On a hot day, why not try Hiyashi Chuka, one of Japan’s classic summer dishes? Chilled noodles topped with a colorful variety of ingredients are served with a light, tangy dressing, making a cool and refreshing meal that helps you beat the summer heat.
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What is Hiyashi Chuka?
Hiyashi Chuka is a Japanese dish made with chilled Chinese-style noodles, topped with ingredients such as fresh vegetables, ham, and thin egg strips called kinshi tamago, and usually served with either a soy sauce-based or sesame-based dressing. "Hiyashi" means chilled, and "Chuka" refers to Chinese-style. Despite its name, this dish is not Chinese, nor is it based on any specific dish from China. Rather, it is a uniquely Japanese noodle dish that uses Chinese-style noodles as its main ingredient.
Unlike hot ramen, it is served cold and is easy to eat even on sweltering days, which has made it a staple summer meal in Japan. The variety of colorful toppings gives it a salad-like quality, making it not only delicious but also nutritious and visually appealing. It is quick and easy to prepare, making it an ideal dish when you want something satisfying and well-balanced without spending a lot of time in the kitchen.
Choosing toppings
The appearance, flavor, and texture of hiyashi chuka can vary depending on the toppings you choose. Common toppings in Japan include:
- Ham, poached chicken, or chashu pork
- Cucumber
- Kinshi tamago (thin egg strips) or boiled egg
- Tomato
- Bean sprouts
- Wakame seaweed
- Imitation crab
- Cooked small shrimp
- Beni shoga (red pickled ginger)
Try using 4-5 of these ingredients and arranging them in a colorful, visually appealing way on top of the noodles. In this recipe, I used ham, cucumber, kinshi tamago, and tomato—the most common combination in Japan. (Instructions for making kinshi tamago are included in the recipe below, but for more detailed information, please refer to the linked page.)
No matter which toppings you choose, it is best to cut them into thin strips or slices so they don't interfere with the texture of the noodles. Feel free to experiment with other ingredients available in your area as well.
The two most common types of Hiyashi Chuka Dressing
The dressing is what truly defines the flavor of this dish. Broadly speaking, the two most common types of dressing for hiyashi chuka are:
Soy Sauce-Based Dressing: A light and refreshing dressing made with soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and other ingredients. This is the classic and most popular flavor in Japan.
Sesame-Based Dressing: A creamy dressing made with sesame paste, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and other ingredients. It has a rich, nutty flavor with plenty of depth.
Both are delicious and have their own distinct character, but if you are making hiyashi chuka for the first time, I recommend starting with the classic soy sauce-based version. If you have chuka dressing on hand, you can use that instead.
Whichever dressing you choose, be sure to pour it over the noodles just before serving. If the dressing sits on the noodles for too long, the noodles will absorb too much of it and become soft and soggy.
Plating the noodles and toppings
Once the toppings and dressing are ready, cook the Chinese-style noodles and drain them in a colander. Rinse them under cold running water, then drain well again. Now everything you need for hiyashi chuka is ready—all that's left is plating.
Place the noodles in a neat mound in the center of rimmed plates. Arrange the toppings around them so that they lean against the noodles. There’s no strict rule for how to arrange them, but grouping each topping together will help create an attractive presentation.
Finally, pour the dressing over the top, and your hiyashi chuka is ready to serve. Since the noodles will gradually lose their texture and start sticking together over time, enjoy them as soon as possible.
📋Step-by-step recipe
Ingredients
- 2 servings Chinese-style noodles (about 3.5 oz/100 g each)
- 1 Japanese or Persian cucumber (If using Persian cucumbers, increase the quantity by about 1.5 times, as they are smaller.)
- 1.5 oz deli-sliced ham
- 1 tomato (about 5.3 oz/150 g)
For the soy sauce-based dressing:
- 2 Tbsp water
- ½ tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
For the sesame sauce-based dressing:
- 1 ½ Tbsp water
- 3 Tbsp white sesame paste
- 1 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 ½ Tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Kinshi tamago (Japanese thin egg strips):
- 1 large egg (about 2.1 oz/60 g, including shell)
- ¼ tsp sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
Instructions
🕒 Total: 20 minsTo make the dressing (choose one of the following options):
Step 1
Soy Sauce-Based Dressing: In a bowl, combine the water and chicken bouillon powder, stirring until dissolved. Then, add soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds, and mix well. Refrigerate the dressing until ready to use. (If you are making hiyashi chuka for the first time, I recommend starting with this classic flavor.)
Sesame Sauce-Based Dressing: In a bowl, combine the sesame paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil, then mix well. Refrigerate the dressing until ready to use.
Preparing the cucumber, ham, and tomato:
Step 1
Slice the cucumber diagonally, then cut it into thin strips. Cut the ham into thin strips. Cut the tomato into thin wedges.
Steps for making kinshi tamago (thin egg strips):
Step 1
Crack the egg into a bowl, add sugar and salt, and beat well until the egg whites are fully broken up.
To break up the egg whites thoroughly, place the tips of your chopsticks against the bottom of the bowl and move them quickly back and forth without lifting them. For an even smoother, more refined finish, strain the egg mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.
Step 2
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Once the oil is hot, use a paper towel to spread it evenly across the entire surface of the pan, including the edges. Then, remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for about 30 seconds.
