ざるそば

ざるそば
noun
cold soba noodles served on a bamboo strainer
food
1. cold soba noodles served on a bamboo strainer
Chilled buckwheat noodles served on a bamboo draining basket (ざる), eaten by dipping in a cold soy-based sauce. A classic summer dish popular year-round.
I ordered cold soba noodles.
On hot days, I crave cold soba noodles.
This shop's cold soba is handmade, has a smooth texture, and is popular.

Named after the ざる (bamboo strainer basket) on which the noodles are served. The noodles are boiled, rinsed in cold water, and placed on the basket. Eaten by dipping into つゆ (dipping sauce) with condiments like (きざ)みねぎ (chopped green onion) and わさび.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • もりそば: plain cold soba — very similar, but traditionally served without nori seaweed topping; the distinction has blurred in modern usage
  • かけそば: hot soba in broth — soba served in hot soup, the warm counterpart to ざるそば
  • つけめん: dipping noodles — a ramen variant with the same dipping style but using wheat noodles and richer broth