Soba

Chilled Soba with Dipping Sauce (Zaru Soba)

A classic Japanese summer dish of cold buckwheat noodles with a savory soy-dashi dipping sauce, garnished with scallion and wasabi. Slurping the noodles straight from the chilled bowl is the traditional way to enjoy this refreshing meal.

Prep

15 min

Cook

10 min

Total

25 min

Serves

2

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •200 g (7 oz) dried soba noodles, 100% buckwheat or a blend with wheat flour; check package for cooking time
• •400 ml (13½ fl oz) water, for dashi, or use 1 tsp instant dashi powder dissolved in 400 ml water
• •10 g (0.35 oz) kombu (dried kelp), optional if using instant dashi; required for homemade dashi
• •10 g (0.35 oz) bonito flakes (katsuobushi), optional if using instant dashi; if included, strain after steeping
• •100 ml (3½ fl oz) soy sauce, use a good-quality Japanese soy sauce for best flavor
• •100 ml (3½ fl oz) mirin, sweet rice wine; if unavailable, substitute with 90 ml sake + 1 tsp sugar
• •1 tbsp sugar, adjust to taste
• •2 scallions, finely sliced, for garnish
• •1 tsp wasabi paste, to serve, or to taste
• •1 sheet nori (dried seaweed), cut into thin strips, optional for garnish

Steps

1. 1 Make the dashi: If using kombu and bonito, put the 400 ml water and kombu in a saucepan. Heat gently over medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes, bringing to just below a simmer (small bubbles around the edges, about 70°C/160°F). Remove the kombu. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then add the bonito flakes. Turn off the heat and let steep for 1 minute. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing lightly to extract the liquid. Discard the solids. If using instant dashi, dissolve the powder in 400 ml hot water and set aside.
2. 2 In the same saucepan, combine the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves - do not boil. Once dissolved, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely (at least 30 minutes).
3. 3 Cook the soba noodles: Bring a large pot of water (at least 3 liters / 3 quarts) to a rolling boil. Add the dried soba noodles and stir gently to separate them. Cook according to the package instructions (usually 4–6 minutes) until the noodles are tender but still have a firm bite (al dente). Start testing at the minimum time - the noodle should be cooked through but not mushy. Drain immediately in a colander.
4. 4 Rinse the noodles under cold running water, rubbing gently with your hands to remove excess starch. Continue until the water runs clear. Then plunge the noodles into a bowl of ice water and let them chill for 2–3 minutes. Drain very thoroughly, shaking off excess water.
5. 5 Divide the noodles between two serving plates or bamboo trays. Arrange them neatly. Top with the sliced scallions and nori strips (if using). Place a small mound of wasabi on the side.
6. 6 Serve with the chilled dipping sauce in individual small bowls. To eat, pick up a small bundle of noodles with chopsticks, dip them into the sauce, and slurp. Add wasabi to the sauce if desired.