Go Back
–+ servings
Chilled soba noodles get lifted off a zaru with chopsticks for dipping into soba sauce.
Print

Zaru Soba (Chilled Soba Noodles)

Chilled Soba Noodles, or Zaru Soba, is a classic summertime meal in Japan accompanied by a savory dipping sauce called tsuyu, and a plethora of condiments called yakumi.
Course Entree
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword noodles
Level Beginner
Main Ingredient Noodles
Diet Dairy-Free, Low-Fat, Pescatarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 2 servings
Calories 253kcal
Author Marc Matsumoto

Equipment

Ingredients

For dipping sauce

  • 1 cup dashi stock
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sake
  • 1 ½ teaspoons evaporated cane sugar

For serving

  • 2 servings soba noodles
  • 1 teaspoon wasabi
  • 1 scallion (finely chopped)
  • 50 grams daikon (grated and drained)
  • ½ sheet nori (cut into thin strips with scissors)
Grams + US Cups - US Standard

Instructions

  • To make the dipping sauce, add the 1 cup dashi stock, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sake and 1 ½ teaspoons evaporated cane sugar to a saucepan, and bring the mixture to a boil. Continue boiling for 1 minute to vaporize the alcohol in the sake and soy sauce. Set this aside to cool.
    1 cup dashi stock, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sake, 1 ½ teaspoons evaporated cane sugar
    A boiling pot of soba tsuyu or dipping sauce.
  • To boil the 2 servings soba noodles, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the soba noodles and stir for about a minute to ensure the noodles don't stick together. Continue boiling the noodles for the amount of time specified on the package.
    2 servings soba noodles
    A pot of boiling water with soba noodles.
  • Transfer the noodles to a strainer using chopsticks or tongs (leaving the boiling liquid in the pot).
    Transferring the cooked soba from the pot to a strainer.
  • Wash the soba under cold running water to cool it to room temperature while removing any excess starch on the noodles' surface.
    Rinsing boiled soba noodles under running water to remove excess starch from the surface of the noodles.
  • Transfer the soba to a bowl of ice water and let the noodles chill for a moment.
    Chilling soba noodles in a bowl of ice water.
  • Serve the noodles by scooping small amounts of soba out of the ice water and bundling them up into small mounds on a zaru or large flat basket.
    Making mounds of soba on a traditional bamboo zaru.
  • Serve immediately with the dipping sauce and condiments such as 1 teaspoon wasabi, 1 scallion, 50 grams daikon, and ½ sheet nori.
    1 teaspoon wasabi, 1 scallion, 50 grams daikon, ½ sheet nori
    Serving Zaru Soba with dipping sauce and condiments.
  • Once you've finished eating the cold soba, reheat the boiling liquid and serve it in a teapot to add to the remaining dipping sauce to make a broth.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 2347mg | Potassium: 387mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 98IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 3mg