Cold Soba Noodles with Summer Veggies

It’s hot out—perfect weather for Chilled Soba Noodles with Dashi-Steeped Veggies. This dish is inspired by 揚げ浸し (agebitashi), a refreshing Japanese summer favorite where fried vegetables are steeped in a flavorful dashi-based broth.

Dashi is the heart of this recipe. It gives the vegetables that deep umami flavor, so I highly recommend using a good-quality one. Once chilled, the veggies soak up all that savory goodness and become the perfect make-ahead topping or side dish.

Eggplant is a classic for agebitashi—you’ll often see just eggplant at izakayas in Japan—but I like mixing in other summer vegetables and serving it over soba noodles. The combination of nutty buckwheat noodles and cold, umami-packed veggies is my idea of peak summer comfort food.