Slice the cucumbers into thin half moons and roughly chop the cashews. Slice the scallions on a bias and roughly chop the cilantro. Grate the ginger finely. Arrange all prepped ingredients in separate small bowls so everything is ready when you need it. I find doing all the knife work upfront makes assembly incredibly smooth and stress-free.

Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add the soba noodles, stirring to prevent sticking. Cook according to package directions (usually 4-5 minutes). With about 1 minute remaining, add the edamame to the same pot so they finish cooking together. Drain everything in a colander and immediately rinse under cold running water until completely cooled, shaking gently to remove excess water. This stops the cooking and ensures the noodles stay tender and don't clump together.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice, miso paste, honey, and grated ginger until the miso is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth. I like to taste the dressing at this point and adjust the lime juice or soy sauce if needed—this is your chance to dial in the flavor before everything comes together.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled noodles and edamame from Step 2 with the dressing from Step 3, tossing gently to coat everything evenly. Add the sliced cucumbers, scallions, and cilantro from Step 1, then toss everything together. Top with the roughly chopped cashews and sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds over the top. Drizzle with chili crisp to finish, and taste for seasoning—add a pinch of salt if needed. The combination of nutty noodles, cool cucumber, and spicy chili crisp creates such a satisfying balance of textures and flavors.