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    Home » Recipes » Japanese Recipes

    Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Lemon

    Aug 18, 2023 by Asha · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    I love a good soba dish. And this Japanese one is certainly no exception. Cold soba noodle salad with lemon is refreshing, tangy, and simply delicious. It makes an excellent meal when you're in the mood for something light and healthy, or it can be a wonderful side for your choice of protein. What's more, it's ready in a mere 10 minutes - making lunch a breeze.

    A bowl of cold soba noodle salad topped with lemon slices and scallions. this recipe

    Chilled and lemon-y attributes make this beautiful dish perfect for a hot, summer day. However, I could enjoy eating this at any time of the year. I love to pair it with fresh seafood and a lovely white wine.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutions
    • Instructions
    • How to serve it
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • FAQ
    • 📖 Recipe
    Cold soba noodle salad on a plate with lemon slices.

    If you're really looking for a heartier, cold weather noodle dish from Japan, delicious beef curry udon is my recommendation.

    Ingredients

    • Soba (蕎麦) - A thin, Japanese noodle made from buckwheat.
    • Freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • Sesame oil
    • Usukuchi soy sauce (薄口醤油) - This soy sauce is different than regular soy sauce. It is used for cooking and it is lighter in colour and a bit saltier.
    • Mentsuyu (めんつゆ) - A seaweed- and fish-based broth that is used in many Japanese noodle dishes.
    • Honey
    • Toasted sesame seeds
    • Green onion
    • Lemon slices

    See the recipe card below for quantities.

    Image of mentsuyu

    mentsuyu

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    Image of usukuchi soy sauce

    usukuchi soy sauce

    Buy Now →

    Substitutions

    • Usukuchi soy sauce - You can substitute with regular soy sauce or Chinese light soy sauce in this recipe.
    Close up of thin lemon slices on bowl of soba salad.

    Instructions

    A whisk in a glass bowl of sauce.

    In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the lemon juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, mentsuyu, honey, and sesame seeds. Set aside for now.

    A sieve full of soba being rinsed under cold water.

    Cook the soba noodles according to package directions. Once finished cooking, strain them and then wash them with cold, running water.

    A glass bowl of soba noodles tossed in sauce.

    Add the noodles into the bowl with the sauce you made earlier. Toss to make sure the noodles are thoroughly coated.

    Lemon sliced and green onions topping a bowl of soba.

    For a beautiful presentation, place very thin slices of lemon in a circle on top of the soba, then fill in the centre with the pieces of green onion. Mix the green onions into the soba before dishing out to individual serving plates.

    How to serve it

    Enjoy this dish as a light and refreshing meal all in itself, or serve it as the side for your favourite protein. These protein options would go great:

    • Grilled chicken
    • Fish, such as salmon or a white fish
    • Sautéed shrimp
    • Tofu
    Cold soba noodle salad on a plate with lemon slices.

    Equipment

    • Sharp knife - I use a very sharp, Japanese knife to thinly slice the lemon. Japan is famous for its spectacular chef knifes. Some of the knife smith shops that are in production today have histories that date back to the time of sword making for samurai.
    • Sieve or colander

    Storage

    Store leftovers of your cold soba noodle salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.

    A bowl of cold soba noodle salad topped with lemon slices and scallions.

    FAQ

    Is this vegan?

    No, however, you can make it vegan by substituting the regular, fish-based mentsuyu with a vegan mentsuyu (usually mushroom- and/or seaweed-based).

    Print

    📖 Recipe

    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    A bowl of cold soba noodle salad topped with lemon slices and scallions.

    Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Lemon

    5 from 5 reviews
    • Author: Asha
    • Prep Time: 3 minutes
    • Cook Time: 7 minutes
    • Total Time: 10 minutes
    • Yield: 2 servings
    • Category: Noodles
    • Cuisine: Japanese
    Save Recipe Recipe Saved
    Print Recipe

    Description

    This chilled, Japanese soba dish is refreshing, tangy, and delicious. Cold soba noodle salad with lemon is perfect for a hot summer day or whenever you feel like a lighter, healthy meal. And it's ready in just 10 minutes.


    Ingredients

    2 portions soba noodles (about 150 g)

    3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

    2 tablespoons sesame oil

    2 tablespoons usukuchi soy sauce *

    2 tablespoons mentsuyu

    1 ½ tablespoons honey

    1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

    2 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced

    6 slices lemon, very thin


    Instructions

    In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the lemon juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, mentsuyu, honey, and sesame seeds. Set aside for now.

    Cook the soba noodles according to package directions. Once finished cooking, strain them and then wash them with cold, running water.

    Add the noodles into the bowl with the sauce you made earlier. Toss to make sure the noodles are thoroughly coated.

    For a beautiful presentation, place very thin slices of lemon in a circle on top of the soba, then fill in the centre with the pieces of green onion. Mix the green onions into the soba before dishing out to individual serving plates.


    Equipment

    Image of mentsuyu

    mentsuyu

    Buy Now →
    Image of usukuchi soy sauce

    usukuchi soy sauce

    Buy Now →

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 501
    • Sugar: 14.7 g
    • Sodium: 1031.3 mg
    • Fat: 21.1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 76.2 g
    • Protein: 12.2 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: Japanese lemon soba, lemon soba

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @corianderandlace on Instagram and hashtag it #corianderandlace

    Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says

      April 05, 2022 at 7:37 pm

      I've never made soba at home, but love ordering it when we go to Asian restaurants. I love the simplicity of this recipe!






      Reply
      • Asha says

        April 09, 2022 at 11:41 am

        Thanks so much!

        Reply
    2. Bernice says

      April 05, 2022 at 8:07 pm

      Another great noodle dish with such fresh flavours. This simple dish is easy to make and makes a very satisfying lunch. Thanks for the recipe!






      Reply
      • Asha says

        April 09, 2022 at 11:41 am

        Thank you Bernice ❤️

        Reply
    3. nancy says

      April 06, 2022 at 11:36 pm

      this soba noodle was super refreshing and i love how it is low in carbs toO!






      Reply
      • Asha says

        April 09, 2022 at 11:45 am

        Thank you, I love that part about it too 😆

        Reply
    4. Elaine says

      April 07, 2022 at 7:28 pm

      This made a delicious lunch for gluten-free me! Love those soba noodles and your choice of seasonings is perfect. Next time I'll add some shrimp!






      Reply
      • Asha says

        April 09, 2022 at 11:46 am

        Thanks so much❣️ Shrimp is my favourite addition.

        Reply
    5. Terri says

      April 11, 2022 at 8:19 am

      This is perfect for a hot summer day dinner - we'll be making it!






      Reply
      • Asha says

        April 18, 2022 at 7:48 pm

        Thank you Terri! 🙂

        Reply

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    A headshot of Asha, the author of Coriander and Lace. this recipe

    Hi, I'm Asha - a food and travel enthusiast based in Toronto. Join me in my kitchen adventures for beautiful, delicious recipes.

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    A bowl of cold soba noodle salad topped with lemon slices and scallions.
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