Cold Soba Noodles with Crispy Tofu and Sesame Dressing
Chilled buckwheat soba tossed in a sesame-soy dressing with crisp tofu, cucumber and nori for a bright, speedy Japanese supper.
Cold soba is the sort of dinner that feels fancy but comes together in under an hour. It’s bright, a little nutty from toasted sesame, and utterly satisfying with crisp tofu for contrast.
Make this when the weather is sultry or when you want a no-fuss Japanese supper — it’s brilliant for batch-cooking and for eating straight from the fridge the next day.
Ingredients
- 400 g soba noodles
- 300 g firm tofu — press for best texture
- 60 ml light soy sauce
- 45 ml rice vinegar
- 30 ml mirin
- 20 ml toasted sesame oil
- 15 ml maple syrup
- 10 g fresh ginger — finely grated
- 1 garlic clove — finely grated or minced
- 1 cucumber — medium, julienned
- 1 carrot — medium, julienned or grated
- 3 spring onions — sliced thinly on the diagonal
- 20 g sesame seeds — toasted
- 1 nori sheet — toasted and shredded
- 15 g cornflour — for dusting tofu
- 15 ml vegetable oil — for frying
- 5 ml sea salt — for boiling water and seasoning
Instructions
Press the firm tofu: wrap the block in kitchen paper, place on a small plate, weight with another plate or a tin and leave to press for 20 minutes to remove excess water.
Make the sesame-soy dressing: whisk together light soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, toasted sesame oil, maple syrup, grated fresh ginger and the garlic. Taste and adjust sweet/sour balance, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the flavours marry.
Prepare the vegetables: julienne the cucumber and carrot, and slice the spring onions. Shred the nori sheet into thin strips and toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over a low heat for 1–2 minutes until aromatic — watch them closely.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil, add the sea salt, then add the soba noodles. Cook according to the packet but usually 5 minutes — test a strand after 4 minutes. Do not overcook; they should be just tender.
Drain the noodles and immediately rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking. For best chill and texture, plunge the noodles into a bowl of iced water for 60 seconds, then drain again.
Shake off excess water and pat the noodles dry briefly with kitchen paper. Toss the chilled noodles with a little toasted sesame oil to stop sticking and keep them glossy.
Cube the pressed tofu, dust lightly in cornflour, then fry in a frying pan with vegetable oil over a medium heat. Fry for 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp on all sides. Season with a little sea salt at the end.
Assemble: divide the chilled soba between four bowls. Pour over the chilled dressing to taste and toss gently. Top each bowl with crispy tofu, cucumber, carrot, spring onions, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and shredded nori. Serve immediately.
Tips
- Press the tofu well (use kitchen paper and a weight) — dry tofu crisps beautifully, wet tofu will steam and stay soggy.
- Chill the dressing for at least 30 minutes to let ginger and garlic mellow and the flavours meld.
- Use iced water after cooking the noodles to stop them cooking through and to keep a firm bite.
- If you can’t find 100% buckwheat soba, ordinary soba is fine; note it will contain wheat and lose the gluten-free option.
- Make ahead: cook, chill and dress the noodles, then store toppings separately; assemble just before serving so the tofu stays crisp.
Substitutions
light soy sauce → tamari, same quantity (60 ml) for a gluten-free version
Stays closefirm tofu → pan-fried prawns or cooked shredded chicken, same weight (300 g), add at the end
Noticeably differentmaple syrup → caster sugar, 10 g dissolved in the dressing
Stays closetoasted sesame oil → neutral vegetable oil with 1 tsp sesame seeds crushed into it, for milder toasted flavour
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 535
- Calories
- 21 g
- Protein
- 73 g
- Carbs
- 17 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this in advance?
Yes — cook and chill the noodles and keep the dressing separate. Store tofu and crunchy veg separately and assemble within 24 hours so textures stay fresh.
How do I keep the tofu crisp if I make it ahead?
Cool the fried tofu on a rack, then store in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat briefly in a frying pan or oven before serving to restore crispness.
My noodles went mushy — what happened?
They were overcooked or not cooled quickly enough. Check cooking time early and plunge cooked noodles into iced water immediately to stop further cooking.
Can I make this nut-free?
The recipe uses sesame rather than tree nuts; sesame is not a nut but is an allergen for some. Replace sesame seeds and toasted sesame oil with neutral oil and a little toasted sunflower seeds if safe.
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