Soba Noodle Salad

– Make the dressing. Season the oils with chili flakes over the stove. Remove from the heat and add honey and soy sauce. Mix all together and set aside.

– Cook the soba noodles. Boil the water and cook the soba noodles. There is no need to salt the water. Rinse the noodles under cold running water to remove the starch.

Assemble

– Toss everything together. In a large bowl, mix the soba noodles, green onions, cilantro, and toasted sesame seeds together. Serve and enjoy!

Gather all the ingredients. In a large pot, bring water to a boil (you do not need to salt the water).

To Make the Dressing

Combine 1 Tbsp neutral oil, 3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, and ½ tsp crushed red pepper (red pepper flakes) in a small saucepan.

Whisk it all together and infuse the oil over medium heat for 3 minutes. The oil should sizzle, but do not burn the chili flakes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 1–2 minutes. Tip: If you smell something burnt, the heat is too strong or you cooked it too long.

Add 3 Tbsp honey and whisk well until it has completely dissolved. Tip: Don‘t add the soy sauce first as it will splatter in the hot oil.

Add 3 Tbsp soy sauce to the mixture and whisk it all together. Set aside.

To Make the Salad

Add 7 oz dried soba noodles (buckwheat noodles) to the boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are al dente. Tip: I like to boil the noodles for 30 seconds less than the package instructions. Mine says to cook for 4 minutes, so I cook for 3 minutes and 30 seconds.

Meanwhile, thinly slice 2 green onions/scallions.

Discard the stems of 1 handful cilantro (coriander) and chop the leafy parts into small pieces.

Drain the soba noodles into a colander and rinse them with your hand under cold running water. This important step removes the excess starch and stops the cooking.

Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Pour the cooled dressing over the noodles.

Add the green onions, cilantro leaves, and 1 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds to the noodles. Toss everything together.

To Serve:

Transfer to a serving bowl or plate. Serve chilled or at room temperature. For a spicy kick, you can sprinkle shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice).

To Store:

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for 2 weeks.