How to Make a Soba Noodle Bowl

Co-authored by Yoko Isassi

Last Updated: November 21, 2021 References

Soba (そば or 蕎麦) is a traditional Japanese buckwheat noodle dish usually served either hot in a broth or cold with a dipping sauce. Soba is rich in vitamin B1 (thiamine) and is chock full of amino acids, which are a vital nutrient for your body.^{[1]
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Research source} Cooking soba in a broth and topping it with marinated chicken will have flavorful results. Brothless soba, on the other hand, can be just the thing for hot days, and its dipping sauce will be sure to accentuate this noodle dish.

Ingredients

Marinating the Chicken Breast for Soba with Broth

⅓ cup (.79 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp (10 ml) rice wine vinegar
¼ tsp (1.2 ml) smoked paprika
1 tsp (5 ml) sugar
½ tsp (2.5) garlic powder
½ tsp (2.5 ml) onion powder
2 tsp (10 ml) lemon pepper
¼ tsp (1.2 ml) rosemary
¼ tsp (1.2 ml) basil
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt

Soba with Broth

2 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
2 tsp (10 ml) sesame oil
½ of a small yellow onion
½ cup (118 ml) sliced mushrooms (shitake or cremini recommended)
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) brown sugar
2 tsp (10 ml) sriracha plus more to taste
1 medium carrot (peeled and julienned)
4 cups (946 ml) chicken broth
2 cups (473 ml) water
½ cup (118 ml) yellow miso
8 oz (227 g) soba noodles
¼ cup (59 ml) red cabbage, sliced thin
½ cup (118 ml) Napa cabbage (chopped)
1 cup (237 ml) loosely packed fresh baby spinach
½ tsp (2.5 ml) sesame seeds
1 tsp (5 ml) cilantro (chopped, for garnish)

Makes 4 servings.

Brothless Soba Bowl

1¼ cups (295 ml) soy sauce
1½ tbsp (22 ml) ginger (grated)
2 tbsp (30 ml) honey
2 tbsp (30 ml) Dijon mustard
1 lb (454 g) buckwheat soba noodles
8 oz (227 g) block of tempeh

Garnishes

Kale (thinly sliced)
Walnuts (toasted)
Radishes (thinly sliced)
Carrots (julienned)
Scallions (diagonally sliced)
Avocado (sliced)
Basil and cilantro (torn into small pieces)
Thai chiles (thinly sliced)
Black sesame seeds

Makes 4 servings.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:
Marinating the Chicken Breast for Soba with Broth

1
Whisk together the ingredients for your marinade. In a mixing bowl, add olive oil, rice wine vinegar, smoked paprika, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon pepper, rosemary, basil, and salt. Then use your whisk to stir the ingredients well so the mixture is consistent throughout.^{[3]
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2
Transfer your marinade and chicken to a sealable container. You can also marinate your chicken in a bowl, though for longer marinating times, a sealable container will help prevent potential spills. Put the marinate in your container and insert the chicken, tossing the chicken so it’s well coated in marinade.
- Sealable plastic bags make an excellent marinating receptacle. When using these, there will be less cleanup, and the shape of the bag will promote an even distribution of the marinade.^{[4]
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3
Allow the chicken to marinade for at least 30 minutes.^{[5]
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Research source} 30 minutes should be sufficient for the chicken to fully absorb the marinade and take on its flavor. To ensure the maximum flavor, marinade your chicken for 2 hours or overnight.
- Generally, poultry can safely marinate in a refrigerator for up to two days. However, high acid marinades could actually make the meat tougher. Due to this, 2 hours or overnight marinating is recommended.^{[6]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:
Preparing a Soba with Broth

