Skip to main content

Hot Soba

You can whip up these fast and easy noodles in 15 minutes. They’re a typical lunchtime dish in Japan, and the hot soba and broth are especially comforting on a frigid winter day. If you have any leftover chicken, pork, shrimp, or grilled fish in the refrigerator, you can easily add them to this dish, if you’d like. Be sure to shred the chicken or pork. You can also try this soba with cubed firm tofu, which complements the garnishes nicely.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

Hot Soba Broth

5 cups Dashi (page 40)
1/2 cup Japanese soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin
1/2 cup stemmed and halved enoki mushrooms

Assembly

12 pea pods, trimmed
14 ounces dried soba noodles
2 scallions, both white and green parts, thinly sliced on an angle
2 sprigs of mitsuba leaves, chopped
Pinch of ichimi togarashi (Japanese red pepper flakes; optional)
Pinch of salt

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    To make the broth, combine the dashi, soy sauce, and mirin in a stockpot over high heat and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the enoki, cover, and turn off the heat. Keep warm until ready to serve.

    Step 2

    To assemble the dish, prepare an ice bath and place a large pot of salted water over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, add the pea pods and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pea pods and submerge in the ice water. Drain.

    Step 3

    Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the soba noodles, stirring with a fork or chopsticks to make sure the noodles don’t stick together. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the noodles are cooked through but al dente. Drain.

    Step 4

    To serve, divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Top each with 1 1/4 cups broth, one-fourth of the enoki mushrooms, scallions, pea pods, and mitsuba leaves, and a pinch each of ichimi togarashi and salt.

Takashi's Noodles
Read More
Grab your Easter basket and hop in—you’ll want to collect each and every one of these fun and easy Easter recipes.
A warmly spiced Ashkenazi charoset, perfect for your Passover seder—or spooned over yogurt the next morning.
Like airy lemon chiffon cake and a Cadbury egg–inspired tart.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Like lemony risotto and tandoori-style cauliflower.
Think a Hugo spritz, a gin basil smash, and plenty more patio-ready pours.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.