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.
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.
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.
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Substitutions
- Usukuchi soy sauce - You can substitute with regular soy sauce or Chinese light soy sauce in this recipe.
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.
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
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.
FAQ
No, however, you can make it vegan by substituting the regular, fish-based mentsuyu with a vegan mentsuyu (usually mushroom- and/or seaweed-based).
📖 Recipe
Cold Soba Noodle Salad with Lemon
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Category: Noodles
- Cuisine: Japanese
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.
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
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
I've never made soba at home, but love ordering it when we go to Asian restaurants. I love the simplicity of this recipe!
Asha says
Thanks so much!
Bernice says
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!
Asha says
Thank you Bernice ❤️
nancy says
this soba noodle was super refreshing and i love how it is low in carbs toO!
Asha says
Thank you, I love that part about it too 😆
Elaine says
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!
Asha says
Thanks so much❣️ Shrimp is my favourite addition.
Terri says
This is perfect for a hot summer day dinner - we'll be making it!
Asha says
Thank you Terri! 🙂