Savor our cozy kakesoba—a bowl of tender soba in a light, savory broth. Quick, easy, and perfect for a warm, comforting meal any day!
Kake Soba (Hot Soba Noodle Soup)
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆2
servings10
minutes10
minutesKake Soba (Hot Soba Noodle Soup) Ingredients
Soba (buckwheat noodles): Enough for 2 servings (~2 bundles if dried or 2 servings of fresh)
Note: Fresh soba, dried soba, or “soba with no added sauce” are all suitable.Long Onion (Naganegi): 1/2 to 2/3 stalk
Substitute: Green onions/scallions if long onion is unavailable.Yuzu (yellow citrus): a small piece of zest, if available
Substitute: Lemon zest or a small wedge of lemon for a hint of citrus.Shichimi Togarashi (7-spice chili mix) or chili flakes: optional, to taste
- Broth (A)
Dashi stock: 600 ml (~2.5 cups)
Soy sauce: 4 tablespoons (60 ml)
Mirin: 4 tablespoons (60 ml)
- For Homemade Dashi (B) [Optional]
Water: 700 ml (~3 cups)
Kombu (kelp): ~5–6g
Katsuobushi (bonito flakes): 10–12g
Note: If making your own dashi from scratch, the ratio of double the amount of bonito flakes to kombu yields a robust, aromatic stock perfect for soba.
Kake Soba (Hot Soba Noodle Soup) Directions
- Prepare the Toppings
1.Long Onion: Cut off the root and top ends; slice the white portion (and some green if preferred) lengthwise in half, then slice into ~5–6 mm strips along the grain.
2.Yuzu Zest (if available): Peel a small bit of the outer yellow part. Reserve for garnish.
3.Shichimi Togarashi: Keep handy for those who like spice.
Tip: Using both white and green parts of the onion adds color contrast. Store these cut toppings in the refrigerator until needed. - Make/Obtain the Dashi Broth
1.Pre-Made Dashi: If you have instant dashi packets or powdered, you can prepare 600 ml per instructions.
2.Homemade Dashi (Option B):
・Place 5–6g kombu in 700 ml water for ~30 minutes.
・Heat gently over medium-low; remove kombu just before boiling.
・Turn off heat, add 10–12g bonito flakes.
・Bring to a gentle simmer (~4–5 minutes).
・Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the bonito to extract maximum flavor. - Create the Kake Soba Broth
1.Combine: In a pot, mix dashi (600 ml) with 4 Tbsp soy sauce and 4 Tbsp mirin.
2.Heat: Use medium heat. Let it come to a gentle simmer.
3.Add Onions: Once it simmers, toss in your sliced onions, reduce heat slightly, and simmer for 1–2 minutes to soften them.
・Turn off the heat or keep at very low until noodles are ready.
Note: The mirin will add sweetness; simmering briefly allows the alcohol to evaporate and the flavors to meld. - Boil the Soba
1.Boil Water: Prepare a separate pot of water for the soba noodles.
2.Cook: Add noodles, stirring gently to separate. Cook per package directions (usually 4–7 minutes for dried soba, or as indicated).
3.Drain: Immediately transfer to a colander, shake off excess water. - Assemble
1.Portion Noodles: Divide drained soba into 2 bowls.
2.Reheat Broth: If the broth is not hot, quickly bring it back to a gentle simmer.
3.Ladle Broth: Pour the hot soup over each bowl of noodles. Use chopsticks to gently loosen noodles so they don’t stick together.
4.Garnish: Top with onion slices, a pinch of yuzu zest if you have it, and an optional sprinkling of shichimi chili.
Notes
- Tips & Points
Flavor Adjustments:If you prefer a saltier broth, add a bit more soy sauce. For sweeter, add extra mirin or a bit of sugar.
Noodle Doneness: Soba overcooks easily—remove from boiling water when it’s just soft but still has a slight firmness.
Yuzu: Adds a fragrant citrus note; lemon peel can be a substitute but offers a different flavor profile.
Storage: Best eaten immediately. Leftover broth can be cooled and stored in the fridge for a day or two.
Additional Toppings: Tempura scraps (tenkasu), fish cake (kamaboko), or shredded nori seaweed are also common for extra flavor/texture.