If you’re looking for a light, authentic recipe to enjoy on hot days or when you’re in the mood for something different, zaru soba is your go-to dish. This classic Japanese meal combines delicious buckwheat noodles (soba) with a light, umami-packed dipping sauce known as mentsuyu. Today, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to make restaurant-quality zaru soba in the comfort of your own kitchen.
What is Zaru Soba?
Zaru soba is a simple yet tradition-filled dish. The soba noodles are cooked, chilled with icy water, and served on a bamboo tray called a zaru. They’re paired with mentsuyu, served in a small bowl for dipping before eating.
Classic toppings include fresh scallions and wasabi, which add a refreshing and slightly spicy kick. At the end of the meal, the soba cooking water (sobayu) is mixed with the mentsuyu to create a hot, flavorful infusion, letting you enjoy the nutrients from the cooking water as a bonus.
Why Make Zaru Soba at Home?
Making zaru soba at home is an easy way to enjoy an authentic Japanese dish. Plus, this dish is incredibly versatile—you can customize the toppings to your liking or add extras like nori (seaweed), tempura, or marinated mushrooms for a special twist.
It’s the perfect recipe for hot days or when you want a quick, simple dish that still feels unique and refreshing.
Ingredients
Though the ingredient list is short, each one is essential to the dish’s success:
- Soba noodles: Made primarily of buckwheat, they have a unique nutty flavor and texture. Choose high-quality noodles for the best results.
- Mentsuyu: The essential umami-rich sauce made with sake, mirin, soy sauce, kombu, and katsuobushi.
- Scallions and wasabi: These add freshness and a spicy kick to enhance the dish’s flavors.
- Sobayu (cooking water): Rich in nutrients and starch, it’s perfect for preparing a flavorful infusion with the mentsuyu.
Tips for Perfectly Cooked Soba Noodles
Cooking soba might seem straightforward, but a few tricks can make a big difference:
- Pre-soak if dry: If your soba noodles aren’t fresh, soak them in cold water for about 10 minutes before boiling to ensure even cooking and a better texture.
- Ice water bath: After cooking, rinse the noodles with cold water and immerse them in ice water. This halts the cooking process and gives them the firm, refreshing texture zaru soba is known for.
- Save the cooking water: Reserve a cup of the soba cooking water (sobayu) to mix with the mentsuyu at the end of your meal.
Mentsuyu sauce, the heart of the dish
The key to zaru soba lies in the mentsuyu sauce, a light yet flavor-packed mixture. Making it at home is easier than it sounds—you just need a few staples like sake, mirin, soy sauce, kombu (dried kelp), and katsuobushi (bonito flakes).
The process is simple: simmer sake to remove the alcohol, add the other ingredients, cook briefly, and strain the mixture. The best part? You can prepare it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, ready to use whenever you like.
How to serve zaru soba
The presentation of zaru soba is as simple as it is elegant. Place the noodles on a bamboo tray and serve the mentsuyu in a separate bowl. Accompany it with fresh scallions and a touch of wasabi.
To eat, mix the scallions and wasabi into the mentsuyu, dip the noodles into the sauce, and enjoy. At the end, combine the sobayu with the mentsuyu for a warm, comforting infusion to finish the meal.
Zaru soba pairs perfectly with Japanese side dishes like crispy tempura, pickled vegetables (tsukemono), or a light seaweed salad for a balanced and flavorful meal.
Will You Give It a Try?
Making zaru soba at home is a fun and delicious experience. This dish embodies the best of Japanese cuisine: simplicity, tradition, and flavor. It’s also perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself to something special.
See you on the next recipe!
Zaru soba Recipe
Ingredients
For the Metsuyu
For the Zaru Soba
- 4 portions of soba noodles
- 60 ml mentsuyu
- 2 spring onion, to taste
- wasabi, to taste
INSTRUCCIONES
To prepare mentsuyu
- In a pot, add the sake and bring it to a boil for one minute to evaporate the alcohol.
- Add the mirin, soy sauce, kombu seaweed, and katsuobushi to the pot.
- Let the mixture boil for 5 minutes.
- Strain the liquid to remove the solids. The mentsuyu is now ready. Store it in the refrigerator until needed.
To Prepare Mentsuyu:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the soba noodles.
- Cook the noodles for 5-6 minutes, following the instructions on the package.
- Before draining, reserve one cup of the cooking water.
- Strain the noodles and immediately submerge them in ice water to cool.
To Serve Zaru Soba:
- Arrange the soba noodles on a bamboo plate or serving tray.
- Pour the mentsuyu into a small bowl and dilute it with 1-2 parts water for every part of mentsuyu, adjusting to your taste.
- Serve the spring onions and wasabi on the side.
How to Eat:
- Mix the spring onions and wasabi into the mentsuyu as desired.
- Dip the soba noodles into the mentsuyu sauce before eating.
- After finishing the noodles, you can add the reserved hot cooking water to the leftover mentsuyu to enjoy a warm, flavorful broth to end your meal.
