5 from 3 votes

Zaru Soba is a classic Japanese noodle dish perfect for cooling off in warm weather. Learn how to make it and enjoy its delicious and refreshing taste!

Looking for simple noodle dishes? Try my Cold Ramen Noodle Salad, Cold Somen Noodles, or Zaru Udon!

zaru soba noodles served on a bamboo tray.

I’ll walk you through the ingredients and step-by-step instructions. I hope you enjoy it!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Zaru soba is a cool and light meal, perfect for hot summer days.
Quick and easy to prepare, ready in under 10 minutes.
You can savor a simple yet authentic Japanese flavor.

Soba Noodles

Soba noodles are traditional Japanese noodles made by kneading buckwheat flour with water, rolling it thinly, and cutting it into slender strips. They can be enjoyed either cold with dipping sauce or served in a hot soup.

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Zaru Soba Recipe:

Soba Noodles: Dried, fresh, or boiled soba noodles are available at grocery stores. I use dried soba noodles in this recipe.
Mentsuyu is a multipurpose noodle soup base with a savory flavor from dashi broth (Japanese soup stock), mirin, and soy sauce. I use store-bought one in this recipe.
Condiments: Green onions (or scallions, spring onions, and chives) and wasabi, which is a pungent, spicy green-colored paste that is often served as a condiment with sushi.
Shredded Nori seaweed (Kizami nori) for the topping.

For Vegans:

Mentsuyu is typically made from katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). However, you can substitute it with dried shiitake mushrooms and kombu seaweed to make a vegan-friendly sauce, which can be a good alternative for those who prefer plant-based options. Click here to find out more about mentsuyu.

How To Make Zaru Soba: STEP BY STEP

Here are some quick visual instructions! For the video and all the detailed ingredients and instructions, go to the printable recipe card below.

Step 1

Chop green onions.

Step 2

Cook soba noodles in boiling water.

Step 3

Rinse the soba noodles.

Step 4

Dilute the mentsuyu with water.

Place a bamboo strainer on a plate, place soba noodles, and serve with dipping sauce and condiments, and enjoy the fresh noodles!

Recipe Tips

When boiling soba, use plenty of water. This gives the noodles enough room to move freely and prevents them from sticking together.
After boiling, immediately rinse the noodles under cold running water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch. This helps achieve a firm and chewy texture.
If you use store-bought mentsuyu, follow the instructions on the bottle. The amount of water you add depends on the product.

How to Serve Zaru Soba

When eating at a Japanese restaurant, zaru soba is typically served on a bamboo strainer (zaru) or bamboo basket, with dipping sauce and condiments on the side. The bamboo strainer drains any excess water from the noodles and prevents them from becoming soggy. It helps to keep the soba noodles firm and chewy, allowing you to enjoy their texture and flavor to the fullest.

How to Eat Zaru Soba

Try the zaru soba with just the noodles and dipping sauce. You can then experiment with adding condiments to the sauce to adjust the flavor to your liking. Whether to add them little by little or all at once is a matter of personal preference.

To eat zaru soba, use chopsticks (see how to hold chopsticks) to pick up a few noodles and dip them into the sauce halfway, making sure not to fully submerge them as the sauce overpowers the soba noodles’ flavor. Next, lift the noodles out of the sauce and slurp them up to savor their chewy texture. Be careful, as the sauce may splatter (if you are comfortable slurping).

About slurping noodles

If you come from a culture where slurping food is uncommon, slurping noodles may feel strange. However, if you want to fully experience zaru soba’s deliciousness, come to Japan and slurp noodles with us! It’s a fun and authentic way to enjoy this popular Japanese dish and immerse yourself in the local culture!

Sobayu

When dining at soba restaurants in Japan, it is common to be served sobayu after finishing the dish. Sobayu is the water used to cook soba noodles, similar to pasta water. You can drink sobayu like tea or add it to the remaining dipping sauce and drink.

Sobayu is rich in nutrients such as vitamin B1 and rutin, also found in soba noodles. Consuming sobayu allows you to enjoy the nutritional benefits of soba noodles and their unique flavor. Thus, sobayu is a great way to experience the full benefits of soba noodles.

Condiments Variations

Experimenting with different condiments is a great way to add extra flavor to your liking. Some popular condiments for zaru soba include:

Green onion, spring onion – adds a fresh taste.
Grated ginger – adds a zesty and aromatic flavor.
Daikon oroshi (Grated Japanese radish) – adds a fresh and slightly tangy flavor.
Wasabi – adds a spicy kick to the sauce.
Shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice blend) – adds a spicy and slightly smoky flavor.
Ponzu (citrus-based sauce) – adds a tart and tangy flavor.
Sesame seeds – add a nutty flavor and added texture.

Feel free to experiment and find the combination that you enjoy the most!

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Zaru Soba (Japanese Cold Soba Noodles)

5 from 3 votes

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Prep: 4

Cook: 5

Total: 10

Servings: 2 servings

Author: Juri Austin

Zaru soba is a classic Japanese noodle dish perfect for cooling off in warm weather. Learn how to make it and enjoy its delicious and refreshing taste!

Equipment

1 Medium saucepan 18cm (7 inches)
1 Strainer

Ingredients

Instructions

Prepare condiments: Chop green onions and serve on a small plate along with a little wasabi.
Cook soba noodles: Boil plenty of water (not in the ingredients list) in a medium saucepan, add soba noodles, and cook according to the package instructions. Stir the noodles with chopsticks to separate them while cooking.
Drain the noodles: Drain using a strainer and quickly rinse under cold running water to cool it down.
Dipping sauce: Combin mentsuyu and water in a measuring jar and pour into a serving bowl.
Serve: Place a bamboo strainer on a plate, put the soba noodles, top with shredded nori seaweed, and serve with dipping sauce and condiments.

Video

Notes

Find the homemade mentsuyu recipe here.
When boiling soba, use plenty of water. This gives the noodles enough room to move freely and prevents them from sticking together.
After boiling, immediately rinse the noodles under cold running water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch. This helps achieve a firm and chewy texture.
If you use store-bought mentsuyu, follow the instructions on the bottle. The amount of water you add depends on the product.