Toshikoshi Soba (New Year Soba)

Toshikoshi soba is a traditional Japanese soba noodle dish served with a hot tsuyu broth and various toppings on New Year’s Eve. I’ve incorporated medium boiled eggs to add creaminess to the dish and give it a comforting element. Thank you to America’s egg farmers and the American Egg Board for sponsoring this post!

This holiday season, I’m partnering with America’s egg farming families to share a Japanese holiday food tradition featuring eggs! Since the end of the year is upon us, I thought it would be fun to showcase toshikoshi soba, a simple buckwheat noodle soup served for Ōmisoka, a traditional Japanese holiday celebrated on December 31st.

Traditionally, on the last day of the year, Japanese people would focus on completing tasks such as cleaning their house, paying back debts, and bathing (cleansing the body), in order to start the new year fresh. These tasks were to be done early during the day so that people could gather and relax in the evening.

Nowadays, you will find most Japanese households tuning in to NHK to watch a four-hour long singing contest called Kōhaku Uta Gassen (my mother is a huge fan). Once the contest is over, a bowl of toshikoshi soba is served about an hour before ringing in the new year.

What is Toshikoshi Soba?

Toshikoshi soba is a traditional Japanese dish made of soba noodles served in a warm tsuyu broth and topped with ingredients such as scallions and wakame (seaweed). The buckwheat noodles symbolize a long life and the transition from one year to the next.

Adding Eggs to Toshikoshi Soba

Using an egg as a topping for toshikoshi soba elevates the dish to a whole new level!

By adding a poached or medium boiled egg, the broth takes on a creamy and rich texture. It’s the perfect meal for those cold winter nights when our bodies crave something more substantial.

Eggs are one of the most popular ingredients used in Japanese cooking and baking.

Dishes like tamagoyaki, omurice, tamago kake gohan, and desserts like purin and castella, are regularly eaten throughout the year. They are a favorite among homechefs and professional chefs because they add moisture, color, flavor, and nutritional values to recipes.

Eggs are high in protein and vitamin D, two essential nutrients for healthy muscles, bones, and skin.

How to Medium Boil Eggs

There are two easy ways to medium boil eggs – boil them in a pot of water or use an egg cooker.

I personally love my egg cooker as I don’t have to keep an eye on the cooking time (it does the job for me). The eggs also come out perfect every single time.

If you don’t have an egg cooker, here is a quick tutorial on how to successfully boil eggs on the stove top:

Gently place the eggs in a saucepan and fill it with cold water, to just above the tops of the eggs. Bring the water to a roiling boil and turn the heat off. Cover with a lid and let stand for:

• 10 minutes for hard boiled eggs.
• 6 minutes for medium boiled eggs.
• 3 to 4 minutes for a runny yolk.

Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and place in an ice bath for 5 minutes to stop the cooking process. Remove the shells, slice in half, and serve.

Ingredients for Toshikoshi Soba

• Soba Noodles: There are many different types of soba noodles and the ratio of buckwheat to flour can vary greatly. If you like chewy noodles, I recommend looking for soba noodles that are a mix of 50/50 buckwheat flour and whole wheat flour. I personally love my noodles to be on the grainier side so I usually go for soba noodles that are as close to 100% buckwheat flour as I can find.
• Soup: A mixture of water, soy sauce, dashi, sake, and mirin.
• Eggs: Use medium or large eggs. I like to medium boil my eggs so that the yolk is creamy and the white is almost entirely solid. But please go ahead and cook your eggs however you like.
• Scallions: Chopped scallions add a nice crunch and a little sweetness.
• Wakame: Seaweed is a classic topping for noodle soups in Japan. It adds a mineral component and a little taste from the sea.
• Naruto fish cakes: Called narutomaki in Japanese, these fish cakes are white with a pink swirl in the center. If you cannot find naruto fish cakes you can use any other type of kamaboko, which is a type of surimi, a processed seafood like crab sticks.

How to Make Toshikoshi Soba

1. Gather all of your kitchen tools and ingredients.
2. Begin by medium boiling your eggs. You can either use an egg cooker or follow the instructions on how to medium boil eggs in a pot, above.
3. Put all the ingredients for the soup in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring another pot of water to boil. Add the soba noodles and follow the cooking instructions on the package. Drain the noodles and divide them among two bowls.
5. Add the soup to the noodles and top with eggs, fish cakes, scallions, and wakame. Serve immediately.

What to Serve with Toshikoshi Soba

Pairing a bowl of toshikoshi soba with other dishes is quite easy! I recommend serving a mix of pickles, salads, and vegetables to accompany this delicious soup. Some of my favorites are:

• Edamame with soy and sesame sauce
• Blistered shishito peppers
• Hijiki salad
• Sunomono (Japanese cucumber salad)
• Agedashi tofu
• Tsukemono (pickled vegetables)

Did you like this toshikoshi soba recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

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