Cold Soba Noodles with Sesame Dipping Sauce

Zaru soba is a summer staple in Japan for good reason: chilling the noodles right after cooking firms them up and keeps them from turning gummy, and dipping each bite into a cold sauce rather than tossing everything together keeps the noodles from going soft while you eat. It's simple to the point of being almost effortless.

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat, which brings more fiber and a nuttier flavor than a plain wheat noodle, and here they're paired with a sauce built from tahini or sesame paste, tamari, and rice vinegar rather than anything creamy. The whole dish is plant-based, quick to put together, and just as satisfying cold as most noodle dishes are hot.

Rinse the noodles under cold water right after boiling and swish them around — this is the single step that makes the biggest difference to the texture.