This week's work ·
Cold soba, with room to turn the noodles
A sesame-miso dressing, crisp vegetables and properly cooled noodles make a useful summer lunch. Choose a bowl for the tossing room, not a promise that the whole meal needs no cooking.
There is still a pot to boil for this cold lunch. Put the water on first, then divide the counter work: one person slices cucumber and radishes while the other measures the dressing. The vegetables can wait a few minutes. The noodles need attention as soon as they finish cooking.
Soba varies, so use the packet's cooking guidance rather than treating one short timing as a rule for every noodle. Rinse the drained noodles thoroughly under cold running water, cool them briefly in ice water and drain again. Leaving water clinging to the strands dilutes the dressing you have just whisked together.
Miso gives that dressing body; sesame oil, rice vinegar and mirin make it worth scraping the small bowl clean. A little honey goes in too. Fold the vegetables through gently and save the sesame seeds for the finish. This is a cold meal with fresh preparation, not an excuse to leave cooked noodles on the counter until everyone is hungry.
A mixing bowl, not another cooking pot
Cuisinart's stainless steel mixing bowl set with lids is our mid-priced choice for useful depth, nesting storage and included lids. The higher-priced OXO Good Grips blue-and-gray three-piece set adds plastic exteriors and non-slip bases around its stainless interiors, but comes without lids. Both specify nominal capacities of 1.5, 3 and 5 US quarts. Neither number proves working headroom for a particular noodle-and-vegetable batch.
Start with the large bowl for the salad. If you cannot turn the noodles without lifting them over the rim, use a larger vessel or divide the mixture. The small bowl can hold the dressing; keep a separate clean bowl for the ice-water step, and drain with a suitable colander. Buying a nesting set does not replace those other jobs.
Cuisinart makes sense if covered preparation matters after lunch as well. Check the covers before relying on them: there are snug-fitting sets, but poor lid fit is a real limitation, and rust-like spotting is another concern. A fitted lid is not a promise that a bowl of dressing will travel without leaking.
OXO earns its extra cost when a bowl moving during whisking is the nuisance you want to fix. Its grip is useful, but weight preferences differ, and the outer shell brings a cleaning drawback: water can become trapped between the layers, including after hand washing. More money does not remove the care compromise or buy a larger listed set.
We would choose Cuisinart for covered prep, subject to those fit and spotting cautions, and OXO for base grip when that benefit matters more. If your existing bowls give you room to toss and whisk comfortably, keep them. Neither set belongs on the stove, and this comparison is not a recommendation for a particular boiling pot, colander or knife.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare both choices.
| What matters | Cuisinart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls with Lids | OXO Good Grips stainless mixing bowls — Blue/Gray |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | mid-priced | higher-priced |
| Construction | Stainless steel; grade not specified | Stainless steel interiors; plastic exteriors; non-slip bases; steel grade not specified |
| Included pieces | Three nesting bowls with matching storage lids | Three nesting bowls without lids; non-slip bases |
| Best fit | Covered prep when all lids seat properly | Grip while mixing, with separate food storage |
| Worth knowing | Inconsistent lid fit and rust-like spotting; dry under rims | Substantial feel not for everyone; water can become trapped between shell and steel, including after hand washing |
| Care | Dishwasher-safe per manufacturer; inspect and dry before nesting | Dishwasher-safe per manufacturer; water inside shell needs seller/manufacturer resolution, not a promised washing-method fix |
| Stated capacities | 1.5, 3, 5 US quarts | 1.5, 3, 5 US quarts |
02 · The recipe
Cold soba noodle salad with sesame-miso dressing
A sesame-miso dressing, crisp vegetables and properly cooled noodles make a useful summer lunch. Choose a bowl for the tossing room, not a promise that the whole meal needs no cooking.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
Approximate planning time including stated cooling/rest; boiling water, product instructions, fruit ripeness, oven and handling pace can increase elapsed time.
What you'll need
- 8 ounces dried soba noodles
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
- 4 radishes, thinly sliced
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Useful equipment
- Large mixing bowl with tossing room
- Small dressing bowl and whisk
- Separate clean bowl and ice water
- Suitable boiling pot and colander
- Stable board and suitable knife
Method
- Wash the cucumber, radishes and scallions and slice them on a stable board. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Cook the soba according to its packet, checking for tender noodles that still hold their shape; the original 4–5-minute guide will not suit every product.
- Drain carefully into a suitable colander and rinse the noodles under cold running water. Cool them in a separate clean bowl of ice water for about a minute, then drain thoroughly and shake off excess water. Keep the mixing bowls away from the hot burner.
- Whisk the miso, sesame oil, mirin, rice vinegar, honey and measured salt in the small bowl until smooth. Put the cooled, well-drained noodles in the large mixing bowl and fold through the dressing, changing to a larger bowl or dividing the batch if necessary.
- Fold in the cucumber, radishes and scallions. Add the measured sesame seeds and black pepper and serve cold. Keep the finished salad refrigerated until serving rather than leaving it on the counter for later.
