Name: How To Make Cold Somen Noodles (Easy Summer Recipe)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 180 g Dried Somen Noodles; 200 ml Mentsuyu Dipping Sauce (100 ml for each serving. Prepare a bit more if needed.); 40 g Cucumber; 4 Cherry Tomatoes; 25 g Chikuwa Fish Cake; 2 Boiled Eggs; 30 g Sliced Ham; 20 g Ginger (with peel); 4 Shiso Leaves; 10 g Radish Sprouts; 10 g Green Onion; 10 g Japanese Ginger (Myoga); White Sesame Seeds, as needed

How To Make Cold Somen Noodles (Easy Summer Recipe)

Customizable Easy Healthy Summer Under 15 Minutes Vegan-friendly Vegetarian-friendly Weeknight Dinner Idea

How about having a Somen party for today’s lunch? This quick and super easy recipe is perfect for hot summer days!

Somen is made from wheat flour and sold as dried food, making it available year-round but especially enjoyed in summer. What’s great about Somen is that it has a shorter boiling time compared to other noodles.

Somen is commonly enjoyed with flavorful vegetables such as Shiso leaves, Japanese ginger (Myoga), green onion, and grated ginger. The cold Somen noodles pair really well with these vegetables, creating a refreshing taste that spreads in your mouth. This is why Somen is preferable for summer, especially when you don’t feel like eating anything in the heat; Somen is light and easy to eat.

As Somen is a simple ingredient, it can pair well with various other ingredients. In this recipe, we will introduce simple cold Somen noodles with a variety of toppings. It is perfect for lunch and also great for casual summer parties.

Somen is commonly enjoyed by dipping it in Mentsuyu, which is made with Dashi soup stock, soy sauce, and mirin. Mentsuyu is so popular and useful that there are various ready-made versions available at supermarkets in Japan. We have some on our website. If you want to stock up, feel free to check them out.

There are tons of recipes using Somen noodles available on Japanese websites. If you want to expand your Somen recipe repertoire, it should be fun exploring more Somen recipes.

Somen can also be enjoyed in a unique way called “Nagashi Somen,” which translates to “flowing Somen noodles” in English. In this method, Somen flows through cold water over vertically cut bamboo sliders, and you try to catch the noodles with chopsticks as they flow by. There are places in Japan where you can experience Nagashi Somen, and there are even gadgets for enjoying Nagashi Somen at home! These gadgets are great for both kids and adults and will make your Somen experience even more enjoyable.

Have fun gathering around the Somen bowl with your family and friends!

Overview

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Total servings: 2

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

180 g Dried Somen Noodles
200 ml Mentsuyu Dipping Sauce (100 ml for each serving. Prepare a bit more if needed.)
40 g Cucumber
4 Cherry Tomatoes
25 g Chikuwa Fish Cake
2 Boiled Eggs
30 g Sliced Ham
20 g Ginger (with peel)
4 Shiso Leaves
10 g Radish Sprouts
10 g Green Onion
10 g Japanese Ginger (Myoga)
White Sesame Seeds, as needed

Expert's Tip

P-1-IBON-SMNNDL-300-Ibonoito Handmade Japanese Somen Noodles 300g.jpg

It is not an exaggeration to say that this is one of the most famous Somen brands in Japan. While there are various regional Somen brands, Banshu Somen is a standout, and this product represents it well. The texture and thinness are crucial aspects of Somen, and Ibonoito excels in both.

Instructions

1) Gathering the Ingredients

Gather the ingredients together.

2) Preparing the Toppings for Somen

Prepare the ingredients as shown in the picture:

Cucumber, Sliced Ham: Cut into julienne.
Cherry Tomatoes, Boiled Eggs: Cut in half.
Chikuwa Fish Cake: Cut into slices.
Ginger: Peel and grate.
Shiso Leaves: Cut into julienne.
Radish Sprouts: Cut off the roots.
Green Onion, Japanese Ginger: Cut into pieces.

cooking the somen noodles until al dente

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3) Boiling the Somen Noodles

Prepare a large pot with enough water to boil the Somen noodles.

Heat the water over medium heat. Once it reaches a boil, add the Somen noodles and stir to separate them. Boil for the time indicated on the package (about 2 minutes).

Note(s): You don’t need to add salt to the water. Be careful not to let the water boil over.

4) Rinsing the Somen Noodles Under Cold Water

Drain the hot water and cool the noodles with tap water. Then rinse the noodles by massaging the surface with your hands.

putting the somen noodles in a bowl with ice water

arranging the toppings for cold somen noodles

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5) Arranging the Cold Somen Noodles

Serve the Somen noodles with cold water and ice cubes. Place the prepared ingredients on the table alongside the Somen bowl. Prepare a cup of Mentsuyu dipping sauce for each person.

adding somen noodles into mentsuyu sauce

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6) How to Eat Cold Somen Noodles

Take a portion of Somen noodles from the bowl and add some of the topping ingredients. Before dipping, remove as much excess water as possible, as this can dilute the dipping sauce. If the dipping sauce becomes too weak, adjust it by adding or replacing it with extra Mentsuyu.

About the author

Megumi Moriya

Megumi is a recipe writer based in Chiba, Japan. She carries a Bachelor in the Faculty of Foreign Studies and is interested in creating content about Japanese cuisine and traditional confectioneries. Megumi is most interested in making Japanese recipe content, and in her free time, she likes to play the piano, make handcrafted goods, and hula dance. She hopes to inspire Japanese Taste readers to make Japanese recipes at home and of course share more about Japanese culture.

View articles by Megumi Moriya