasty. Will try again!
My shrimp stuck to the grill a little and I had to wrestle them off. Next time I’ll oil the grates more. Despite that, the whole dish tasted super fresh with the cilantro and green onions.
I tried this with chicken instead of shrimp and it turned out okay. Not what I expected tho.
Too many ingredients for my taste. Will stick to plain noodles. 😕
I’m skeptical about the honey in savory dishes, but it surprisingly works. The sesame oil + honey combo is sweet-salty in a good way. Next time I’ll add a squeeze of lime.
I dunno, I feel like the honey is too sweet for savory noodles. Might leave it out next time.
I think the honey adds a nice depth to the dish! You could always try a little less if you’re worried about sweetness. 😊
Nah, honey is for desserts! This is a noodle dish, not a cake. I wouldn’t use it at all.