How to Make Zaru Soba (Japanese Cold Buckwheat Noodles With Dipping Sauce)

Zaru Soba is a simple and refreshing Japanese dish made with chilled buckwheat noodles served on a bamboo tray (zaru). You dip the noodles into a cold homemade tsuyu sauce made from soy sauce, mirin, and dashi. It’s often topped with shredded nori, wasabi, and green onions, perfect for hot summer days.

These light, nutty noodles are eaten year-round in Japan but are especially popular in summer. You can enjoy them on their own or with sides like tempura, edamame, or pickles.

Soba has been around since the Edo period and still holds deep meaning today, especially as Toshikoshi Soba, traditionally eaten on New Year’s Eve to welcome a fresh start.

Check out our ultimate guide to learn more about soba.

Here are other cold soba recipes you can try!

• Zaru Soba: with dipping sauce and shredded nori
• Oroshi Soba: topped with grated daikon and citrus
  
• Soba Salad: a modern, colorful twist with fresh veggies
• Mori Soba: similar to zaru, but without seaweed
• Tenzaru Soba: Soba with assorted tempura 
  

Most soba dishes are vegetarian, and with a few swaps, like using kombu dashi instead of fish-based stock, they can be made vegan. For gluten-free diets, choose buckwheat noodles, as many soba noodles also contain wheat.

To cook soba like a pro, boil the noodles in plenty of water, rinse them under cold water, and chill in an ice bath for that perfect bounce and refreshing texture. They’re best eaten fresh, but you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.

This easy zaru soba recipe is a summer must-try! Please give it a go and enjoy a taste of Japan at home!