Zaru Soba With A Twist

: Make It With Instant Ramen In 10 Minutes

Some noodle dishes you twist elegantly around a fork and bite into. Others, you twist, dip in sauce, and slurp. Zaru soba is the second kind of noodle dish, the one that gets more satisfying with each slurp, or rather, bite. A Japanese dish, it’s traditionally made from chilled buckwheat noodles (soba) served on a bamboo strainer (zaru), accompanied by a savoury soy-dashi dipping sauce (tsuyu). This version, however, swaps soba for instant ramen, for a quicker but just as delicious dish. 

Soba can be enjoyed hot in a warm dashi-based soup or cold with a soy-based dipping sauce like here. However, most ramen recipes call for the ramen to be served hot, immersed in rich, flavourful broths (like miso, tonkotsu, or shoyu) alongside savoury toppings. This ramen-based zaru soba twists the usual serves, balancing creativity with familiarity. However, this is also why the choice of ramen makes a critical difference.

Technically, this is a ramen recipe, but not just any ramen would do. To strike a balance between the traditional dish and the new twist, opt for a no-maida variant. Here’s a complete list of ingredients:  

For the noodles

• 2 packs Sunfeast YiPPee! Power Up Atta Noodles

• Ice water

For the dipping sauce

• ¼ cup soy sauce

• ¼ cup dashi stock (or vegetable stock)

• 2 tbsp mirin

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 tsp rice vinegar (optional)

For serving

• 1 sheet roasted nori, cut into thin strips

• 1 spring onion, finely sliced

• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

• Wasabi (optional)

Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions until just tender. Drain immediately and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking. Transfer the noodles to a bowl of ice water for 2–3 minutes. Avoid overcooking the noodles, as firmer noodles hold the dipping sauce better. Transferring them to ice water stops the noodles from overcooking, washes away excess starch, and gives them a firm, springy texture. 

While your noodles are chilling, literally, start on the sauce. Combine the soy sauce, dashi stock, mirin, sugar, and rice vinegar in a saucepan. Heat gently, just until the sugar dissolves. Let the sauce cool completely before refrigerating. Chilling will let the flavours shine. Both the noodles and the dipping sauce are traditionally served cold, yet the dish showcases a contrast: the concentrated dipping sauce against the plain noodles. 

Drain the chilled noodles well and arrange them on a serving plate. Top with shredded nori and toasted sesame seeds, and serve the dipping sauce in small bowls with sliced spring onions and wasabi on the side. Proper draining prevents excess water from diluting the dipping sauce, ensuring every bite remains flavourful. Since the dish is built on noodles being dipped into the sauce before every bite, proper draining is extremely important.

Pick up a small portion of noodles with chopsticks and dip only the lower half into the sauce before eating. Dipping instead of pouring keeps the noodles light, lets you control the seasoning in every bite, and preserves the delicate balance of flavours. Simply put, you can enjoy the flavour of both the noodle and the sauce. For a more authentic zaru soba experience, keep the noodles as cold as possible until serving.

The Zaru Soba pairs well with a wide range of sides, from tempura (especially shrimp or sweet potato) to eggs. However, the oil and crunch of the tempura balance the clean, subtle flavours of the noodles and are one of the most common sides. For a lighter, more refreshing meal, opt for crisp, tangy pickled daikon, cucumbers, or ginger. They act as a palate cleanser between bites. For drinks, opt for Mugicha, made from Barley. It’s a roasted, refreshing summer staple served ice-cold.

This is just the beginning. The world of ramen recipes includes easy, cosy, and warm treats perfect for monsoon, spicy, savoury meals, and even gourmet twists on classics.     And if you know of a ramen or noodle recipe the world deserves to know, follow the mantra that sharing is caring and submit your recipe for the Too Cool For Hot Noodles Challenge. You never know when a Yippee! Noodle recipe makes you a winner.