It is so hard not to fall for Yakisoba when you hear that sizzling from the delicious fruity sauce poured over noodles on a hot plate. Yakisoba is stir fried noodles cooked with a tangy signature sauce and vegetables.
Why You Will Love Yakisoba
It’s easy to make the popular Japanese street food authentically! Bring the atmosphere of a Japanese street market into your kitchen with the irresistible aroma and sizzling sound of this classic noodle dish. Why not try it because all you’ll need is a frying pan to achieve this at home!
What is Yakisoba?
Yakisoba is a classic and popular stir-fry Japanese noodle dish cooked on a huge iron plate and typically sold as street food. It is a dry noodle type of dish so it does not have a soup or broth like other types of Japanese noodle dishes.
Yakisoba is now a well-known Japanese word in English speaking countries, but just in case you don’t know what it is: Yaki = grilled/fried and Soba = noodles. Although it’s called Yaki “Soba”, it is actually made from ramen noodles, not soba noodles. The origins of the dish are from China but it was adapted into Japanese cuisine and made popular in Japan when it appeared in street food stalls after the second World War. Check other Japanese food terminology here.
Ingredients
There are lots of creative ways you can make this savoury stir-fried noodle dish. Here is a bit more information about what I used.
Noodles: Which type of noodle best suits Yakisoba?
There are many different types of noodles out there, and you may be confused about which noodles to use for making Yakisoba. The noodles we use in Japan are wheat-based noodles. They might look the same as egg noodles but they are not made the same way. They look like they contain eggs because of the addition of an alkalising agent called “Kansui,” which is water that is rich in sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate.
If you are interested in knowing more about Asian noodles, read SBS’s “Know your noodle:The ultimate guide to Asian noodles.” Because Yakisoba is a very common dish in Japan, you can easily buy Yakisoba noodles at the supermarket. They are usually sold as steamed noodles in Japan and are quick and easy to heat.
Proteins and Vegetables
The great thing about it is that you can really add any ingredients you like. The noodles are most often grilled along with pork, chicken, beef, egg, seafood such as shrimp and squid.
Commonly used vegetables are cabbage, capsicum, onion, and scallions. However, all this can be adapted to suit your flavour palette. You can add more vegetables to make it healthier or you can make it with only vegetables to create a vegetarian version.
Yakisoba Sauce
The sauce elevates this dish with an undeniably delicious umami flavour. I love Yakisoba Sauce by Otafuku., which is specially made for seasoning Yakisoba. However, if you would like to make your own sauce, which is based on Worcestershire sauce, follow this recipe.
Garnishes
These are my favorite ways to garnish yakisoba.
- Beni Shoga
: a type of red pickled ginger that adds flavour and pretty colour to the brown dish.
- Bonito Flakes: add flavour and texture.
- Aonori Flakes: seaweed flakes give even more of a flavour kick to an already delicious stir-fried noodles.
Where to Buy Ingredients For Making Yakisoba at Home
Yakisoba noodles and the garnishes can be found at Japanese supermarkets or online. Here is a bit more helpful shopping information about each of the types of ingredients I used.
- Yakisoba Noodles: Do not buy soba noodles, these are made from buckwheat and are not used for yakisoba (despite the name). You need to buy yakisoba noodles which can be found at Japanese grocery stores, online, or you can use ramen noodles.
- Fillings: You can really use whatever proteins and vegetables you like so you can choose what you like from your supermarket.
- Yakisoba Sauce: Nowadays you can find this sauce more frequently outside of Japan. If you are in Australia, I actually saw this recently at Woolworths. Otherwise, you can make it yourself or find it at a Japanese supermarket or on Amazon.
- Garnishes: Beni Shoga
, Aonori Flakes, and Bonito Flakes can be found at Japanese supermarkets. (Or click each link to find them online.)
How To Make Yakisoba
All of the steps are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here is a quick overview of how you’ll make this stir-fried recipe.
The first step is to do all your food preparations. Cut up the vegetables and protein and cook your noodles.
Now you are ready to stir fry the noodles. When they are finished, set the noodles aside and stir fry the protein and veggies next.
Then, place the noodles back in the frying pan and combine it with the protein and vegetables. Finish it all by adding yakisoba sauce on top and fry them all over high heat.
3 Tips To Make Perfect Yakisoba!
We want to make the same Yakisoba that you can buy from street food markets that are cooked on a huge iron plate (called “Teppan”). I will give you 3 tips to achieve street-food-like Yakisoba at home with your frying pan!
1. Stir Fry the Noodles First Till They Are Browned
Stir fry the noodle first till it is browned: Loosen the noodles by pouring hot water over them. Using a pair of chopsticks or by your hand, loosen it and drain water in a sieve. Stir fry the well-drained noodle over medium to high heat in a frying pan first, push the noodle with an egg flipper to brown the noodles. Turn the heat off and set aside the noodles in a bowl.
2. Steam Cook the Cabbage with Noodles Placed Over the Cabbages
After you cook and brown the pork, add the cabbage and capsicum and cover the vegetables with already cooked and browned noodles. Use the noodles as a lid to steam cook the vegetables for a few minutes over medium heat.
3. Cook on High Heat
We don’t want to make soggy Yakisoba. I have a 10 inch (26cm) frying pan and I cook one noodle packet at a time (above photo I cooked for two) to make NOT soggy Yakisoba and cook it over high heat and as fast as I can after pouring the sauce.
Shortcut
Sounds great so far? Wouldn’t it be great if the noodles and sauce come in one packet together? Japanese people are known for their great customer service and it’s the same in the food industry too! You can purchase two or three noodle balls and sachets of powdered sauce in one packet. You can buy Japanese style noodle with Sauce from Japanese/Asian grocery stores or online stores.
