Hiyashi Chuka
Cold ramen with colourful toppings and a tangy sauce.
Ingredients
- 200 g Fresh ramen noodles
- 2 Egg
- 1 Cucumber
- 80 g Ham
- 1 Tomato
- 3 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 2 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Toasted sesame oil (optional)
Method
- Cook a thin omelette in a lightly oiled pan, then roll and slice it into ribbons.
- Julienne the cucumber, ham, and tomato.
- Whisk the soy, vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar into a sauce.
- Boil the noodles until just tender, then chill under cold running water and drain well.
- Arrange the omelette and toppings over the cold noodles and pour over the sauce.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Hiyashi Chuka
Hiyashi chuka is Japan's answer to summer heat: chilled ramen noodles fanned out under a spread of colorful toppings and dressed in a bright, tangy sauce. The name translates loosely as chilled Chinese-style noodles, and it is a seasonal fixture, appearing on menus across the country when the weather turns hot. What defines it is the cold service and the composed, almost decorative arrangement — ribbons of thin omelette, julienned cucumber, ham, and tomato laid in neat sections over the noodles rather than tossed together. It is as much about visual balance as flavor.
The sauce is the heart of it: soy for savor, rice vinegar for a sharp lift, sesame oil for depth, and a little sugar to round the edges, so every bite lands sweet-sour-savory at once. Shocking the boiled noodles under cold running water is the crucial step — it firms them up and washes off surface starch so they stay slippery and separate rather than clumping. Cool, refreshing, and light despite the ham and egg, it eats like a meal-in-a-bowl salad. Serve it the moment it is assembled, while the noodles are still cold, as a lunch or light dinner on a sweltering day.
Hiyashi Chuka: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Hiyashi Chuka?
A serving has about 446 calories — 21.6g protein, 41.5g carbs, 21.6g fat, 2.6g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Hiyashi Chuka gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Fresh ramen noodles, Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu). You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for those ingredients to make it gluten-free.
How long does Hiyashi Chuka take to make?
About 25 minutes start to finish, but only around 14 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Hiyashi Chuka?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out toasted sesame oil — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Hiyashi Chuka make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.