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    You are here: Home / Main Entree / Cold Soba Noodles (Zaru Soba) with Dipping Sauce

    Cold Soba Noodles (Zaru Soba) with Dipping Sauce

    Published: Aug 13, 2021 by Kaylie This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe
    Noodles with seaweed and green onions on bamboo mat.
    Noodles on a bamboo mat dish.

    These Japanese cold soba noodles with a rich, umami dipping sauce is the perfect refreshing meal for hot summer days. Make this meal in less than 15 minutes with a quick dashi stock that does not compromise on flavor! It’s a perfect option for a light lunch.

    Noodles on bamboo mat.

    During hot summer days, I’m all about quick and easy meals like these onigiri rice triangles and zaru soba with the most flavorful and balanced dipping sauce! I was introduced to these noodles way back when I used to live in the heart of Los Angeles, where authentic and delicious Japanese restaurants are a-plenty. 

    Soba means buckwheat in Japanese and zaru is a strainer usually made of bamboo. Essentially these buckwheat noodles are served on a strainer. This recipe uses a dashi powdered stock as the base for the dipping sauce. It’s a quick and convenient way to get dashi broth when you’re short on time.  Follow the instructions below on how to make this refreshing and delicious noodles!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients & Notes
    • Instructions
    • Pro Tips
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Easy Asian Recipes to Enjoy
    • Cold (Zaru) Soba Noodles with Dipping Sauce

    Ingredients & Notes

    Buckwheat noodles and ingredients for dipping sauce.

    Soba noodles – There are several types of soba noodles, most of them are a blend of buckwheat and wheat flour. You can get them at a Japanese market or most Asian markets. 

    Soba Dipping Sauce – Made from just 3 easy ingredients: The dashi broth, soy sauce and mirin. I use this HonDashi brand for the dashi seasoning powder, which is fairly inexpensive and found at most Asian markets. There are other types of dashi stock powder that are more expensive, and offer a more refined flavor.

    For both the soy sauce and mirin, you can get them at most American or Asian grocery stores.  I use Kikkoman soy sauce and mirin is a Japanese rice wine that adds sweetness to the sauce.

    Garnish ingredients and plate for cold soba noodles.

    Optional Condiments – The condiments are added to the dipping sauce for additional flavor. Scallions, wasabi, seaweed, and grated daikon radish are some great options.

    Zaru Soba Noodle Tray – I got this bamboo mat with a tray at my local Japanese store. It helps to drain the water from the noodles.

    Instructions

    Boiled buckwheat noodles and drained noodles in colander.

    1). Make the soba noodles by boiling them for the recommended time on the package. Mine took about 5 minutes. The noodles should not be al dente or mushy, but just soft enough. Make sure to taste them before straining.

    2). Rinse the cooked noodles under cold water, which stops the cooking process and helps prevent them from sticking.

    Noodles in ice bowl and sauce in pan.

    3). Give the buckwheat noodles a nice ice bath, this is a must to get the noodles nice and chilled!

    4). Make the sauce by adding all the ingredients into a sauce pan and bringing it to a boil. You can then let the sauce cool to room temperature, or place it in the fridge for a quicker cool down.

    Pro Tips

    • To serve, portion out the noodles and place them on a zaru mat (if you don’t have one, make sure to drain the noodles really well with a strainer). Portion the sauce in a small bowl and serve on the side. 
    • To eat, add optional condiments to the dipping sauce. Take some noodles and dip it into the sauce and enjoy it with a nice slurp!
    • You can store the noodles for up to 3 days and the sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
    Noodles being dipped in sauce with chopsticks.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do you keep soba noodles from sticking together?

    Soba noodles need to be washed with cold water right after they’re cooked to prevent them from sticking.

    Is soba always cold?

    Soba can be served hot or cold. Here we are making a cold noodle dish, which needs to be chilled in an ice bath. Usually when they are served hot, it’s in a hot broth.

    What goes with cold soba noodles?

    This dish is delicious by itself, or you can serve it with a side of vegetable or shrimp tempura, or karaage (Japanese fried chicken).

    Do you salt the water for soba noodles?

    There is no need to salt the water for soba noodles. The dipping salt provides enough salt and flavor to the dish.

