Zaru soba (cold soba noodles) is the best way to eat soba (buckwheat) noodles. Zaru soba is the simplest form of eating noodles and so fast to make. It is a popular summer dish in Japan of course but if you want to be like a connoisseur and enjoy the soba itself, then eat cold even in winter. Use konbu (kelp) dashi to make it a perfect vegetarian dish.
Recipe by Yumiko on January 17, 2017
Prep time: PT5M
Cook time: PT10M
Total time: PT15M
Rating
4.84 stars (6 reviews)
Ingredients
2 bunches of dried soba noodles ((note 1))
200ml (6.8oz) dashi stock
50ml (1.7oz) soy sauce
50ml (1.7oz) mirin
2 tbsp finely chopped shallots ((scallions))
Wasabi ((Japanese horseradish))
Julienned yaki nori ((roasted seaweed sheet))
Categories
Main
Cuisine
Japanese
Steps
Add dipping sauce ingredients into a saucepan and heat over medium heat.
When small bubbles start coming up around the edge, let it cook for about 15 seconds and turn off the heat. Cool down at least to room temperature (note 2).
Boil water in a large saucepan. Remove the tape from each bunch (if it is bunched) and spread noodles into the pan. Mix for about 15 seconds ensuring that each strand is separated.
Boil for the duration recommended on the back of the pack (4-6 minutes depending on the brand).
Drain into colander and rinse well under running water. Shake the colander well to remove water at the bottom of the colander and leave until required.
Plate soba noodles on a large plate to share or two plates for individual serves.
Sprinkle yaki nori on the top.
Serve with dipping sauce in a small bowl with condiments.
Reviews
Charlie on 2026-07-31 (5 stars): I love your website.
What would you serve with soba?
Judy on 2026-06-28 (5 stars): This was fab! I’ve not had Zaru Soba in over 20 years and this took me right back to the hot Japanese summer. So easy and so tasty.
Alex on 2022-01-12 (5 stars): I just made this recipe vegan and gluten free with 100% buckwheat noodles and vegan dashi stock and it was amazing! Thank you for sharing how to make this- I ended up eating 4 servings of noodles worth 😂
I had a lot of leftover dipping sauce even halving dipping sauce amount with 200g of noodles though so people making this should keep that in mind!
Debbie Niskin on 2017-02-21 (5 stars): I also thank you Yumiko. I find so many healthy recipes that I am able to use in my kosher kitchen. Many times you give me a vegetarian version as in your dashi recipes. These are building blocks for your other delicious posts.
I also loved the post about etiquette. I will do my best to translate most of that one into Hebrew for my granddaughters. Jewish custom is to avoid pouring liquids back-handed. It is how the dead are washed before burial. It is interesting to know these traditions and avoid insulting the people you wish to befriend. I love Mexico, so I would never give yellow chrysanthemums since they are used for the Day of the Dead.
mb on 2017-02-21 (4 stars): I'm very interested in buckwheat recipes. I find I am more and more unable to eat wheat, and am told buckwheat is NOT a wheat. Yay! It's a member of the rhubarb family. Imagine.
Do you have a recipe for a cold, but spicy soba noodle dish? Don't know where I've eaten it but I'd love to make it.
Donna on 2017-01-18 (5 stars): Yumiko, I wanted to write and tell you how happy I am that I found your blog. I am really enjoying your posts. I spent a year in Japan in high school as an exchange student and ate many delicious meals in the home of my host family. In the many years that have transpired since then I have forgotten many of them and regrettably never learned to make much more that curry from a box. Not only are your recipes simple and delicious, but they bring back such memories for me! In addition, I so appreciate your detailed directions and advice on which products to buy when abroad. As we all know, a good home cook can make a dish look deceptively easy, and so it is only by knowing their "tricks" that I can hope to replicate it. Thank you so much for sharing all of this!!!
