Summer Cold Udon with Lemony-Kombu Broth and Smoked Trout (easy summer noodle bowl)

If you’re anything like me, summer calls for something cool and refreshing. This cold udon bowl is quickly becoming one of my go-tos — the broth is light and tangy, the toppings are crisp and allows the fresh summer produce to shine, and best of all, it’s built for lazy-day prep. You can make most of it ahead of time and assemble the components in-between work meetings or errands.

I use Trader Joe’s tinned trout for the salty, smoky, umami flavor but grilled salmon/trout works as well!

i used (serves 2):

noodles + toppings:

• 2 servings frozen sanuki udon
• 1 can Trader Joe’s tinned smoked trout (or any smoked or plain trout you like. salmon works too!)
• 1 persian cucumber, julienned
• 1 soft-boiled egg, halved
• handful of blanched green beans, cut into 1-cm pieces
• lemon wedges, furikake for serving

soup base:

• 2 cups kombu dashi (see below for how to make)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp mirin
• pinch of salt

to make:

• kombu dashi: steep one large piece of kombu (~6-inch piece, cut into smaller squares) in 3 cups of cold water — either overnight in the fridge or on the counter for at least 3 hours
• cook udon according to package instructions, then rinse under cold water until fully chilled. add a few ice cubes if you want it extra cold
• while the noodle ingredients are cookings, mix all the soup base ingredients together and chill until ready to use. it should be light and tangy, not too salty
• divide udon between two bowls and pour chilled broth over top. garnish with trout, cucumber slices, and additional toppings of choice
• finish with a lemon wedge on the side, serve immediately