JOC Cooking Challenge June 2026

2 days ago 17

Are you Team Udon or Team Soba? That’s the big question for our June 2026 JOC Cooking Challenge! To join the fun, make either my Zaru Soba (Cold Soba Noodles) or Zaru Udon (Cold Udon Noodles) recipe. These refreshing dishes are a perfect way to kick off the summer, and you can enter for a chance to win one of our prizes. Which team are you on?

plain white udon noodles on the left, garnished with green maple leaves, and green matcha soba noodles on the right, topped with shredded nori.

This Month’s Recipe Challenge

We’ve added a fun twist to our JOC Cooking Challenge this month: We want YOU to decide which cold noodle recipe you’ll make—Zaru Soba or Zaru Udon!

Both are light and refreshing, with chilled noodles that cool you down fast on warm days. An umami-rich dipping sauce completes the meal with its clean, satisfying flavor.

The best part? They take just 10 minutes to make—ideal for when it’s just too hot to cook.

I’m so excited to cook these classic Japanese dishes with you to kick off the summer season.

Zaru udon (cold udon) served on a bamboo mat with ice and maple leaves, accompanied by dipping sauce, wasabi, chopped scallions, sesame seeds, ginger, and shredded seaweed on small plates.

Two types of Zaru Soba (Cold Soba), one plain and one green tea flavored, are served on a bamboo mat in a red-lacquered tray, garnished with shredded nori. Bowls of dipping sauce and condiments are placed in the background.

Are You Team Soba or Team Udon?

I love them both! Here are the main differences:

Udon (うどん) are thick and chewy Japanese noodles made from wheat flour.

Soba (蕎麦, そば) are thin, earthy, and firm noodles made from buckwheat and wheat flours.

Which team are you on?

Whether this is your first time joining or you’ve cooked along with us before, I can’t wait to see your version. Let’s cook together!

A plate of zaru udon (cold udon noodles) rests on a bamboo mat with ice cubes and green maple leaves, accompanied by chopsticks on a wooden table.

A red tray of Zaru Soba (Cold Soba) features white and green soba noodles topped with sliced seaweed, placed on a bamboo mat beside a bowl of dipping sauce, wasabi, and chopped scallions. Chopsticks rest alongside the tray.

The Prizes!

This contest is open worldwide, and we’ll randomly select 3 winners from all completed submissions at the end of the challenge. Each winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card.

Please note: Winners are not chosen based on the dish’s appearance. However, your submission must follow the recipe and meet the challenge requirements below.

Before You Start

Read the full recipe post before you start cooking.
Recipe question? Ask directly on the recipe post, and we’ll answer soon!
Questions about the challenge? Leave your comment below. We’re happy to help.

Chopsticks hold zaru udon topped with green onion and seaweed, dipping them into a patterned bowl of sauce. Plates of more cold udon and toppings sit on a wooden table in the background.

A plate with two types of Japanese Zaru Soba (Cold Soba) noodles—regular zaru soba and green tea soba, garnished with shredded seaweed. A dipping sauce, teapot, and condiments are in the background on a wooden tray.

How to Join the JOC Cooking Challenge

Make my Zaru Udon or Zaru Soba recipe, and

Follow my recipe as closely as possible so your final dish looks similar to mine.

Enter for a chance to win! Complete these two steps:

Email one photo of your final dish to contest@justonecookbook.com by 12 pm (Pacific Time) on June 30, 2026; and
Leave a star rating and a comment on either the Zaru Soba or Zaru Udon recipe post using the same email address used for your photo submission.