5 from 2 votes

Stay cool this summer with Hiyashi Chuka, the best Japanese cold ramen! Try this delicious and refreshing dish for a delightful taste of Japan!

Do you love ramen? Then you can't miss these cold ramen noodles! This delightful Japanese dish is the perfect escape from the summer heat!

Learn how to make it and enjoy the harmony of springy ramen noodles, a colorful blend of fresh vegetables, and a refreshing sauce!

This recipe is for you if:

You love Japanese ramen and cold noodles.
You are looking for an easy Japanese ramen recipe.
You are looking for a hiyashi chuka recipe.

If you want to check the recipe immediately, please visit the link below. Let's get started!

Jump to:

About This Recipe
What is Hiyashi Chuka?
📋 Ingredients
Where to Buy Japanese Ingredients
🔪Instructions
Serve
Helpful Tips
Variety of Toppings
How To Eat It
Thanks For Stopping By!
More Noodle Recipes You Might Like
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

About This Recipe

Vegetarian Hiyashi Chuka recipe
Japanese cold ramen dish
Easy to make homemade sauce
Perfect dish on a hot day!

What is Hiyashi Chuka?

Hiyashi Chuka, also known as "hiyashi ramen," is a popular Japanese cold noodle dish perfect on a hot summer day.

It consists of cold ramen noodles topped with a colorful array of fresh vegetables, protein, and a soy sauce-based sauce. Classic hiyashi chuka contains cucumber, tomato, egg, and ham as toppings.

The name "hiyashi" translates to "cold" in Japanese, while "chuka" refers to Chinese cuisine, but the dish originated in Japan.

📋 Ingredients

Here are the ingredients (amounts are in the recipe card below).

Ramen noodles: Japanese grocery stores often stock Hiyashi Chuka packs in the refrigerated section during the hot summer months. These packs conveniently include fresh ramen noodles, sauce, and furikake seasoning. See more below.

Toppings: I selected egg, cucumber, tomato, atsuage, and furikake (rice seasoning) for this recipe. Atsuage (deep-fried tofu) is a great addition for vegetarians. You can easily substitute it with firm tofu.

Sauce ingredients: It's easy to make homemade sauce with rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. For a versatile twist, you can substitute rice vinegar with other types of vinegar or lemon juice. Similarly, you may replace sesame oil with olive oil or vegetable oil to suit your taste preferences.

Ramen Noodles

Japanese ramen noodles are crafted from wheat flour, water, salt, and kansui, an alkaline mineral water that gives them their distinct yellow color and firm texture. Some ramen noodles may also contain eggs.

I like to use fresh noodles like the above for the Hiyashi Chuka, but you can also find dried noodles. Either way, ramen noodles are quick to cook, and they are an excellent choice for a fast and delectable lunch option.

Where to Buy Japanese Ingredients

If you live in the US, you can find Japanese ingredients in the list below.

Japanese market: Mitsuwa Marketplace, Marukai
Asian market
Whole Foods Market
Health food stores
Online stores: Instacart, Walmart, Amazon

🔪Instructions

Let me walk you through how to make it! The instructions are as follows: preparing toppings, making the sauce, cooking the noodles, and assembling the dish.

1. Cut the cucumber into thin strips and cut the tomato into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

2. Cut the atsuage into thin strips and then cook it in either the oven or a frying pan until it becomes crispy, which usually takes around 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Whisk egg in a small bowl, heat a frying pan, add a little oil, and cook the egg mixture into thin omelets. Once cooled, cut the omelets into thin strips.

4. Set aside the toppings.

5. Add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and water in a small bottle and shake the bottle to combine.

6. Boil water in a large pot over medium heat and cook noodles according to the package instructions.

7. Drain and rinse them under cold running water to let them cool.

8. Place the drained noodles on a serving plate.

9. Arrange the toppings on top of the noodles.

10. Pour the sauce over.

Serve

Your colorful Vegetarian Hiyashi Chuka is ready! Enjoy the taste of summer!

Helpful Tips

As you prepare the sauce, taste it, and feel free to adjust the ingredients to suit your preferences.
When cooking noodles, Stir the noodles gently while cooking to prevent them from clumping together.
Drain the noodles and rinse them under cold water. This step halts the cooking process, cools down the noodles, and makes the noodles firm and springy.
When serving, arranging the toppings symmetrically will make the dish look appealing!

Variety of Toppings

Here are some more toppings you can try for this Japanese cold ramen. Experiment and create your combination of toppings, mixing and matching to suit your preferences!

Bean Sprouts: Add a crunchy texture and freshness to your Hiyashi Chuka with a generous handful of bean sprouts.
Leafy Vegetables: Enhance the nutritional value of your Hiyashi Chuka with a mix of leafy greens like spinach, lettuce, or arugula, providing a burst of color and vitamins.
Chili Oil: If you crave heat, drizzle chili oil over your dish to infuse it with a spicy kick.
White Sesame Seeds: Sprinkle toasted white sesame seeds for a nutty and aromatic touch, adding depth to the overall taste.
Karashi (Hot Mustard): For those who love a bold flavor, Japanese hot yellow mustard brings a fiery tang that pairs perfectly with Hiyashi Chuka.

How To Eat It

Just mix the noodles and toppings together and enjoy with chopsticks or a fork! Our 5-year-old girl loves the noodles so much!

Thanks For Stopping By!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog♡ If you’ve tried this recipe (or any other recipe on the blog), please give it a star rating below!

Also, feel free to leave comments if you have any questions. I love hearing from you!

Chef JA Cooks is a Japanese food blog that shares simple and healthy Japanese home cooking recipes, including vegan and vegetarian. From traditional Japanese recipes to modern recipes with step-by-step instructions.

Vegetarian Hiyashi Chuka Recipe (Japanese Cold Ramen)