Tomato Cold Noodles

Tomato Cold Noodles is a beloved summer recipe featuring thin, silky somen noodles in a chilled tomato broth that's bright, lightly sweet, and just savory enough to keep you coming back for another bite. Fresh, effortless, and wonderfully refreshing, it's the kind of meal you'll crave on the hottest days of summer.

Jump to:

• ❓What Are Somen in Tomato Cold Noodles?
• 💙Why You'll Love This Tomato Cold Noodles
• 📝How To Make Tomato Cold Noodles
• 🍅Final Thoughts
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

❓What Are Somen in Tomato Cold Noodles?

Tomato Cold Noodles takes its inspiration from Japanese somen. Somen are very thin Japanese wheat noodles, typically less than 1.3 mm in diameter, made from wheat flour, water, and salt. They cook in just 2 minutes and have a delicate, silky texture with a clean, neutral flavor that pairs beautifully with both light and bold sauces.

In Japan, somen is the quintessential summer noodle. It is traditionally served chilled, often in ice water, alongside a soy-based dipping sauce called tsuyu, with simple garnishes like grated ginger, sliced scallions, and shiso leaves. This recipe takes inspiration from that classic preparation but gives it a seasonal twist by transforming ripe summer tomatoes into a light, refreshing broth. The result is a complete bowl of cold noodles that's bright, satisfying, and perfect for hot days.

💙Why You'll Love This Tomato Cold Noodles

• No long cook times, no complicated technique. It comes together in about 10 minutes.
• It is naturally vegan, light on the stomach, and genuinely refreshing on unbearable hot summer days.
• The broth can be adjusted to be tangier, more savory, or more aromatic depending on your mood, making this recipe incredibly versatile.

More Summer Recipe:

• Soy Milk Cold Noodles

📝How To Make Tomato Cold Noodles

Ingredients

Noodles

• 200 g ramen noodles or somen

Tomato Dressing

• 2 large ripe tomatoes (about 350–400 g), diced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar or maple syrup
• 1–2 teaspoon chili crisp or chili oil (optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Toppings

• 1 stalk scallions
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• A handful of fresh herbs (Thai basil or cilantro)
• 200g pan-fried tofu (optional)

Instructions

1. Salt the tomatoes
   • Dice the tomatoes and toss them with ½ teaspoon salt.
   • Let them sit for 10–15 minutes.
2. During this time, the tomatoes will release their juices, creating the base of the dressing while becoming even more flavorful. Use your hand or a fork to mash the tomatoes further.
3. Stir in: garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, chili crisp.

4. Cook the noodles according to package instruction and rinse under cold water until chilled.

5. Garnish & Serve:

• Toss the noodles with the tomato dressing.
• Finish with scallions, sesame seeds, herbs, and your choice of protein.

🎯Tips For Success:

• Rice vinegar brightens the broth and balances the natural sweetness of the tomatoes. Just a small amount makes a noticeable difference.
• Chilling the broth properly is what makes this dish work, ideally for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
• Rinsing the cooked noodles thoroughly under cold water removes excess starch, keeps them from clumping, and ensures they stay springy rather than going soft and sticky.

🍅Final Thoughts

Tomato Cold Noodles is easily my favorite summer dish when it's too hot to cook. No heavy sauces, no lingering warmth from the kitchen, no complicated steps that feel impossible when the heat has drained every last bit of energy. Just a cold, bright, beautiful bowl that comes together in 10 minutes and tastes like you spent far more time on it than you actually did.

What I love most about it is its simplicity. With so few ingredients, there's nowhere to hide, which means every element has to earn its place. Ripe tomatoes and a handful of pantry staples are all it takes. It's simple food at its most rewarding.

If you make it just once this summer, I have a feeling it'll become a regular in your kitchen.

Please let me know what you think about this recipe by leaving a comment below or tagging me on Instagram @veggieanh. ✨

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📖 Recipe