Cold Ramen Salad

Quick answer

Total time: 30 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 10

About this dish

Hiyashi chuka is a Japanese chilled noodle dish where ramen noodles cooked and thoroughly cooled in ice water are topped with colorful shredded garnishes and drizzled with a tangy soy-vinegar dressing.

The dressing of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil combines salt, sharpness, and sweetness; because it is poured over rather than used as a broth, the individual character of each topping stays distinct. The noodles must be chilled in ice water after boiling to achieve the firm, springy texture that holds up against the dressing without going limp, and tossing them lightly with sesame oil prevents clumping before plating. Thin strips of egg crepe, ham, cucumber, and tomato arranged by color create a visually striking presentation, and each chopstickful delivers several contrasting textures at once. In Japan this dish is a summer fixture, and at home it is a practical way to use leftover ingredients. A variation whisks mayonnaise into the dressing, which softens the acidity and adds a creamy body to the sauce.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

Ramen noodles2 servingserving

Egg2 piecepiece

Ham80 gg

Cucumber1 piecepiece

Tomato1 piecepiece

Soy sauce3 tbsptbsp

Vinegar2 tbsptbsp

Sugar1 tbsptbsp

Sesame oil1 tbsptbsp

Sesame seeds1 tsptsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Control

Beat 2 eggs until smooth, then cook them in a thin layer over medium-low heat.

Let the egg crepe cool fully before slicing it into 0.3cm strips so it holds its shape cleanly.
2

Prep

Slice 80g ham and 1 cucumber into strips close to the egg thickness for even eating.

Cut 1 tomato thinly, keeping excess juice off the board so the noodles do not become watery.
3

Season

Combine 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp sesame oil, and 1 tsp sesame seeds.

Stir until the sugar dissolves completely, then chill the dressing while preparing the noodles.
4

Heat

Boil 2 servings of ramen noodles for 30 seconds less than the package time.

Stir with chopsticks as they cook so the strands separate, and stop while the center still feels slightly firm.
5

Heat

Move the cooked noodles straight into ice water and rinse thoroughly.

When they are cold and the surface starch is washed away, drain well in a colander so the dressing does not get diluted.
6

Step

Place the drained noodles in serving bowls and arrange the egg, ham, cucumber, and tomato by color on top.

Pour the dressing evenly just before serving so the noodles stay springy, not swollen.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Chilled ramen noodles and a tangy soy-vinegar dressing define this hiyashi chuka salad.
Finish cue: Let the egg crepe cool fully before slicing it into 0.3cm strips so it holds its shape cleanly.
Avoid this: Cut 1 tomato thinly, keeping excess juice off the board so the noodles do not become watery.