Japanese · main

Soba (そば)

Soba (そば) reads umami 7.1, salinity 6.2 and marine & briny 5.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Japanese main, about 15 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.6 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.1 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 0.9 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.7 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 2.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 2.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.1 · Salinity 6.2 · Marine & Briny 5.6 · Sweetness 3.0 · Funk & Ferment 2.9 · Herbaceous 2.4 · Richness 2.0 · Heat 2.0 · Allium 1.9 · Earthy 1.6 · Warm Spice 1.6 · Nutty 1.4 · Sourness 0.8 · Bitterness 0.8

What's in it (7)

• 12 oz buckwheat soba noodles
• 2 cups dashi
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 2 tsp wasabi
• 2 sheets nori, sliced

Time & effort: about 15 min · effort: easy

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 232.7 kcal, 12.4 g protein, 5.7 g fat, 31.1 g carbs

How it's cooked (3 steps)

1. Boil soba noodles, rinse under cold water until the starch is washed away, and drain well.
2. Make a dipping sauce (tsuyu) by combining dashi, soy sauce, and mirin, and serve cold soba alongside for dipping.
3. Garnish with scallions and wasabi.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Acadiana Seafood Gumbo — Cajun/Creole
• Thai Basil Shrimp (Pad Kra Pao Goong) — Thai
• Mentaiko Kimchi Udon — Korean
• Tteokbokki (떡볶이) — Korean
• Pissaladière — French · Provence

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, marine & briny mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.