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Vegetarian, East Asian

Zaru soba with sautéed vegetables

Zaru soba with sautéed vegetables is a Japanese dish of cold buckwheat noodles served with tsuyu sauce and hot vegetables. This recipe for 4 people takes 30 minutes, rated easy, at €2.40 per person. The key to success is rinsing the soba under ice water, which gives them their firm bite.

Tonight, cold buckwheat noodles to dip in tsuyu sauce, with hot sautéed vegetables on the side.

Zaru soba with sautéed vegetables
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.40
Calories per person
560 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer

Zaru soba plays on contrast. Cold, firm buckwheat noodles on one side, freshly sautéed vegetables still warm and crisp on the other. In between, a salty sweet tsuyu sauce you dip each bite into. It's a nice change from regular pasta, with that slightly earthy buckwheat flavor you won't find anywhere else.

This is the kind of dinner you make on a hot summer evening, when a steaming plate feels like too much. The vegetables bring the comforting part without weighing the meal down. It works best for older kids or curious adults, since wasabi and soy sauce ask for a palate that's used to them.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Soba noodles 320 g
  • Kombu or vegetable broth 20 cl
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Mirin or 1 tbsp sugar 3 tbsp
  • Wasabi 1 tsp
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp

Fruits and vegetables

  • Scallions 4
  • Zucchini 2
  • White mushrooms 200 g
  • Red bell pepper 1

Allergens Gluten, Soy

The step by step recipe

  1. Heat the broth with the soy sauce and mirin for 2 minutes, then let it cool and chill the tsuyu sauce. 10 min

    Make it ahead, it tastes better well chilled.

  2. Cut the zucchini, mushrooms, and bell pepper into sticks, then sauté them in the oil. 8 min

    High heat keeps the vegetables crisp.

  3. Cook the soba in boiling water, then drain them. 5 min

    Watch them closely, soba go from firm to mushy fast.

  4. Rinse the soba under cold water while rubbing them, then arrange them on plates.

    A handful of ice cubes in the water keeps the noodles extra cold.

  5. Serve with the sauce, sliced scallions, wasabi, and the warm vegetables.

    Stir a little wasabi directly into the sauce to taste.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick soba with a high buckwheat content, they hold up better during cooking and taste stronger.
  • Save a little of the cloudy soba cooking water, you can use it to thin the tsuyu sauce if it tastes too strong.
  • Cut all the vegetables into sticks of similar size before you start cooking, so they finish at the same time.

The variations

  • Swap the red bell pepper for a yellow or orange one for a different color, the taste stays close.
  • Add a soft boiled egg or grilled tofu to turn this into a more complete meal.
  • For a quicker version, use pre sliced vegetables and cut the vegetable cooking time down to 5 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • Warm salted edamame
  • Iced green tea
  • Japanese cucumber salad

Storage

Cooked and rinsed soba keep for 1 day in the fridge in a closed container, though they lose some of their firmness. The tsuyu sauce keeps for 3 days chilled. Reheat the sautéed vegetables in a pan for a few minutes, but always serve the soba cold.

Questions about this dish

Can you use a different type of noodle instead of soba?

Udon or thin spaghetti can work in a pinch, but they lack the signature buckwheat flavor of soba. The dish still tastes good, just different.

Can you make the tsuyu sauce ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually recommended. Make it the day before and keep it in the fridge, it tastes even better well chilled.

Why do you rinse the soba after cooking?

Rinsing under cold water washes off surface starch and stops the cooking. The noodles turn firm instead of staying soft and sticky.

Is wasabi necessary?

No, you can serve it on the side or skip it when cooking for kids. Everyone can then adjust the sauce to their own taste.

How long does it take to make a cold zaru soba with sautéed vegetables?

Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a cold zaru soba with sautéed vegetables?

About 560 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a cold zaru soba with sautéed vegetables cost?

About €2.40 per serving, or €9.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, soy. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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