    More Easy Asian Recipes to Enjoy

    • Four triangle shaped rice balls wrapped in seaweed on a plate.
      Japanese Onigiri Rice Triangles (Rice Wrapped with Seaweed)
    • Rice bowl with ground meat with broccoli florets and julienned carrots stirfry.
      Ground Turkey Teriyaki Rice Bowl
    • Golden puff pastries on a cooling rack
      Easy Pâté Chaud (Vietnamese Meat Pies)
    • Closeup bowl yogurt with scattered blueberries and raspberries
      Vietnamese Yogurt (Da Ua) Instant Pot Recipe

    Love a recipe you’ve tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card and a comment below! That’ll make my day!

    Let’s be friends! Follow me on social media @ Instagram, Pinterest. Give me a tag @apeachyplate when you try out a recipe!

    Buckwheat noodles garnished with seaweed strips and sesame seeds

    Cold (Zaru) Soba Noodles with Dipping Sauce

    Kaylie
    These cold soba noodles with a rich, umami dipping sauce is the perfect refreshing meal for hot summer days. Make this meal in less than 15 minutes with a quick dashi stock that does not compromise on flavor! It’s a perfect option for a light lunch.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course lunch, Main Course
    Cuisine Asian, Japanese
    Servings 2 people
    Calories 401 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 ounces dried soba (buckwheat noodles) half 16 ounce package

    Cold Soba Dipping Sauce

    • 1 cup dashi stock For the HonDashi stock brand, add 1 teaspoon seasoning to 1 cup of water.  Follow instructions on how to make the dashi broth based on the brand you get. 
    • ¼ cup mirin
    • ¼ cup soy sauce

    Optional toppings

    • scallions, thinly sliced
    • nori (seaweed), cut into small thin pices.
    • daikon, grated
    • sesame seeds
    • wasabi

    Instructions
     

    • Boil the noodles per the recommended time on package. Usually about 5 minutes.
    • Rinse the cooked noodles in a strainer under cold water.
    • Submerge the noodles in a big bowl with cold water and ice. Set aside until ready to serve.
    • Make the dipping sauce. Add dashi stock, mirin and soy sauce into a small sauce pan and take it to a boil on medium heat, about 5 minutes.
    • Turn off the heat, let the sauce cool to room temperature or place it in the refrigerator for a quicker cool down.
    • To serve, portion out the noodles and place them on a Zaru mat (if you don’t have one, make sure to drain the noodles really well with a strainer). Portion the sauce in a small bowl and serve on the side. 
    • To eat, add optional condiments to the dipping sauce. Take some noodles and dip it into the sauce and enjoy it with a nice slurp!

    Notes

    *Nutritional facts provided are only an estimate, accuracy is not guaranteed.
    • The condiments are added to the dipping sauce for additional flavor. Scallions, wasabi, seaweed, and grated daikon radish are some great options.
    • This dish is delicious by itself, or you can serve it with a side of vegetable or shrimp tempura, or karaage (Japanese fried chicken).
    • You can store the noodles for up to 3 days and the sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2peopleCalories: 401kcalCarbohydrates: 195gProtein: 42gSodium: 3785mgSugar: 15g
    Tried this recipe?Tag @apeachyplate or hashtag #apeachyplate!

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    Hello, I’m Kaylie -a licensed registered nurse and mommy to two hungry little boys who oversee my taste-test kitchen. Here you’ll find tasty recipes made with real ingredients that I cook for my family – from healthy and nourishing, to savory and comforting. I hope you enjoy, from my family to yours!

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    Hello, I’m Kaylie -a licensed registered nurse and mommy to two hungry little boys who oversee my taste-test kitchen. Here you’ll find tasty recipes made with real ingredients that I cook for my family – from healthy and nourishing, to savory and comforting. I hope you enjoy, from my family to yours!

    More about me →

    Easy Instant Pot Recipes

    • Closeup mashed potatoes in a bowl.
      Easy Instant Pot Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
    • Bowl of chicken egg noodle soup with carrots and celery.
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    • Sliced up pork ribs.
      Instant Pot St. Louis Ribs with Apple Juice
    • Pulled pork sandwich topped with coleslaw.
      Instant Pot Bone-In Pulled Pork Shoulder
    • Bowl of rice noodle soup with beef and herbs.
      Instant Pot Oxtail Beef Pho (Pho Duoi Bo)
    • Shredded beef tacos garnished with tomatoes, onion, cheese, and cilantro.
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    Easy Weeknight Recipes

    • Bowl of fried rice with sausage, vegetables, eggs and green onions.
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    • Hamburger with tomatoes, and lettuce on plate.
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    • Bowl of yellow rice with cilantro leaves.
      Easy Rice Cooker Turmeric (Yellow) Rice
    • Noodles with shrimp on a plate.
      Vietnamese Garlic Noodles with Shrimp

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