Cold Noodles with Natto A Quick & Easy Meal

Looking for a meal that’s both quick and easy? This chilled noodle dish is your perfect solution, a bowl of refreshing cold noodles ready in under 20 minutes. It’s a fantastic choice for a simple weeknight dinner or a satisfying meal on a hot day.

Enjoy the unique and refreshing flavors of savory natto and crisp cucumber over chilled soba. This easy soba with natto recipe features chilled noodles that are not only delicious but also help manage blood sugar. It’s a healthy way to enjoy natto, a superfood with a 76% household familiarity rate in Japan, and create a perfect bowl of chilled soba with natto.

Why Make This Recipe

So, why should this chilled noodle dish become your new go-to meal? Beyond its delicious and refreshing flavors, this recipe for soba with natto offers some amazing benefits that make it a standout choice for any day of the week.

Quick and Easy

You can have this quick soba dish on the table in under 20 minutes. The steps are simple: cook noodles, chop a few toppings, and mix the sauce. It’s the perfect meal when you’re short on time but still want something satisfying. This easy chilled soba recipe means less time cooking and more time enjoying your food. It’s as simple as making cold natto udon.

Healthy and Nutritious

This bowl is packed with goodness! You get a fantastic nutritious cold soba meal that supports your well-being. The star ingredient, natto, is a powerhouse of nutrients. Just a small serving of natto offers a great boost.

Nutrient	Value (per 40g)
Protein	7g
Fiber	3g

Natto is also famous for its enzyme, nattokinase, which supports cardiovascular health by encouraging healthy blood flow. Soba noodles add even more benefits, providing essential manganese for bone health and 6 grams of protein per cup. This combination makes for a truly balanced bowl of chilled soba. The health benefits of natto are a great reason to try this chilled soba, which is as healthy as cold natto udon.

Completely Customizable

One of the best things about this chilled soba is that you can make it your own. Think of the recipe as a starting point for a completely customizable dish. You can easily swap toppings based on what you have or what you’re craving. Love the classic cold natto udon? You can get a similar experience with chilled soba. Try adding toppings like shredded nori seaweed, tangy pickled plum (umeboshi), or even a soft-poached egg. Many people enjoy their soba with natto topped with grated daikon radish or thinly sliced okra. Don’t be afraid to experiment with this versatile dish of cold noodles. The possibilities for your bowl of chilled soba, much like cold natto udon, are endless. You can even make a refreshing cold natto udon version.

How to Make Cold Noodles

Ready to make this delicious meal? This section gives you all the details you need. You’ll find our easy-to-follow recipes make preparing this dish a breeze. Let’s get started on your new favorite bowl of chilled soba!

Noodle Ingredients

• Dried Soba Noodles: 1 serving (about 3.5 oz or 100g)
• Water: For boiling

A Note on Soba Types 🍜 You’ll see different kinds of soba at the store. Juwari soba is 100% buckwheat and has a strong, nutty flavor and grainy texture. However, it can be a bit firm. For this recipe, you might prefer Hachiwari soba, which is an 80% buckwheat and 20% wheat blend. This type is praised for its wonderfully ‘springy’ texture that holds up perfectly when served cold, making it ideal for a refreshing bowl of chilled soba. It gives you a great chew, similar to what you’d expect from cold natto udon.

Topping Ingredients

• Natto: 1 packet (usually 40-50g)
• Cucumber: ¼, julienned
• Green Onion: 1, thinly sliced (optional)
• Shredded Nori Seaweed: For garnish (optional)

Your packet of natto will come with two tiny packets inside: a savory tare sauce (often made with soy sauce, mirin, and dashi) and a spicy karashi mustard. You’ll use both to flavor the natto! These toppings create a fantastic dish of noodles topped with crisp veggies.

Sauce Ingredients

• Mentsuyu (Noodle Soup Base): ¼ cup
• Cold Water: ½ to ¾ cup

Mentsuyu is a super convenient Japanese soup base. It’s typically made from soy sauce, sugar, and bonito fish extract. You can find it in bottles at most Asian grocery stores.

Step 1: Prepare Toppings

First, let’s get your toppings ready. This step is quick and easy.

1. Open your packet of natto. Pour the included tare sauce and karashi mustard over the beans. Stir everything together vigorously with chopsticks or a fork until the natto becomes sticky and a little frothy. Set it aside.
2. Next, prepare the cucumber. For perfect, thin strips, you can use a Japanese cutting technique called Sengiri. First, slice the cucumber into very thin sheets. Then, stack those sheets and slice them again into fine, uniform strips.
3. If you’re using them, thinly slice your green onion and have your shredded nori ready.

Step 2: Cook and Prepare Chilled Soba

Cooking the noodles correctly is the key to amazing chilled soba. Don’t walk away from the pot!

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the soba noodles and cook for about 2.5 minutes. Soba cooks fast, so set a timer to get that perfect al dente (firm but chewy) texture.
2. Once the timer goes off, immediately drain the noodles in a colander.
3. Rinse the noodles thoroughly under cold running water. Use your hands to gently toss and rub the noodles. This step is super important! It washes away excess starch, stops the cooking process, and keeps your chilled soba from clumping together. You want them slick and separate.
4. After rinsing, drain the chilled noodles well to remove any excess water.