1
Cook the chicken in a sauté pan. Warm your pan over medium-high heat on your stove top. Place the chicken breasts in the pan, and pour the remainder of your marinade into the pan so the chicken bastes in it. Cook the chicken for about 8 to 10 minutes per side.
- When the chicken is finished cooking, it should be firm and the inside white. If you poke the chicken with a fork, the juice that comes from it should be clear.^{[7]
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2
Remove the chicken from the heat and set it aside. Use kitchen utensil, like a fork, tongs, or a wooden spoon to remove the chicken from the hot pan. Then place the chicken off to the side on a plate. You’ll want it to cool before you cut it.^{[8]
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Sauté your onions and mushrooms. Decrease the heat of your stove top to medium and add your olive oil to the sauté pan. Insert your mushroom and onions into the pan. Cook these for about 6 minutes, or until they have started to brown and caramelize.^{[9]
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4
Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, and sriracha in the sauté pan. Stir in these ingredients with a kitchen utensil. Continue stirring the mixture until all ingredients are well blended. This should only take about a minute.^{[10]
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5
Soften carrots in the sauté pan, then add broth. Insert your carrots into the pan. Allow these to cook for 1 to 2 minutes. After that, add your broth, water, and miso to the mixture. Cook the ingredients until the miso has completely dissolved, stirring gently while doing so.^{[11]
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6
Cook your cabbage and soba noodles in the broth. Generally, you’ll want to cook these ingredients until the noodles become tender, which should take roughly 5 minutes. However, you may want to decrease this time for firmer noodles, or increase it for softer ones.^{[12]
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7
Ladle the soup into bowls and add the finishing touches. Use a kitchen utensil to stir in the spinach and equally distribute it throughout the soup. Then use a ladle to transfer the soup to individual bowls. Cut your cooled chicken into strips with a knife, layer the strips on top, and enjoy your bowl of soba.
- You can improve the presentation and add a little flavor to this dish by garnishing it with sesame seeds and cilantro.^{[13]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:
Cooking a Brothless Soba Bowl

1
Ready the soy and ginger sauce. Add the soy sauce and grated ginger to a small sauté pan. Turn on the heat to your stove top and heat the ingredients until they simmer. After reaching a simmer, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the honey and Dijon mustard until both dissolve fully.
- Once you finish preparing your sauce, put this off to the side to cool.^{[14]
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2
Fry the tempeh. Use a knife to cut the tempeh into slices that are roughly ¼-inch (.64 cm) thick. Put these in a sealable container or mixing bowl to marinate in ½ cup (118 ml) of the soy-ginger sauce for 20 minutes. Remove the tempeh from the marinade and use medium heat to fry it in a sauté pan until crispy.
- When you have finished frying the tempeh, remove it from the pan with a kitchen implement, like a wooden spoon or tongs, and place it in a serving bowl.^{[15]
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3
Boil the noodles in water. While the tempeh fries, put a large pot of water on high heat. Add your soba noodles after the water comes to a boil.^{[16]
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Expert Source

Yoko Isassi
Japanese Food Specialist
Expert Interview. 30 August 2021.} Drain the noodles in a strainer, then transfer the noodles to a sauté pan. Combine ½ cup (118 ml) of your soy-ginger sauce with the noodles and fry these ingredients over medium heat for 2 minutes.
- When the noodles have finished cooking, move them to a serving bowl of their own and set them off to the side.^{[17]
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4
Set out your toppings and serve everything with a side of sauce. You can garnish the top of your soba and tempeh in whatever way you please. Common toppings include sliced avocado, scallions, julienned carrots, sliced kale, sesame seeds, and more. Top your noodles and tempeh with these accents.
- While eating your noodles and tempeh, dip them into the soy-ginger sauce served on the side to impart more flavor to both.^{[18]
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Community Q&A

Question

How do you keep noodles from sticking together?

Yoko Isassi
Japanese Food Specialist
Yoko Isassi is a Japanese Food Specialist and the Founder of Foodstory in Los Angeles, California. Since 2011, she has taught others how to cook Japanese food and educated others about Japanese food culture. Yoko holds an MA from Columbia University.

Yoko Isassi

Japanese Food Specialist

Expert Answer

When making any type of noodles, try dusting them with flour so they won’t stick together after cutting!
Question

Do you add cooked or uncooked noodles to soup?

Yoko Isassi
Japanese Food Specialist
Yoko Isassi is a Japanese Food Specialist and the Founder of Foodstory in Los Angeles, California. Since 2011, she has taught others how to cook Japanese food and educated others about Japanese food culture. Yoko holds an MA from Columbia University.

Yoko Isassi

Japanese Food Specialist

Expert Answer

The boiling process is about cooking noodles thoroughly but it also removes the flour, which may change the texture and color of the soup. For this reason, never cook the noodles in the soup. Always use a separate bowl of boiling water to cook the noodles.
Question

Why do people wash noodles after cooking?

Yoko Isassi
Japanese Food Specialist
Yoko Isassi is a Japanese Food Specialist and the Founder of Foodstory in Los Angeles, California. Since 2011, she has taught others how to cook Japanese food and educated others about Japanese food culture. Yoko holds an MA from Columbia University.

Yoko Isassi

Japanese Food Specialist

Expert Answer

Rinsing the noodles under cold water helps remove the flour and stop the cooking of the noodles.

Warnings

Always handle heated kitchen items, like sauté pans and pots, with correct safety implements, like oven mitts and pot holders, to prevent burns and heat damage.

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