Soba noodles are typical in Japanese cooking. The noodles are made of buckwheat flour, making them a gluten-free option, and are typically served cold or in a broth. Soba noodles have various flavors, including green tea, yam, and seaweed.
You can find these noodles in Japanese or other Asian markets and many well-stocked grocery stores, including Whole Foods Markets. Unfortunately, soba noodles aren’t always easy to use use.
If you love eating Soba noodle dishes but can’t find them or want to try other flavors, you can use some Soba noodle substitutes.
You can use ramen noodles, whole wheat noodles, Udon noodles, Rice Noodles, Kelp Noodles, Yakisoba Noodles, Korean Buckwheat Noodles, Quinoa Spaghetti, Zucchini Noodles, Butternut Squash Noodles, Beet Noodle, Cellophane Noodles to substitute soba noodle.
Best Soba Noodle Substitutes
choosing the best soba noodle substitutes depends on what you need to substitute! Are you going for gluten-free options for nutrition or texture and test? There are many options. But your options are unlimited if you all need a similar noodle shape!
No substitute can give you everything soba noodles do, but narrowing down your needs will make the decision much more manageable! Below is more detail on these fantastic soba noodle substitutes that will work for you! Let’s move on.
1. Udon Noodles
Udon noodles is one of the favorite soba noodle substitutes used in Japanese cuisine. Udon is made from wheat flour. Udon noodles have a lighter color and thicker and creamier texture than soba noodles; Udon noodles are the perfect match for stir-fries, soups, and vegetables like soba noodles.
On the plus side, udon noodles are packed fresh and dried. While dried udon noodles make a great tasty meal, fresh udon noodles take this tastiness to another level.
Udon noodles also have a mild flavor that pairs well with any soba noodle dish. These noodles can also serve hot or cold like soba can.
2. Whole Wheat Spaghetti
Whole-grain spaghetti is made of whole-grain flour and is not a gluten-free option. Whole Wheat Spaghetti is one of the most fantastic soba noodle substitutes because it bears the same brownish shade as soba noodles.
It also has a flavor and texture similar to soba noodles, but this substitute has more protein, fiber, and similar nutritional values. Whole wheat spaghetti noodles are easy to find everywhere, from small local markets to big chains.
These noodles also come in various shapes and sizes. If you have flat soba noodles, then buy flat whole-wheat spaghetti. If you have round soba, buy round spaghetti.
3. Ramen Noodles
Ramen noodles are quick and obvious soba noodle substitutes out there. They are made with wheat flour, so they aren’t a gluten-free option. Besides being cheap, ramen noodles also come in fresh or dried ones. They often come with pre-packaged sauces and seasoning.
Some types of ramen noodles can have eggs if you want vegan or vegetarian options. They are ideal for stir-fries, salads, soups, or broth with various vegetables and meat. You can either buy fresh or dried in Asian markets.
4. Somen Noodles
Somen noodles are probably one of the closest soba noodle substitutes on the market. Somen noodles are slightly thicker than soba but similar in appearance and flavor to the more traditional ones.
They are made out of wheat flour, water, and oil and are incredibly thin, but that does not stop them from making a hearty and wholesome meal, especially during those cold winter nights, because they’re said to have a warming effect on your body.
However, they work in hot soups too. Somen noodles pair well with chopped scallions and grated ginger. You can easily find Somen noodles at most Asian grocery stores and also sold online.
5. Yakisoba Noodles
Yakisoba is made of wheat flour. It is similar to ramen and soba noodles, but they also hint at the sweetness and serve as a stir-fry dish.
They pair well with cabbage, pieces of pork, carrots, onions, salt, pepper, and yakisoba sauce. Or with other garnishes like pickled ginger, seaweed powder, and fish flakes. They’re typically sold dried and cooked similarly to the other noodle substitutes on this list.
You can find yakisoba noodles at most Asian grocery stores and online. They’re relatively inexpensive compared to other noodle substitutes, so they might be worth trying once or twice before you decide whether or not they’re for you.
6. Rice Noodles
A staple in Asian cuisine and a fantastic yakisoba noodles substitute is rice noodles. Pairing with stir-fries, pad Thai, and noodles pho is appropriate. These noodles are made out of rice flour and water. This mix of ingredients gives them their signature, see-through look and incredibly light texture.
Rice noodles are available in three forms: fresh, dried, and frozen. They have a mild flavor that might overpower the flavors of your dish. They are great for stir-fries, broths, soups, or as a base for meats and fish.
They’re easy to make; cover them with boiling water for a few minutes and combine them with your favorite vegetable. Or meat and some sauce.
