If you roam through the streets of Japan, you’ll find that Ramen isn’t the only hot topic around town. Abura Soba, Ramen without the broth, is also a majorly popular favorite among the Japanese.  Literally translated into “oil noodles”, Abura Soba is a type of soup-less Ramen usually mixed with vinegar, peanut seasoning, optional hot sauce for those who fancy spicy, and topped with poached eggs, tenderly roasted pork, and seaweed. I was pleasantly surprised that Ramen tasted equally as delicious or maybe even better without the soup. My taste buds were fortunate enough to taste this delicious noodle dish after stumbling upon my first bowl of Abura Ramen in the busy city of Sendai. Sendai, a bustling city with a population of 1 million and known for its historical architecture and culture, goes by the nickname “The City of Trees”. However, it should probably be called “The City of Food”, as it’s also filled with plenty of delicious goodies just like the rest of Japan. It is here that we wandered through countless street corners determined to find the perfect bowl of Abura Soba. The story began during our previous stay in Tokyo, when our local friend strongly suggested for us to try Abura Soba. Giving it high reviews, he claimed that this unique Ramen was definitely worth a try. Taking his word for it, we originally wanted to hunt down this delicacy in the capital of Tokyo, but unfortunately had to depart without trying a bite.

 Luckily, fate brought us to Abura-Soba in Sendai. After trying my first bite, all I can say is that our friend couldn’t be more right. If I must, I dare to say that it was even better than the classic Ramen with soup. When it comes to Ramen, the spotlight usually goes to the broth and the ingredients, the main source of flavoring to the noodles and the whole meal. Who’d have thought that a soup-less Ramen could taste so amazing? How the Ramen completely soaks up the savory flavor of the seasoning, makes soup not even necessary. After my last bite, I was completely tempted to bring my new Japanese favorite home, but that’s the thing about Abura Soba, it’s not exactly easy to find in America. Upon returning home, I realized that most Ramen restaurants only offered broth versions, which is why this recipe is such a gem.

With this recipe, now you can really bring Abura Soba to America. Using Raoh-brand instant noodles, an instant noodle that tastes extremely close to the noodles at ramen shops, you can mix your own homemade version of soup-less Ramen right at home! Not to mention, it’s also rather simple, can be quickly made, and uses easy to find ingredients. It’s also wonderfully adjustable with the flavor controlled by the amount of sauce added. A perfect remedy for when those Ramen cravings kick in and Japan’s a million miles away, this recipe will be just close enough to keep your stomachs satisfied and taste buds smiling.

Bringing Japan's Abura Soba to America: Homemade Soup-Less Ramen
Serves 1
Homemade Abura Soba with a taste close to the original!
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Total Time
20 min
Total Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 package of Roah-brand instant noodles (Soy sauce flavor)
  2. Bean sprouts
  3. Japanese leek
  4. Char Siu (roasted pork)
  5. Garlic
  6. Bamboo shoots
  7. Marinated boiled egg
  8. Naruto
  9. Ra-yu
  10. Nori
  11. Vinegar
  12. Peanut Seasoning
  13. Hot Sauce
  14. Seaweed
  15. *All ingredients are optional and amount is according to personal taste
Instructions
  1. First, mince the leek and char siu, finely cut the garlic, then prepare the bamboo shoots, Nori, and the boiled egg
  2. Afterwards, place the minced garlic, Ra-yu, and half of the Raoh instant soup in a bowl (Be careful, flavor will be very strong, if using all the Raoh instant soup)
  3. Boil the noodles for 4 minutes, then after the noodles have separated, add the bean sprouts and boil together
  4. After 4 minutes, drain the noodles, then immediately transfer them to you bowl, or else they will start to stick together if cooled down
  5. Throw on your toppings, mix well, and Itadakimasu!
Notes
  1. When adjusting your flavor, first start off with a weaker flavor, then add more sauce after tasting. Or else, it will be hard to alter if starting off with too strong of a flavor.
Adapted from en.cookpad.com
Adapted from en.cookpad.com
So Good Blog https://www.sogoodblog.com/
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Wenna Pang

A writer and photographer who's in love with new experiences, visual art, and the written word. Born and raised in Chicago, I've also spent time living in New York City, Hong Kong, and traveled throughout various places. A travel enthusiast by heart, I love roaming new places and exploring the people & food that comes with it. As an avid story teller, I love sharing my discoveries, whether it be my latest travel experience or newest food adventure. I truly believe that food is the universal factor that connects all of us, no matter how different we may be in other ways, we cannot deny that there’s at least one thing that we love to eat and that one favorite food magically and unconditionally gives us comfort and pleasure. That feeling is one of the purest forms of happiness and I’d love to share that feeling through my work
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