Toshikoshi Soba Recipe: How to Make ‘Year Crossing’ Noodles
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Feb 10, 2022 • 2 min read
In Japan, each slurp of toshikoshi soba brings new tidings for the year ahead. Learn how to make this traditional hot soba noodle soup for New Year’s Eve.
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What Is Toshikoshi Soba?
Japanese toshikoshi soba, or “year crossing” soba, features tender buckwheat noodles in a hot dashi broth, garnished with sliced scallions and various other toppings like kamaboko (fish cakes), tempura, wakame seaweed, and egg.
A dish of toshikoshi soba may precede the lacquered boxes of special Japanese New Year (Ōmisoka) dishes known as osechi. Enjoying soba noodles in this way became a widespread tradition during the Edo period (1603–1867) and has remained a cherished ritual in modern times.
3 Tips for Making Toshikoshi Soba
If you want to make this hot noodle dish a part of your own New Year’s ritual, consider the following tips:
- 1. Make homemade dashi. While you can use instant dashi powder to make quick broth, purists will tell you the broth’s flavor is far better when made from scratch. Find sheets of dried kelp (kombu) and dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi) in Asian grocery stores and supermarkets. To make vegetarian dashi, swap the bonito flakes for dried shiitake mushrooms.
- 2. Save time with tsuyu. Skip the dashi-making process altogether, and dilute a bottle of dipping sauce known as mentsuyu or tsuyu. Use about a quarter cup of mentsuyu for every two cups of water. Adjust the flavor with a bit of soy sauce or mirin, if desired.
- 3. Use the correct noodles. The star of toshikoshi soba is the long, thin noodle strands made from buckwheat flour and water that symbolize long life and resilience. Soba noodles are light to dark brown and have a nutty taste. Unlike udon or ramen, soba noodles are gluten-free.
Traditional Toshikoshi Soba Recipe
makes
prep time
5 mintotal time
25 mincook time
20 minIngredients
Note: The total time does not include 12 hours and 15 minutes of inactive time.
- 1
In a medium pot, combine the kombu with 3–5 cups of water (the less water, the stronger the dashi), cover, and let soak at room temperature overnight.
- 2
When ready to cook, set the pot over medium heat.
- 3
Just before the water starts to boil, remove the kombu and set it aside.
- 4
Add the katsuobushi to the water, and bring it to a boil.
- 5
Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for another minute.
- 6
Remove the pot from heat and set it aside to steep for 15 minutes.
- 7
Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the broth into a large liquid measuring cup and discard the katsuobushi.
- 8
Return the broth to the pot, add the soy sauce and mirin, and bring it to a simmer.
- 9
Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- 10
Remove the pot from the heat, cover it with a lid, and set it aside.
- 11
Meanwhile, bring a separate large pot of water to a boil.
- 12
Add the soba noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions, about 5–8 minutes.
- 13
Drain the noodles in a colander.
- 14
Run the noodles under cold water or submerge them in a cold water bath to keep them from sticking to each other. They should be slightly al dente (firm).
- 15
Divide the noodles between two large soup bowls, and pour the hot soup over the noodles.
- 16
Top the noodles with sliced scallions, fish cakes, and a pinch of togarashi, if desired. Serve immediately.
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