7. Kelp Noodles
Kelp noodles are made from kelp. For some people who might not be familiar with it, kelp is a type of seaweed. As they come from this alga, kelp noodles are naturally gluten-free. The seaweed component in kelp noodles gives them that glassy, see-through look.
The same feature gives them a salty taste and a crispy texture unique from any other soba noodle substitute. But, these noodles do not tend to have a robust flavor, making them the perfect match for more potent and flavorful dishes.
They’re usually available, either dried or fresh, at health food grocers like Whole Foods Market. You can use them for stir-fries, soups, salads, and vegetable dishes
8. Zucchini Noodles
Zucchini is the first vegetable noodle offering a completely wheat-free, gluten-free, and additive-free alternative. Zucchini noodles are, also known as “zoodles,” made from fresh zucchini sliced using a special peeler.
Zucchini noodles might be your answer if you want a lighter and more refreshing replacement. This noodle is an excellent soba noodles alternative if you are trying to cut carbs or if you want to implement some extra veggies in your diet.
You can buy zucchini noodles at almost any supermarket, they come pre-packaged, but you can also make them fresh at home using a spiralizer. It’s even better to find organic zucchini noodles readily available!
9. Quinoa Noodles
Noodles made from quinoa is highly nutritious. Quinoa noodles is a pseudocereal, like buckwheat; it is a great soba noodle substitute and a fantastic gluten-free pasta alternative. It is also effortless to make and doesn’t have a particularly prominent flavor. It will pair well with any soba noodle recipe and has a great texture.
The biggest downside of quinoa noodles is that it can be challenging to find. You can consume them both hot or cold and go crazy adding all the ingredients you want, from beef, chicken, veggies, and different herbs and spices.
11. Cellophane Noodles
Cellophane noodles, also known as bean threads, are transparent noodles. They are made from starch that comes from mung beans and water. This type of noodles usually has no taste, so they go perfectly with more flavorful recipes like stews and stir-fries.
Bean threads are thinner than soba noodles and see-through, but they are a brilliant soba noodle substitutes in most recipes.
On top of that, this one represents a perfect, gluten-free alternative to your homemade and home-cooked recipes.
12. Butternut Squash Noodles
Butternut squash noodles are also not similar in flavor, texture, or nutrient value. But they are gluten-free alternatives for those trying to cut out carbs and those who want to eat more veggies. These veggie-based noodles are relatively easy to prepare at home. Get a butternut squash, cut it in half, and set it in a preheated oven with a sprinkle of olive oil.
Once they are ready, take two forks and rip the softened squash apart until it looks like thin, mushy spaghetti. The flavor of butternut squash is also generally straightforward to pair with other dishes, especially soups and broths, so you won’t have difficulty using it as an alternative.
13. Beet Noodles
Another vegan and gluten-free friendly alternative is beet noodles. They do not come pre-packaged (yet), but it is easy to make them at home. Just stick your beets in the spiralizer, and you are good to go! Add them to your recipe, keeping an eye on the beet noodles as they cook, as they might take a shorter time to cook than soba noodles.
That’s it. If you made too much, you could always have them stored for next time. Just place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. If you put beet in the freezer, they maintain a prolonged life: frozen beet noodles can last up to three months.
14. Whole Wheat Vermicelli
Deliciously thin and full of fiber, whole wheat vermicelli is an excellent replacement for soba noodles. You’ll get the grain-like taste of whole wheat, the nutritional content, and a similar thin shape.
Whole wheat vermicelli will be best in hot dishes, though it can be dipped into a cold sauce, similarly to soba. It will carry the flavors of whatever you’re serving it with well and can hang onto toppings easily.
15. Homemade Soba Noodles
If you prefer making your soba noodles at home, this is the place for you. It is easier than you think, and it is a swift process too:
1. Take some buckwheat flour, hot water, and spelled flour.
2. Combine them to form a soft, smooth dough ball.
3. Start kneading the mixture with your hands.
4. If it gets too sticky, sprinkle some flour on the dough so it stops sticking to your hands or the surface below.
4. If you want to make a gluten-free alternative at home, swap the spelled flour with a gluten-free option, like oat flour.
5. Once the dough is smooth and not sticky, flatten it and cut it into noodles. Make sure to keep them separate as you cut them.
If you are allergic to gluten, don’t use spelled flour because it contains gluten. Use only buckwheat flour. Or some other gluten-free flour like almond or oat.
Cook them as you usually do with any noodles, and that is it. You enjoy an excellent, hearty, homemade dish with minimum effort.
Conclusion
Soba noodles are probably one of the most famous types ever to exist. Soba noodles are incredibly easy to find in any supermarket or local corner shop, but other types of noodles can easily replace them.
Therefore, if you ever need soba noodle substitutes, look no further because our list has you covered.
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