Hiyashi chūka (Japanese chilled ramen salad)
Chilled ramen with colourful toppings — char siu, shredded egg, cucumber, tomato and a tangy soy–sesame dressing. Bright, summery and ready in 30 mins.
Hiyashi chūka is Japan’s answer to cooling down in the summer — cold ramen piled with colourful toppings and a punchy soy–sesame dressing. It’s all about texture: slippery noodles, crisp veg and tender char siu.
Make the dressing first, cook and chill the noodles, then artfully arrange the toppings. It looks fancy but comes together quickly — perfect for a light lunch or an impressive midweek supper.
Ingredients
- 400 g fresh ramen noodles
- 200 g cooked char siu pork
- 120 g cucumber — about 1 medium
- 200 g tomatoes — about 2 medium
- 3 eggs
- 150 g bean sprouts
- 100 g tinned sweetcorn, drained
- 60 ml light soy sauce
- 60 ml rice vinegar
- 30 g caster sugar
- 15 ml mirin
- 30 ml toasted sesame oil
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- 5 ml prepared mustard
- 10 g fresh ginger — grated
- 2 spring onions — trimmed and finely sliced
- 40 g pickled ginger
- 15 g toasted sesame seeds
- 10 g sea salt — for boiling water and seasoning
- 60 ml water — for the dressing
Equipment
- large saucepan
- large bowl for iced water
- colander
- non-stick frying pan
- whisk
Instructions
Make the dressing: in a bowl whisk together light soy sauce, rice vinegar, caster sugar, mirin, toasted sesame oil, vegetable oil, prepared mustard, grated fresh ginger and water until the sugar dissolves. Leave to sit so the flavours marry.
Make the thin omelette: beat the eggs with a pinch of sea salt. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium–low, add a little vegetable oil, pour in enough egg to make a very thin pancake. Cook until set (about 1–2 minutes), then slide out and repeat to use all the egg.
Stack the cooled omelettes, roll tightly and slice into fine julienne strips. Set aside.
Prepare the toppings: thinly slice the cucumber into long matchsticks, cut tomatoes into wedges, slice the cooked char siu pork thinly, finely slice the spring onions and drain the bean sprouts and tinned sweetcorn.
Cook the noodles: bring a large pan of water to a rolling boil, add the sea salt, then drop in the fresh ramen noodles. Cook for 2–3 minutes until just al dente, then drain immediately and plunge into a bowl of iced water to stop cooking.
Leave the noodles in the iced water for 5 minutes to chill fully, then drain well in a colander and transfer to a bowl. Toss with a little toasted sesame oil so the strands don’t stick together.
Assemble: divide the chilled noodles between 4 bowls. Arrange slices of char siu pork, cucumber matchsticks, tomato wedges, bean sprouts, sweetcorn, julienned omelette and pickled ginger in neat segments on top of the noodles. Scatter spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.
To serve: either drizzle the dressing over each bowl or serve it at the table for people to add to taste. Enjoy immediately while the noodles are cold and the toppings crisp.
Tips
- Make the dressing up to a day ahead and refrigerate — the sugar has time to dissolve and the flavour improves.
- When frying the thin omelette, use medium–low heat and tilt the pan to get an even, pale pancake; a non-stick pan helps immensely.
- Chill the noodles thoroughly in iced water and drain very well — soggy noodles will ruin the dish.
- If you prefer, serve the dressing on the side so guests can control how saucy they want their bowl.
- Leftovers keep for 24 hours in the fridge but the noodles absorb dressing over time — best eaten the day it’s made.
Substitutions
cooked char siu pork → shredded cooked chicken breast or leftover roast pork, same weight
Stays closefresh ramen noodles → dried ramen noodles (follow pack cooking time), use 320 g dried
Noticeably differenttoasted sesame oil → neutral oil plus 1 tbsp tahini (sesame paste) to mimic sesame flavour
Stays closeprepared mustard → 1 tsp karashi mustard or 1 tsp English mustard
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 554
- Calories
- 28 g
- Protein
- 70 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 1100 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make hiyashi chūka vegetarian?
Yes — swap the char siu for marinated firm tofu or extra sweetcorn and mushrooms. Use vegetarian soy sauce and check any pre-made sauces for fish ingredients.
How long can leftovers be kept?
Keep components separately if possible and refrigerate. Assembled bowls are best within 24 hours but the noodles will get soggy as they absorb dressing.
Can I use dried noodles instead of fresh?
Yes — use dried ramen and follow pack instructions, then chill and drain as with fresh noodles. Texture will be slightly different but still tasty.
Do I have to add the dressing before serving?
No — you can serve the dressing on the side so everyone adds as much as they like. It keeps toppings crisper for longer.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!