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Zaru soba is a refreshing, cold soba noodle dish made with buckwheat noodles dipped in tsuyu, a savory dipping sauce. This quick and easy version will have you enjoying cold soba noodles in only 7 minutes without sacrificing any flavor! Add nori, green onions, sesame seeds, and grated daikon to make this the best zaru soba!
Zaru soba is a refreshing, flavorful cold soba noodle dish from Japan that’s great for cooling off during the summertime! It’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy buckwheat noodles, and this quick and easy version will have you enjoying these soba noodles in under 10 minutes with only three ingredients!
What is Zaru Soba?
Zaru soba (ざるそば), also known as cold soba noodles with dipping sauce, is made of chilled soba noodles individually portioned and dipped into ice-cold dipping sauce, known as mentsuyu or tsuyu. Optional toppings include chopped green onions, nori seaweed, grated daikon, and wasabi. The name ‘zaru soba’ comes from the traditional bamboo strainer or basket (called ‘zaru’) on which these Japanese cold noodles are served.
A signature presentation of zaru soba is to have individual mounds of soba noodles placed atop a draining mat. This prevents the soba noodles from sitting in water and getting soggy while making it easy to grab just the right amount of noodles.
Ingredients
- Soba noodles – Also called buckwheat noodles, these noodles are made with a high percentage of buckwheat flour which lends to their nutty, earthy flavor. They are typically sold in bundles for easy portioning.
- Soba dipping sauce – This is called tsuyu or mentsuyu and is made from dashi, bonito flakes, and soy sauce. It’s a savory sauce that’s slightly sweet with loads of umami flavor. My delicious two-ingredient dipping sauce is the easiest sauce you’ll find!
- Toppings – Popular toppings include chopped green onions, grated daikon, and wasabi. These are mixed into the tsuyu dipping sauce with nori strips placed atop the noodles.
How to Make Zaru Soba (Cold Soba Noodles)
- Boil the soba noodles according to the package directions and rinse very well under cold water. Remove as much starch as possible to avoid gummy, sticky noodles.
- Bundle the cold noodles into individual servings and place atop a slotted bamboo or plastic mat to drain excess water. Next place nori strips and green onions on top.
- Make the soba noodle dipping sauce by mixing the tsuyu base with ice-cold water. Taste and adjust with more water if needed.
- Add optional flavorings like grated daikon, chopped green onions, wasabi, and sesame seeds to the dipping sauce.
How to Serve Zaru Soba
The best way to serve zaru soba is to place optional toppings in individual bowls on the side to allow each person to add as much or as little as they’d like.
Optional toppings include chopped green onions, grated daikon radish, nori strips, sesame seeds, and wasabi.
Some say the proper way to enjoy zaru soba is to only dip the soba noodles halfway into the sauce to allow the subtle flavor of buckwheat to shine through while keeping the nori strips crisp and dry.
However, you can enjoy it any way you want, there are no hard rules!
Tips
- Rinse the soba noodles very well under cold, running water to remove the starch.
- Chill the dipping sauce in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Avoid over-cooking the noodles as they can break apart easily due to the nature of buckwheat flour.
