My 3 Best Instant Soba Noodles
Made from buckwheat flour, soba is one of the traditional Japanese noodles that are most commonly eaten in Japan, and as with ramen and udon, it comes in instant noodles.
As a matter of fact, if you have a chance to shop at a supermarket in Japan, you will see a variety of instant soba cups/bowls there.
My 3 Best Instant Soba Noodles
Today, instant soba has been a staple in homes in Japan, together with instant ramen and udon, so almost every major Japanese instant noodle manufacturer produces and sells them.
Nowadays, various types and flavors of instant soba noodles can be seen, but this time, let me introduce my three best items.
Maruchan Midori no Tanuki Tensoba
First, one of my favorite instant soba noodles is this “Midori no Tanuki Tensoba (緑のたぬき 天そば)” from Maruchan.
In its name, “Tensoba (天そば)” stands for Tempura Soba, and the main garnish of this product is a piece of shrimp tempura.
The soy sauce-based broth of this soba is rich in umami from Katsuobushi bonito flakes and coats the curly buckwheat noodles well.
And the addition of the Shichimi Togarashi spice blend that comes with this bowl makes the overall taste more flavorful.
Nissin Donbei Kamo Dashi Soba
This Kamo Dashi Soba instant noodle is from Nissin’s Donbei line.
As “Kamo (鴨)” is the Japanese word for wild duck, this instant soba is especially characterized by its broth with distinctive umami from the duck meat.
Since the duck soup has a different umami profile than regular soba and is delicious, I sometimes crave this one.
Nissin Donbei Tempura Soba
Nissin Donbei Tempura Soba is one of the best-selling and most loved instant soba noodles, together with Maruchan Midori no Tanuki Tensoba, and this is my best of best instant soba.
Unlike Maruchan Midori no Tanuki Tensoba, the tempura topping is added after the noodles are cooked.
So the tempura retains its crispy texture and the fragrance of shrimps.
The broth is light tasting compared to the Maruchan but is loaded with umami and is very tasty.