Step 3
Pour the egg mixture into the pan and swirl it so that the egg spreads into a thin, even layer. Use just enough to cover the pan from center to edges. The egg mixture will begin to set from the residual heat, so use only enough that it barely moves when you tilt the pan.
Step 4
Return the pan to the stove and cook over medium-low heat. Once about 80% of the surface looks set, turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let it steam for 1-2 minutes.
Step 5
Carefully remove the egg sheet from the pan, taking care not to tear it, and let it cool. If there is still a lot of egg mixture remaining, or if you are making more than two servings, repeat the process, starting from Step 2 (beginning with oiling the pan), until all of the egg mixture is used up.
Step 6
Once all of the egg sheets have been cooked and cooled, fold each one in half, then gently roll it into a loose cylinder. Slice into thin strips about 1/16 inch (1-2 mm) wide.
Steps for boiling noodles:
Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the Chinese-style noodles according to the package directions.
Step 2
Drain the noodles in a colander, rinse under cold running water until chilled, then drain well.
Plating process:
Step 1
Place the noodles in a neat mound in the center of rimmed plates. Arrange the cucumber, ham, tomato, and kinshi tamago around the noodles, leaning them against the mound for an attractive presentation. Pour the dressing over the noodles and toppings just before serving.
To store
This dish is not ideal for storage because the noodles will absorb the dressing and become overly soft.
If the dressing has not been added yet, the dish can be stored in the refrigerator until the next day. For best results, store the noodles and toppings separately so that the noodles don't absorb moisture released by the toppings, and combine everything just before serving. To prevent the noodles from sticking together, toss them with a small amount of oil before storing.
The dressing on its own can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think. Please consider leaving a review and star rating in the comments below. If you enjoyed it, I’d really appreciate it if you shared it with your friends.
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Recipe card
Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen Salad)
Ingredients
- 2 servings Chinese-style noodles (about 3.5 oz/100 g each)
- 1 Japanese or Persian cucumber (If using Persian cucumbers, increase the quantity by about 1.5 times, as they are smaller.)
- 1.5 oz deli-sliced ham
- 1 tomato (about 5.3 oz/150 g)
For the soy sauce-based dressing:
- 2 Tbsp water
- ½ tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
For the sesame sauce-based dressing:
- 1 ½ Tbsp water
- 3 Tbsp white sesame paste
- 1 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 ½ Tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Kinshi tamago (Japanese thin egg strips):
- 1 large egg (about 2.1 oz/60 g, including shell)
- ¼ tsp sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
Instructions
To make the dressing (choose one of the following options):
- Soy Sauce-Based Dressing: In a bowl, combine the water and chicken bouillon powder, stirring until dissolved. Then, add soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds, and mix well. Refrigerate the dressing until ready to use. (If you are making hiyashi chuka for the first time, I recommend starting with this classic flavor.)Sesame Sauce-Based Dressing: In a bowl, combine the water, sesame paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil, then mix well. Refrigerate the dressing until ready to use.
Preparing the cucumber, ham, and tomato:
- Slice the cucumber diagonally, then cut it into thin strips. Cut the ham into thin strips. Cut the tomato into thin wedges.
Steps for making kinshi tamago (thin egg strips):
- Crack the egg into a bowl, add sugar and salt, and beat well until the egg whites are fully broken up.To break up the egg whites thoroughly, place the tips of your chopsticks against the bottom of the bowl and move them quickly back and forth without lifting them. For an even smoother, more refined finish, strain the egg mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Once the oil is hot, use a paper towel to spread it evenly across the entire surface of the pan, including the edges. Then, remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for about 30 seconds.
- Pour the egg mixture into the pan and swirl it so that the egg spreads into a thin, even layer. Use just enough to cover the pan from center to edges. The egg mixture will begin to set from the residual heat, so use only enough that it barely moves when you tilt the pan.
- Return the pan to the stove and cook over medium-low heat. Once about 80% of the surface looks set, turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let it steam for 1-2 minutes.
- Carefully remove the egg sheet from the pan, taking care not to tear it, and let it cool. If there is still a lot of egg mixture remaining, or if you are making more than two servings, repeat the process, starting from Step 2 (beginning with oiling the pan), until all of the egg mixture is used up.
- Once all of the egg sheets have been cooked and cooled, fold each one in half, then gently roll it into a loose cylinder. Slice into thin strips about 1/16 inch (1-2 mm) wide.
Steps for boiling noodles:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the Chinese-style noodles according to the package directions.
- Drain the noodles in a colander, rinse under cold running water until chilled, then drain well.
Plating process:
- Place the noodles in a neat mound in the center of rimmed plates. Arrange the cucumber, ham, tomato, and kinshi tamago around the noodles, leaning them against the mound for an attractive presentation. Pour the dressing over the noodles and toppings just before serving.
Notes
- This dish is not ideal for storage because the noodles will absorb the dressing and become overly soft.
- If the dressing has not been added yet, the dish can be stored in the refrigerator until the next day. For best results, store the noodles and toppings separately so that the noodles don't absorb moisture released by the toppings, and combine everything just before serving. To prevent the noodles from sticking together, toss them with a small amount of oil before storing.
- The dressing on its own can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- The Nutrition Facts label is based on the soy sauce-based dressing. When the sesame-based dressing is used, the calorie content is approximately 527 kcal.
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