Soba noodles are a popular specialty in Japanese cuisine. The buckwheat noodles are served both warm and clear. Here you can find out what makes the noodles and how to prepare them traditionally.

Along with sushi, rice and miso dishes, soba noodles are among the most popular foods in Japan. The buckwheat noodles are a gluten-free alternative to conventional wheat noodles and are therefore particularly digestible.

Japanese noodles are prepared in a variety of ways. You can find the soba noodles in hot soups, as a cold appetizer, in wok dishes or as an accompaniment to sushi. With this versatility, soba noodles are firmly anchored in Japanese food culture.

What are soba noodles?

Soba means translated buckwheat. Soba noodles are buckwheat noodles. As the name suggests, the main ingredient is not wheat, as in traditional pasta, but buckwheat. The pseudo-grain belongs to the knotweed family and is gluten-free (wheat gluten). The soba noodles are therefore suitable for people with gluten intolerance.

Attention: There are soba noodle products that are stretched with wheat. Therefore, pay attention to the ingredients when buying, especially if you follow a gluten-free diet.

Buckwheat is healthy because it contains many important minerals and vitamins. In addition, buckwheat is well tolerated and has fewer calories than wheat products. You can easily cook the pseudo-cereal yourself or infuse it as tea.

A special kneading technique is used to make the soba noodle dough. The optimal kneading technique and correct preparation of the soba noodles can be learned in a three-year training course. For the dough, buckwheat flour is mixed with water. The buckwheat flour gives the noodles their gray color. The noodles are then cut into spaghetti-sized strips and dried or cooked directly.

Cook soba noodles properly

Soba noodles are versatile and used in a number of recipes. Just like other pastas, they are easily prepared in a pot of boiling water. The advantage: The buckwheat noodles are cooked quickly. After just a few minutes in boiling water, the noodles are already done.

If you want to serve soba noodles, then you have two options:

Cold Soba Noodles: Allow the noodles to cool after cooking. The cold noodles can then be served with nori (seaweed), wasabi, spring onions or some soy sauce. The cold buckwheat noodles are also suitable in salads or as an accompaniment to sushi.
Hot Soba Noodles: The freshly cooked soba noodles are traditionally served as a soup in a soy sauce-based broth. Alternatively, prepare them as fried noodles or serve them as an accompaniment to vegetable and meat dishes.

Soba Noodle Soup: A traditional recipe

This recipe is suitable for vegans and can be expanded with other ingredients of your choice.

When buying the ingredients, pay attention to organic quality and regional production. That’s good for the environment, since fewer pesticides are used and CO2 is emitted during transport. You also support your local economy and sustainable agriculture.

Ingredients:

250 g soba noodles
20g shiitake mushrooms, dried
30g fresh ginger
1 tbsp sesame oil
15 g miso paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
0.8 l vegetable broth
2 spring onions

Directions:

Cook the soba noodles in hot water for four minutes. Catch the cooked noodles in a colander and rinse generously with cold water.
Soak the shiitake mushrooms in 100ml hot water for 15 minutes. Then drain and collect the mushroom liquid in a small bowl.
Cut the shiitake mushrooms into small pieces. Roughly chop the ginger.
In a large pan, heat the sesame oil. Fry the ginger and shiitake mushrooms in it for three minutes.
Add the miso paste and soy sauce to the pan. Let everything continue to simmer for two minutes.
Deglaze the ingredients in the pan with the mushroom broth and add the vegetable broth.
Toss the soba noodles in the broth and let them simmer for 2 minutes
Wash and cut the spring onions into small rings. Serve the soda noodle soup with the fresh spring onions.