Japanese Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Edamame

This cold soba salad is the kind of dish you'll want on hand all summer: buckwheat noodles chilled and tossed with crisp cucumber, shelled edamame, and a light sesame-soy dressing that coats everything without drowning it.

Edamame contributes a genuinely useful amount of plant protein and fiber, which is what turns this from a simple noodle side into a lunch that can actually hold you over. The dressing here is used with a light hand rather than ladled on, so the noodles stay the star instead of swimming in oil, keeping the dish reasonably calorie-conscious for a full plant-based meal.

Serve it chilled straight from the fridge — it's an easy make-ahead lunch that tastes even better after the flavors have had an hour to mingle.