Cold Sesame Soba with Cucumber, Edamame & Original Chili Crisp

This cold noodle bowl brings together nutty soba, a sesame coating, and fresh vegetables. It takes cues from Japanese cold-noodle preparations while using a modest dressing instead of a deep broth. Original Chili Crisp adds aromatic texture and mild warmth to each cool forkful.

Two main bowls, each with half the 200 g dry soba, edamame, cucumber, and dressing. This is an estimated yield until the complete recipe is measured in the kitchen.

Allow about 30 minutes: 15 minutes for vegetables and dressing, 10 minutes to cook the edamame and soba, and 5 minutes to cool, drain, and toss. Heat the boiling water during preparation. The estimate assumes soba that cooks in about 4 to 5 minutes; follow a longer package requirement if necessary. No additional refrigerator chilling is required.

Ingredients

• 7 ounces (200 g) dried soba noodles, preferably a buckwheat-and-wheat blend for easier handling
• 1 cup (150 g) frozen shelled edamame
• 1 small English cucumber or 2 Persian cucumbers (150 g total), cut into thin half-moons
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons well-stirred toasted sesame paste, or well-stirred tahini
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 tablespoons cold water, plus up to 1 tablespoon more for the dressing
• 2 tablespoons BLACKLAND Original Chili Crisp, divided
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• Up to 1/8 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, only if needed
• 3 quarts water, for cooking the edamame and soba
• 4 cups cold water and 2 cups ice, for the noodle ice bath

Instructions

1. Bring the 3 quarts cooking water to a boil in a large pot while you slice the cucumber and scallions. Pat the cucumber dry. Mix the 4 cups cold water and 2 cups ice in a large bowl and set it beside a colander in the sink.
2. Whisk the sesame paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and 2 tablespoons cold dressing water until smooth. It may thicken briefly before loosening. Stir the chili crisp in its jar and mix 1 tablespoon into the dressing. If it does not fall from a spoon in a loose ribbon, whisk in some or all of the remaining tablespoon dressing water.
3. Cook the edamame in the boiling pot according to its package directions, usually about 4 to 5 minutes. Frozen edamame should not be treated as ready to eat unless the package explicitly says so. Lift it out with a slotted spoon, rinse under cold running water until cool, and drain well. Bring the pot back to a boil.
4. Add the soba and stir gently to separate the strands. Cook according to its package instructions until just tender with a little chew, commonly 4 to 5 minutes. Drain immediately and rinse under cold running water, gently loosening the noodles with your fingers once cool enough to handle, until excess starch washes away. Dip the rinsed noodles into the prepared ice bath for about 30 seconds, then drain thoroughly for about 2 minutes; do not leave them soaking.
5. Toss the well-drained soba with the dressing in a large bowl. Fold in the cucumber, edamame, and half the scallions. Taste and use some or all of the measured salt only if needed. Divide between two bowls and distribute the remaining scallions, sesame seeds, and remaining tablespoon chili crisp over the top. Serve promptly while the cucumber is crisp.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve as two cool main bowls, or divide into four smaller portions alongside separately prepared grilled food.
• Toss just before eating; keeping the toppings visible helps distinguish the cucumber crunch, edamame, and chili-crisp solids.

Optional Variations

• Replace half the cucumber by weight with finely sliced radishes for a sharper crunch.
• For a more pronounced toasted-sesame flavor, choose Japanese toasted sesame paste rather than mild tahini; keep its quantity unchanged.
• All-buckwheat soba can be more fragile. Use the same dry weight, follow its package directions, and toss gently; the ingredient swap alone does not establish a gluten-free meal.

Storage & Make-Ahead

For make-ahead meals, refrigerate the cooked, cooled noodles, vegetables, and dressing separately at 40°F (4°C) or below. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour above 90°F (32°C), and use within 2 days. Stir the dressing before assembling.

An already dressed salad can be refrigerated and eaten cold within 2 days of cooking the noodles; cucumber will release moisture and the noodles will soften. If tightly clumped, briefly loosen the cold noodles with cool water and drain very well before dressing. Reheating is not recommended for this cold salad's texture.

Contains sesame and soy, and buckwheat-and-wheat soba contains wheat. Check the noodles, soy sauce, sesame paste, and chili-crisp labels for additional allergens and cross-contact statements. Honey is included; no vegan, gluten-free, or allergen-free claim is made.

Two tablespoons of Original Chili Crisp are split between the sesame dressing and the final topping, giving the whole bowl savory depth and leaving some solids visible. The product is rated 2/5; the finished dish is estimated mild.

More from the BLACKLAND kitchen: Spicy Chili Crisp Peanut Noodles or Chili Crisp Roasted Vegetables.