FAQ
Yakisoba noodles are made from wheat and are not low carb so Yakisoba is not keto-friendly. If you want a low-carb stir-fry, you should use something like zucchini noodles.
Yes, Yakisoba noodles and sauce both contain gluten.
Yes, Yakisoba does have dairy.
No, this Yakisoba recipe does not contain nuts.
The best way to store leftover yakisoba is in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days. When you are ready to enjoy it again, reheat it on the stove and add a littler more sauce on top.
The printable recipe card has a helpful tool that lets you change the serving amounts.
To alter the serving size click on the serving number and move the slider left or right to adjust the quantity. As you move the slider the quantities of the ingredients will adjust accordingly in both imperial and metric measurements.
Related Recipes
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- To alter the serving size click on the serving number and move the slider left or right to adjust the quantity.
- As you move the slider the quantities of the ingredients will adjust accordingly in both imperial and metric measurements.
Yakisoba
Ingredients
- 1 yakisoba noodle ball
- 80 g thinly sliced pork belly
- 100 g teared cabbage
- 50 g green cupsicum
- 50 g Yakisoba sauce *1
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Garnish
- 1 tbsp red pickled ginger
- 1 tsp Aonori flakes
- 2 tbsp dried bonito flakes shaved katsuobushi
Instructions
- Open the packet of noodle and pour boiling water to loosen the noodles with chopsticks, drain the water well and set aside.
- Boil water in a large pot and cook the ramen noodles. Once cooked, drain the water and set the noodles aside.
- Tear the cabbage with hands and slice thinly the stems with a knife.
- Cut the capsicums into bitesize chunks and set aside
- Cut the thinly sliced pork belly to about 3cm long strips and set aside.
- Heat 1/2 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and add well-drained noodles to the pan.
- Using an egg flipper, press the noodles down against the bottom of the pan to brown the noodle over medium to high heat.
- When the noodle is browned and cooked after about 5 minutes, remove the noodle to a bowl to set aside.
- Place the frying pan back on the medium to high heat and add another 1/2 tbsp of olive oil into the pan.
- When the pan starts to smoke, add the pork and once it is cooked add the vegetables.
- Cover the meat and vegetables with cooked and browned noodle in order to steam cook the vegetables underneath.
- When the volume of the vegetables sink, stir and fry to combine noodle, vegetables, and pork for a few minutes.
- Pour over the sauce and mix it in over high heat for 30 seconds.
- Trun the heat off, serve the noodle on a plate.
- Garnish the noodle with red pickled ginger, bonito flakes and Aonori flakes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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This looks absolutely amazing! I love Japanese food, and am so happy to have stumbled upon your site! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Peter 😀 and you are welcome 😀
Loooove Yakisoba and I’m so excited to make it at home!
Great Jenn 😀
Delicious recipe and SO comforting on a cold day! Thank you 🙂
You are welcome, Yakisoba is Japanese comfort food 😀
Thanks for the tip about using the biggest skillet + doing them in batches. It’s hard to resist adding too much to a skillet to speed up a recipe, but it’s worth it to be deliberate!
You are welcome Alyssa 😀
I am curious about something, you say in the directions cook the 2 eggs, but the ingredients say nothing about eggs?
I was also looking at the nutritional info and it says 843 calories and 1294 sodium, is this really for one serving???????????
Hi Tobius. Thank you for your feedback. I fixed the recipe process and also recalculated the nutritional fact. Thank you.
Oh this sounds fantastic. SO delicious and flavorful. I bet my family would love it to. I need to make this.
Make it very soon Natalie 😀
This was my first attempt at yakisoba and it was marvelous!!! Thank you!
Great! Thank you Liz 😀
We have a wonderful market here in Houston where I am able to find these ingredients, thank you for an incredibly delicious tasting recipe!
You are welcome 😀 Thank you Joanie.
I cannot wait to try this recipe. You make it sound so easy!
Many Japanese dishes look complicated but they are so simple and easy to make 😀
Wow, I love yakisoba. This recipe sounds simple enough yet delicious! Thanks for sharing this!
You are welcome Pat 😀
I first had yakisoba at Wagamama, I am yours is 10 times nicer!!!
I love the trick about using the noodles as a lid to steam the veg, so clever!!
Such a delicious dish.
Next time I’m skipping the takeout and making this at home instead!
Yakisoba is addicting and so easy to make! There’s a wonderful international market here in Atlanta, Georgia (USA) that has a great Japanese section, and I was able to find the Otafuku Yakisoba Sauce and other specific ingredients. I now keep most of the ingredients on hand in case I get a craving for it. It’s now one of my favorite comfort foods. 🙂
Ohhh really? Melinda Fantastic. I wish Brisbane has a big international market which has a great Japanese section 😀
I could eat these noodles everyday!
Me too! 😀 Thank you Wihelmina
We love Yakisoba but have never made it at home. Thanks for sharing your recipe !
You are welcome Linda 😀 Thank you for your comment 😀
Delicious!
Thank you Anne 😀
What an amazing recipe, thank you! One of the best fried noodles recipes I’ve seen.
Ohhh Thank you Veena 😀
wonderful recipe!
thank you!
I’m based in Sydney & I’m wondering where are some good places to shop for Japanese ingredients?
Hi Jessica, sorry I am not sure as I am in Brisbane.
Very Helpful! I’m doing a report on yakisoba in my Japanese class and found this information to be extremely helpful! Thank you so much!
Hi Pualani, I am glad that you find something helpful here:D