Here’s a quick and easy recipe on how to make Yakisoba Sauce to season the popular Japanese fried noodles! The taste is similar to Otafuku brand’s famed yakisoba sauce.
Yakisoba Sauce is mostly used for seasoning Yakisoba, the classic Japanese stir-fried noodles. Sweet & savory, this versatile sauce can also be used in any of your stir fry recipes.
How To Make Yakisoba Sauce from Scratch
Ingredients You’ll Need
You will need just 5 simple ingredients from your kitchen.
- Worcestershire sauce
- Soy sauce
- Ketchup
- Oyster sauce
- Sugar
Overview: Cooking Steps
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl or mason jar and whisk well together. Have a taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking. It’s really easy!
You can also buy Yakisoba Sauce from a Japanese/Asian grocery store. I like the Otafuku brand’s yakisoba sauce, and I made this recipe to copy its taste using the common condiments from the pantry.
Recipes Using Homemade Yakisoba Sauce
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Homemade Yakisoba Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp oyster sauce (if you‘re allergic to shellfish or vegetarian, use Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce)
- 2 Tbsp ketchup
- 1½ Tbsp soy sauce
- 1½ Tbsp sugar (to taste)
- 7 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (use vegan Worcestershire sauce for vegan/vegetarian)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- In a mason jar or bowl, whisk together 3 Tbsp oyster sauce, 2 Tbsp ketchup, 1½ Tbsp soy sauce, and 1½ Tbsp sugar until well combined and the sugar is dissolved.
- Add 7 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (I use Lea & Perrins brand) and whisk it all together. It‘s important to taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, if needed. For example, some ketchup is sweeter than others, so adjust the amount of sugar to taste. Keep in mind that you will be using this sauce for the noodles, so the flavor should be strong and not bland.
To Serve
- The Homemade Yakisoba Sauce is now ready to use. Try different variations of these stir-fried noodles including classic Yakisoba, Vegetable Yakisoba, Yakisoba Pan, Shio Koji Yakisoba, and Yakisoba with Malony Glass Noodles.
To Store
- You can store the sauce in a mason jar or airtight container for up to a month.
I do not have Worcestershire sauce at home, is there something I can use to replace it?
Can I use mirin instead of sugar or would sugar be better?
I saw some recipe did not include ketchup, may I ask how does adding ketchup change the flavour?
Hi Shiei! Worcestershire sauce is CRITICAL in Yakisoba and Tonkatsu sauce recipes, if you want to make it authentic taste. I can’t think of any other substitute that would work, unfortunately.
Mirin is okay if you want to use it, but to get that same sweetness, you may need to add more, which involves more liquid, and you have to counter that with other ingredients (otherwise just soupy sauce).
Ketchup has that unique sweetness and tartness. I recommend mixing the sauce first besides the ketchup, and decide if you want to add the ketchup or not. It will change some flavors and it might be interesting to see the difference. I tested the recipe to copy that common yakisoba bottle taste, but you can definitely adjust the recipe as you like it. 🙂
Which Worcestershire sauce do you use the Japanese Bulldog sauce or Lea And Perrins?
Hi Michelle! I’ve tried making it with both, but I usually keep Lea and Perrins in my fridge, so I use that.
Aha Thank you very much for your help. I ended up buying the sauce today but in case I run out and don’t feel like going to the Japanese shop.
You’re welcome!
Hi Nami,
I’ve just discovered yakisoba sauce with an instant noodles pot and have fallen in love, so am going to give your recipe a go to save me some money – how long will this sauce keep for? I’m the only one in my family who likes it so I don’t want to waste any! Cheers, Rose
Hi Rose! I hope you enjoy this recipe! I compare side by side with one of the popular yakisoba sauce, and it’s pretty close. Hmm it should last pretty long as there is no water in it. