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Sesame Ginger Soba with Cucumber and Edamame

Chilled buckwheat noodles tossed in a nutty sesame-ginger dressing with crisp cucumber, shelled edamame and toasted sesame seeds. A fast, make-ahead lunch.

Prep
15 min
Cook
8 min
Total
23 min
Serves
4
Illustration of Sesame Ginger Soba with Cucumber and Edamame, drawn from its ingredients
Cook's note

The cold rinse is the key step: it stops the cooking and washes off the starch that makes soba gummy. If the noodles tighten up in the fridge, loosen them with a splash of water and a drizzle of sesame oil before serving. Add a soft-boiled egg or sliced grilled chicken to turn it into a heartier supper.

Method

  1. Whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup, ginger and red pepper flakes in a large bowl.

  2. Boil the soba in a large pot of unsalted water according to the package, usually . Add the edamame for the last of cooking.

  3. Drain and rinse under cold running water, rubbing the noodles gently with your hands, until completely cool and no longer slippery with starch. Drain well.

  4. Add the noodles and edamame to the dressing along with the cucumber and carrot. Toss with tongs until every strand is coated.

  5. Fold in the cilantro, then pile into bowls and scatter the sesame seeds over the top.

  6. Serve right away, or cover and chill up to 2 days.

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Sesame Ginger Soba with Cucumber and Edamame
Step 1 of 6

Whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup, ginger and red pepper flakes in a large bowl.

Step 2 of 6

Boil the soba in a large pot of unsalted water according to the package, usually . Add the edamame for the last of cooking.

Step 3 of 6

Drain and rinse under cold running water, rubbing the noodles gently with your hands, until completely cool and no longer slippery with starch. Drain well.

Step 4 of 6

Add the noodles and edamame to the dressing along with the cucumber and carrot. Toss with tongs until every strand is coated.

Step 5 of 6

Fold in the cilantro, then pile into bowls and scatter the sesame seeds over the top.

Step 6 of 6

Serve right away, or cover and chill up to 2 days.

All done

Dig in.

Nice work. Log it, and next time you'll see when you last made it.

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