If you’re craving a comforting yet elegant dish that brings together the crunch of tempura and the savory goodness of seafood, Tempura Soba Noodles with Mixed Seafood is the perfect choice. This Japanese-inspired dish combines chewy soba noodles, tender mixed seafood, and crispy tempura in a flavorful, aromatic broth. It’s a dish that’s both satisfying and light, ideal for a quick meal or a special dinner.
At the base of this dish are the soba noodles, made from buckwheat flour. Their nutty flavor and slightly chewy texture provide a hearty foundation for the seafood and tempura. After cooking the soba noodles, rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process and keep them firm, making them perfect for a chilled dish or a hot, comforting soup.
The mixed seafood, which can include shrimp, squid, scallops, and fish, is quickly sautéed to keep it tender and flavorful. The seafood is added to a light, savory broth made with dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. The umami-rich broth enhances the seafood and noodles without overwhelming them, providing the perfect balance of salty, sweet, and savory notes.
The tempura adds the star element to this dish. Lightly battered shrimp, fish, and vegetables are deep-fried until golden and crispy, creating a delightful contrast in texture to the noodles and seafood. The tempura pieces are served on top of the soba, adding a satisfying crunch to each bite. You can even drizzle a little extra tempura dipping sauce on top for an added layer of flavor.
To finish, garnish the dish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and perhaps a dash of chili flakes for a bit of heat. The combination of crispy tempura, tender seafood, and savory broth makes Tempura Soba Noodles with Mixed Seafood a comforting and delicious choice for any occasion.
In summary, this dish combines the best of both worlds, the freshness of seafood, the crispiness of tempura, and the heartiness of soba noodles, all brought together in one flavorful, satisfying bowl.
Ingredients
- 200 g soba noodles
- 200 g mixed seafood squid, scallops), shrimp
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup ice water
- 1 egg yolk
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1 cup dashi stock
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 green onion sliced
- Shichimi togarashi Japanese seven spice, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
- In a deep frying pan or pot, heat vegetable oil to 180°C (350°F) for deep frying.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, ice water, and egg yolk. Mix until smooth.
- Dip the mixed seafood in the batter and carefully add it to the hot oil. Fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
- In a saucepan, combine dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3-5 minutes to develop the flavors.
- Divide the cooked soba noodles into serving bowls. Top with the tempura seafood and pour the hot broth over the noodles.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and shichimi togarashi. Serve hot and enjoy!
Wow, this looks amazing! Tempura with soba is my fav!
I followed the recipe but my tempura turned out soggy. I think I messed up the batter. Maybe I added too much water? Not sure.
My first time making tempura! It was easier than I thought, but I think I need to practice the frying.
Seafood and noodles? Not really my thing. Gave it a shot, but nah.
I tried this, but the seafood didn’t turn out right. Could be my fault.
Made this last night. My family loved it! So crunchy and tasty!
This was delicious! The tempura came out so crispy and the flavors were perfect. Will definitely make again!
Delicious? Really? Tempura is just fried food, isn’t it? How can it be so great?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Tempura is tricky, but it sounds like you nailed it! What seafood did you use?
I don’t get why dip the seafood into batter then fry super hot. Won’t it be chewy? I’ve had over-fried seafood before and it ruins it. But if you fry just until golden it might work.
Just okay. Not bad but taste was average. Soba is a bit weird to me.
My seafood ended up burnt 😩. I shoulda watched it more closely.
Aw, that’s the worst! I’ve burnt my food plenty of times. Just gotta keep trying!
Is it necessary to use dashi? Can I just use chicken stock? Asking for a friend.
Tempura seafood? More like a tempura disaster! I messed up the frying part.
I don’t get it. What’s so hard about frying? Just heat the oil and fry, right? Sounds easy to me.
Don’t be too hard on yourself! Tempura can be tricky, but practice makes perfect. You got this next time!
I’m skeptical about pouring hot broth over tempura, but wow—it kinda works if you do it right away. My family went back for seconds.
I don’t see why this is so popular. The batter was too thick and the seafood felt rubbery.
I think the batter could use more flour. It all kinda fell off during frying.
I actually think the batter is perfect! You might have just not let it sit long enough. Try again!
More flour? Nah, it’s tempura, not pancake! Just gotta mix it right, or you’ll get gunky noodles.
My broth tasted a bit too salty, so I’ll cut soy sauce next time. Otherwise the noodles were perfect after rinsing under cold water.
Looks complicated but actually simple to whip up! I even managed to impress my date. 10/10 would recommend. 🎉
Soba noodles are my favorite! I changed it a bit by adding veggies. So good!
Sounds delicious! I’ve never thought of adding veggies to soba! What kind did you use?
This is so delicious! The tempura came out perfectly crispy. I added a bit more seasoning to the broth though. Will make it again!
Sounds amazing! I want to try it too! 😊
Yummm!! I love soba noodles! 😍 Easy to make, my kids loved it too!
I tried something similar once and it was kinda soggy, but your steps (rinse noodles cold, then add hot broth) make sense. Going to attempt tonight.
Yum! My kids loved it! 😉 But next time I will use chicken instead of seafood. Love soba noodles!!
2 tbsp mirin?? I accidentally use like 2 cups mirin once (long story) and it was too sweet—so I’m gonna measure carefully this time. Hope it’s not bland!
Its too hard to prepare all this stuff! Why so many ingredients?!!!
Why is the recipe using only egg yolk in the batter? I used a whole egg and it felt heavier. Would reduce fry time next time.
These came out so crispy! I was worried the batter would clump, but mixing it smooth fixed everything. The dashi broth made it feel super authentic.
I don’t know if 180°C is hot enough for frying. My seafood didn’t cook right. 🤔
180°C is standard for tempura frying! It should work fine. Maybe try a different seafood next time? 🤷♀️
Tempura in general is hard for me… my batter absorbed oil and didn’t get that golden color. But the seafood was cooked through and the flavors were good.
180°C is critical. I didn’t have a thermometer and my tempura turned out greasy last time… so I’m glad you included the temp.
This sounds so cozy and perfect for a rainy night. Tempura + soba is such a win. I’m definitely trying the dashi broth the way you wrote it—3-5 min simmer sounds right.
Totally agree—this is peak rainy-night comfort. The broth timing tip is helpful too, I always rush and end up under-flavoring.