Storage Tip: If you have leftover cooked chilled soba, you can store it in the refrigerator for a few days. Add a tiny bit of oil to the container to keep the noodles from sticking.

Step 3: Mix the Sauce

Now, let’s make the dipping sauce. This part is simple.

• In a small bowl or cup, combine the mentsuyu and cold water. A good starting ratio is one part mentsuyu to two or three parts water.
• Give it a taste! If it’s too salty, add a little more water. If it’s too weak, add a bit more mentsuyu. You have complete control over the flavor.

This simple sauce is perfect for soba with natto and is much easier than making a sauce from scratch for cold natto udon.

Step 4: Assemble and Serve

It’s time to put your beautiful bowl of cold noodles together! This is the fun part where your meal comes to life.

1. Place your well-drained chilled soba onto a plate or into a bowl. For a traditional look, you can use a Japanese zaru tray, which has a bamboo mat that allows excess water to drain.
2. Top the chilled soba with your prepared natto mixture and the julienned cucumber. This creates a lovely bowl of noodles topped with crisp veggies.
3. Sprinkle the sliced green onions and shredded nori over the top.
4. Pour your prepared sauce over everything, or serve it in a small dipping cup (soba choko) on the side.

Your delicious and refreshing bowl of soba with natto is ready to enjoy! This easy chilled soba is just as satisfying as cold natto udon but with the unique, nutty flavor of buckwheat. You’ll love how this simple dish of cold noodles tastes, especially on a warm day. It’s a fantastic alternative to cold natto udon. Many find this version of chilled soba even better than cold natto udon.

Tips and Variations

Love the recipe but want to make it your own? You’re in luck! This bowl of chilled soba is incredibly versatile. Here are a few ideas to help you get creative in the kitchen.

Customize Your Bowl

Think of this recipe as a fantastic starting point. You can turn your bowl of soba with natto into a completely customizable dish. Try adding some of these delicious toppings:

• Onsen Tamago (Soft-Poached Egg): A silky, jammy egg adds incredible richness. You can make one easily by placing cold eggs in a pot with hot water (around 170°F), covering it, and letting it sit off the heat for 20 minutes.
• Grated Nagaimo (Japanese Yam): This adds a unique, slippery texture that pairs wonderfully with natto. Just peel and grate the yam to create a topping called tororo.
• Blanched Okra: For a pop of color and texture, boil whole okra for about 2 minutes, then slice it into thin rounds.
• Kimchi or Grated Daikon Radish: These toppings add a spicy or sharp kick that cuts through the richness of the natto.

For a Light and Refreshing Soba

If you want a different flavor profile, you can create a light and refreshing soba experience. Try swapping the natto for these ingredients:

• Umeboshi (Pickled Plum): Mash one or two pickled plums into a paste. Its tangy, salty flavor is perfect for a hot day and makes for a great bowl of chilled soba.
• Katsuobushi (Bonito Flakes): Sprinkle these smoky, savory fish flakes over your chilled soba. Katsuobushi adds a deep umami flavor that makes the dish feel extra special.

This variation of light and refreshing soba is a fantastic alternative when you want something without natto.

Simple Sauce Alternative

Did you run out of mentsuyu? No problem! You can whip up a simple and delicious dipping sauce at home. This sauce is perfect for any chilled soba dish, including soba with natto.

Easy Homemade Sauce Recipe 🥣 Simply combine these ingredients in a small bowl and stir until mixed.

• Soy Sauce: ¼ cup
• Mirin: ¼ cup
• Dashi Stock: 1 cup (You can make this by dissolving 1 teaspoon of dashi powder in 1 cup of water)

This homemade sauce gives you control over the flavor. You can adjust the sweetness or saltiness to perfectly match your bowl of chilled soba. It’s a great skill for anyone who loves Japanese noodles.

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And there you have it! This easy recipe for cold noodles is the perfect answer for a fast and satisfying meal.

You get a refreshing and healthy bowl of chilled noodles in under 20 minutes. We hope you love this dish as much as we do. Now it’s your turn! Try the recipe and let us know what you think in the comments below. What toppings did you add? 👇

FAQ

What if I don’t like natto?

No problem! You can easily swap the natto. Try topping your noodles with a soft-poached egg (onsen tamago), kimchi, or tangy pickled plum (umeboshi). These options add delicious flavor and make the dish your own.

Can I use other noodles besides soba?

Absolutely! This recipe works great with other Japanese noodles. You can use thick and chewy udon or thin somen. Just cook them according to package directions and rinse them well in cold water for a refreshing meal.

What does natto taste like?

Natto has a unique, savory flavor, often described as earthy or nutty. It has a strong umami taste, similar to aged cheese. The texture is sticky and stringy. The included sauce and mustard add a wonderful savory kick! 😋

Can I serve this dish warm?

You definitely can! For a warm version, skip rinsing the noodles in cold water. Drain the hot noodles and place them in a bowl. Add your toppings and sauce for a cozy and comforting meal. It’s delicious both ways!