More recipes
7-Minute Zaru Soba (Cold Soba Noodles)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 bundles soba noodles, See Note 1
Soba Dipping Sauce
- ⅓ cup tsuyu dipping sauce base, See Note 2
- 1 cup ice-cold water, or boiling water for a hot version
Optional Toppings
- nori strips, for the noodles
- chopped green onions, sesame seeds, grated daikon, wasabi, for the dipping sauce
Instructions
Make Soba Dipping Sauce
- Soba dipping sauce: Mix the tsuyu base and ice-cold water together. Taste and adjust with more water if needed. Store in the fridge until ready to use.⅓ cup tsuyu dipping sauce base, 1 cup ice-cold water
Prepare Soba Noodles
- Boil the soba noodles according to your package directions. Rinse under ice-cold water to remove excess starch. This prevents the noodles from sticking together. Bundle into individual portions and place atop a soba noodle mat to drain excess water. Top with optional nori strips.2 bundles soba noodles, nori strips
Serve
- Portion out the tsuyu dipping sauce and add any toppings of your choice, including chopped green onions, sesame seeds, grated daikon, and wasabi. Dip the soba noodles into the tsuyu sauce and enjoy!chopped green onions, sesame seeds, grated daikon, wasabi
Notes
- Types of soba noodles – Buy soba noodles in any Asian or Japanese grocery store. The texture and flavor will vary depending on the percentage of buckwheat flour. For a strong buckwheat flavor, look for one with a high percentage of buckwheat flour (some are made from 100% buckwheat flour). However, this can create a brittle, dry texture that breaks apart easily. For a softer, more flexible texture, choose one that has a mix of buckwheat flour and wheat flour.
- Tsuyu Dipping Sauce Base – This is a delicious concentrated base used for all kinds of Japanese noodle soups and dipping sauces. It’s flavored with soy sauce, kelp, and mirin and saves you the time and hassle of making your own dashi base while delivering authentic flavor. It’s very concentrated so be sure to dilute it with water first.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Soba noodles are made with primarily buckwheat flour and have an earthy, nutty flavor. They are typically served in both hot and cold dishes and can also be made into noodle salads. They contain more fiber and protein than typical wheat noodles so make a good option for those looking for an alternative.
Delicious cold soba noodles. It’s perfect t when it is hot out and you crave noodles! Wonderful balance of flavours too
I’ll be making this all summer long! I love how simple and easy the zaru soba sauce is. I had this with shrimp tempura. Delicious, thank you!
Oh my goodness, these soba noodles are so good!! I am so excited to make this again, thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
this zaru soba turned out so amazing! the flavor was incredible and the family loved it for dinner this week! we served it with grilled teriyaki chicken on the side.
Super yummy and easy recipe! I served these as a side dish with dinner but liked them so much that I made a batch the next day and added chicken and broccoli to make it a meal! Really good recipe.
I love soba noodles and this recipe is the best. It’s so easy to make when it’s hot outside. Loved the dipping sauce.
The perfect easy lunch recipe! I am working from home at the moment and was getting tired of the same old lunches. This one is so quick to prepare and tastes just incredible. I garnished with some sesame seeds, and followed the recipe to the letter – it really is just perfect as it is! So happy to have found a soba noodle recipe I enjoy so much.
First time having cold soba noodles and loved it! I added some ice cubes to make the broth colder. So good!
DIdn’t have soba noodles so used rice noodles and thin wheat noodles another time. Tasted excellent! The cold broth is great but I’ve had this warm too which is nice on a cold day. My family loves this!
I love this recipe! I tried this once in a Japanese restaurant and it was delicious. Thrilled to find a recipe that’s just as tasty!
i remember having this in japan and loving it! i’m so happy i found a way to make this at home and it’s delicious!
I absolutely LOVE this zaru soba! It’s such a nice lunch option in the dead of summer when it’s too hot to cook a lot or eat anything overly warm. The flavors are awesome, too.
This is an amazingly easy dish to make so it’s perfect to make these cold soba noodles for lunch. So full of flavor.
This looks delicious! Definitely going to add the wasabi. Thanks for the clear instructions, can’t wait to try it!
Can’t believe this is made in just minutes! Perfect last minute dinner… can’t wait to try!
Just made this for lunch and it was so tasty! I added some grated ginger to the sauce which was really nice. The tsuyu base is great for a tempura dipping sauce too! Thank you!
Love how quick and easy this is! My kids loved the soba noodles with a bit of sauce mixed in. Fast and simple!
These are so perfect for a hot day. Tasted very authentic!!!
Immediately obsessed with this recipe!
Beautiful pictures and the noodles look fantastic. Thanks for great recipe.