Name: 10 Minute Hiyashi Ramen (Cold Noodle Soup)
Prep time: 9 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder (granules); 1 tsp dashi granules; 1 tsp sugar; 4 tbsp hot water; 1 tbsp soy sauce; ½ tbsp oyster sauce; ½ tsp rice vinegar; 1 tsp garlic paste; 2 tbsp bonito flakes (crushed); 400 ml ice cold water; 1 tbsp dried wakame seaweed; 2 portions ramen noodles; 4 slices dry-cured ham (Jamón Serrano or Proscuitto); 2 tbsp seasoned bamboo shoots (menma); 2 ramen eggs (halved); finely chopped green onions; ground black pepper; toasted sesame oil

As much as I love ramen, I’m not a fan of eating a bowl of hot soupy noodles in the summer when the temperature is above 30°C.

Easy homemade pork miso ramen in a black bowl topped with ramen eggs, spinach, beansprouts, nori and sweetcorn next to a plate of fried gyoza and a tub of miso paste. — Usually, ramen comes with a hot broth.

Of course, we have Hiyashi Chuka, which is a well-known summer noodle dish in Japan. However, it’s not quite the same as ramen.

Hiyashi chuka made with ramen noodles topped with ham, carrots, tomatoes, egg crepe and cucumber with a tangy soy-based sauce in a black Chinese style bowl — Hiyashi Chuka is a Japanese summer icon.

So, I’ve created a new ramen dish that’s refreshingly cool and similar to regular ramen. Meet my ice-cold ramen!

Cold ramen served in a white and red ramen bowl topped with cured ham, soft boiled eggs, wakame, chopped green onions and menma bamboo shoots on an ashy wood background

This was exactly what I was looking for. The best part is, the broth is just a simple mix of ingredients, no cooking is required, and it’s ready in 10 minutes. Want to know how it’s made? Keep reading!

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Cold Noodle Options in Japan

When you think of Japanese noodle dishes, steaming bowls of ramen or udon probably come to mind. But Japan has lots of cold noodle dishes too, which are great for beating the summer heat. These refreshing options show how versatile Japanese cuisine can be and provide a tasty way to cool down during warmer months.

Popular Cold Noodle Varieties:

Hiyashi Chuka: A colorful medley of chilled ramen noodles topped with an assortment of fresh vegetables, egg, and protein served in either a vinegar-based sauce or sesame sauce.
Zaru Udon: Thick wheat noodles served on a bamboo basket (zaru) with a cold dipping sauce.
Zaru Soba: Similar to zaru udon, but made with buckwheat noodles, offering a nuttier flavor profile.
Somen: Delicate wheat noodles typically eaten during the summer.

And there are plenty more if you include all the different variations, like my recent creation of Hiyashi Tantanmen. In the summer, it’s traditional in Japan to eat noodles in a light, refreshing way.

Hiyashi tantanmen in a white dish topped with boiled egg halves, julienned cucumber, chopped green onion, sliced tomato and seasoned ground pork on a bamboo mat background next to a glass of iced water and light wooden chopsticks side view — My Hiyashi Tantanmen is also a great summer option!

How I Developed This Recipe

I didn’t invent cold ramen, or “hiyashi ramen” as we call it. You can even find it in convenience stores during the scorching summer months. But I wanted to create something extra special – a cold ramen that would really hit the spot on those sweltering days.

This recipe was created not only by thinking about the all-important eating part but also by keeping actual cooking to a minimum. That’s why I opted for ready-to-use toppings such as menma (pickled bamboo shoots), wakame seaweed and even dry-cured ham instead of chashu! I must say, this kind of ham goes surprisingly well with my carefully crafted cold ramen broth!

There’s nothing more satisfying than slurping up these ice-cold, flavorful noodles when you’re feeling hot and sticky. Give it a try on the next scorching day!

Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas

ingredients used to make cold ramen on a white background with labels

Ramen Noodles: I used homemade noodles (part of my ongoing ramen noodle research), but high-quality store-bought fresh or dried noodles work great, too. Just avoid using the dry noodles from instant cup ramen—they won’t do this dish justice!
Dry-Cured Ham: Go for either Jamón Serrano or prosciutto. In my testing, I found that Jamón Serrano’s flavor profile works really well with this recipe, but feel free to use your preferred or more easily accessible variety.
Chicken Bouillon Powder & Dashi Granules: These instant flavor boosters are great for getting a tasty broth in no time without using heat—perfect for hot summer days!
Katsuobushi (Bonito Flakes): Just give these dried, fermented fish flakes a light crush before you use them to release more flavor. While it’s not required, they really enhance the broth and give it more Japanese flair.
Other Seasonings: A blend of soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic paste, sugar, and rice vinegar. Feel free to adjust quantities to suit your taste preferences.
Additional Toppings: I also added ramen eggs (or soft-boiled eggs), wakame seaweed (rehydrated), finely chopped green onions, a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, and a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper to the dish.

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Visual Walkthrough & Tips

Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Cold Ramen at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.

This section aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the cooking steps and techniques with visuals. It also includes more in-depth tips and tricks and explains why I do what I do.

STEP

Prepare the Broth

Mix all the broth ingredients together in a bowl.

Boil some water and add a little to the bowl, stirring to make sure all the granules, sugar, and other ingredients are completely dissolved.

a mixture of condiments in a steel mixing bowl to make cold ramen soup

Tip

Using hot water makes sure that everything dissolves fully, which cold water may not do.

Set it aside to cool.

STEP

Rehydrate Wakame

Just soak the dried wakame in water, following the instructions on the package. You can do this while you’re preparing the other components.

dried wakame soaking in a small glass bowl of water

STEP

Cook Ramen Noodles

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.

homemade ramen noodles cooking in a pot of water

Tip

Cook the ramen noodles for a little longer than the package says. This extra time makes up for the firming effect of the ice water rinse.

Drain the cooked noodles in a colander. Rinse thoroughly with cold water, then place in a bath of ice water. (Note that this is not the measured jug of ice water from earlier, that one is to mix with the base sauce!)

cooked homemade ramen noodles in a sieve over a bowl filled with water and ice cubes

STEP

Finalize the Broth

Add a handful of ice to a measuring jug and fill it up to 400ml with cold water.

Mix the ice water with the cooled broth mixture, and you’ve got the final chilled soup base for your dish.

cold ramen broth with ice cubes to chill

STEP

Assemble the Dish

Divide the cooled noodles between serving bowls and pour the chilled broth over the noodles, making sure to distribute it evenly.

chilled ramen noodles in a white ramen bowl with red border design

Top each bowl with the rehydrated wakame and any other toppings you like.

cold ramen noodles topped with cured ham, soft boiled eggs, wakame, chopped green onion and menma bamboo shoots

Enjoy the dish at its freshest and most refreshing.

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I hope you enjoy this Hiyashi Ramen recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!