Japanese Midnight Soba and Mint Grain Salad

About This Recipe

Cold soba is a staple of Japanese summer eating, usually served simply with a dipping sauce called mentsuyu. This version turns it into a fuller grain salad, tossing the noodles directly with a sesame-soy dressing and loading in fresh mint, cucumber and scallions for a dish that eats well cold straight from the fridge — ideal for a late dinner or midnight snack when you don't want to cook. The technique that matters most here is rinsing the noodles properly: soba needs a cold-water rinse right after boiling to wash off the surface starch, which is what keeps the strands from clumping into a gummy mass once tossed with dressing. Mint isn't traditional in Japanese cooking, but its coolness works well against the nutty sesame dressing and makes the salad feel fresher for eating cold, closer to how shiso is used at home.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 300 gdried soba noodles
• 3 tbspsoy sauce
• 2 tbsprice vinegar
• 1 tbsptoasted sesame oil
• 1 tbspsugar
• 1 tspfresh ginger(grated)
• 1Persian cucumber(thinly sliced)
• 0.5 cupfresh mint leaves(torn)
• 2scallions(sliced)
• 1 tbsptoasted sesame seeds
• 1 tspchile flakes(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the soba

   Boil soba noodles according to package directions, usually 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

2. 2

   Rinse well

   Drain immediately and rinse under cold running water, rubbing gently between your hands, until the water runs clear and the noodles feel slippery-clean.

   This step removes surface starch and is what keeps cold soba from clumping.

3. 3

   Make the dressing

   Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and ginger until the sugar dissolves.

4. 4

   Toss the salad

   In a large bowl, toss the chilled soba with the dressing, cucumber and most of the mint and scallions.

5. 5

   Chill

   Refrigerate at least 15 minutes so the flavors meld and the noodles chill through.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Top with the remaining mint, scallions, sesame seeds, and chile flakes if using, right before serving.

Variations

• •

  Add cooked shrimp or shredded chicken for a heartier main-dish salad.

• •

  Swap mint for shiso leaves if you can find them, for a more traditional Japanese herb note.

• •

  Add a soft-boiled egg on top for extra richness.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 2 days in an airtight container. The noodles will continue absorbing the dressing, so add a splash of soy sauce and a little water to loosen before serving leftovers.

Frequently Asked Questions