Easy Cold Soba Noodles (Zaru Soba) in 15 Minutes (VIDEO)

What are Soba Noodles?

Soba noodles are Japanese noodles made of buckwheat flour. They are full of fiber and are extremely versatile noodles used in a variety of Japanese cooking. They can be served hot during the colder months and served cold during the warmer months like this Cold Soba Noodle (Zaru Soba) recipe! Either way you prepare them, soba noodles are absolutely delicious!

Ingredients for Cold Soba Noodles

Zaru Soba or Cold Soba Noodles with Tsuyu (Dipping Sauce) only needs a few ingredients – which makes it the perfect quick and easy summer meal!

Ingredients

• Water
• Dashi Powder – I used dashi powder, which I buy from my local Japanese market (Mitsuwa) to make dashi stock.
• Light Soy Sauce – This is “light” or “all-purpose” soy sauce – do not use “dark” soy sauce, as it is too thick and sweet for this recipe.
• Mirin – This is a sweet cooking wine that is used frequently in Korean and Japanese cooking. It provides a great balance to the soy sauce in this recipe.
  • If you don’t have mirin, you can substitute with rice vinegar but add 1 tsp of sugar, as rice vinegar does not have the sweetness of mirin.
  • You can also substitute with 1/4 cup water + 1 tbsp honey mixed in
• Sugar
• Soba (Buckwheat Noodles) – Soba noodles are widely available at most grocery stores. They have a unique nutty flavor due to being made out of buckwheat flour. Because soba is the main component in this dish, I would not recommend substituting with another long noodle.
• Sesame seeds – optional garnish
• Chopped scallions – optional garnish
• Grated radish – optional garnish
• Grated fresh wasabi – optional garnish

Cold Soba Noodles: Recipe Instructions

1. Make your Tsuyu (Dipping Sauce)

Take a small saucepan and mix together water, dashi powder (or dashi liquid), light soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Turn the heat to high and mix the ingredients until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce comes to a boil.

Once the sauce is boiling, turn the heat off and let it cool. Tsuyu is meant to be eaten cold, so if you are planning on eating immediately, place the sauce in an airtight container and in an ice bath.

Otherwise, place your tsuyu (dipping sauce) in the refrigerator.

2. Cook your Soba Noodles

In a second pot, cook your soba noodles according to package directions.

Once cooked, drain the noodles and then immediately rinse under cold water to remove any excess starch and stop them from cooking.

Storage

The Tsuyu (dipping sauce) can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Cooked noodles can need in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days but I do not recommend this, as the noodles will stick together.

What to Serve with Cold Soba Noodles (Zaru Soba)

Other Japanese dishes would go well with Cold Soba Noodles – try my Ramen Eggs, for a high protein, easy snack! You can also serve these noodles alongside a heartier main dish, like Chicken Katsu (don’t forget the homemade Tonkatsu Sauce), Chicken Karaage (or lighten things up with Air Fryer Chicken Karaage), or my delicious one-pan Chicken Teriyaki! If you’re feeling like shrimp, there’s nothing better than crispy Panko Shrimp!

I Love Noodles – What Else Can I Make?

If you want a similarly quick and easy dish, make my 10 Minute Sesame Peanut Noodles (or the spicier version Spicy Peanut Noodles) and Spicy Garlic Ramen! If you’re a fan of gochujang, you’ll love my Spicy Gochujang Noodles! For those that are looking for a heartier dish with mouth-numbing Szechuan flavors, you’ll love my Dan Dan Noodles!

If you tried this Cold Soba Noodles (Zaru Soba) or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!