Description
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.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Noodles
- 200 g ramen noodles or somen
Tomato Dressing
- 2 large ripe tomatoes (about 350-400 g), diced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar or maple syrup
- 1-2 tsp chili crisp or chili oil (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Toppings
- 1 stalk scallions
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- A handful of fresh herbs (Thai basil or cilantro)
- 200g pan fried tofu (optional)
Instructions
- Salt the tomatoes
- Dice the tomatoes and toss them with ½ teaspoon salt.
- Let them sit for 10–15 minutes.
- 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.
- Stir in: garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, chili crisp.
- Cook the noodles according to package instruction and rinse under cold water until chilled.
Garnish & Serve:
- Toss the noodles with the tomato dressing.
- Finish with scallions, sesame seeds, herbs, and your choice of protein.
Notes
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.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Meal
- Method: Boiling, Chilling
- Cuisine: Japanese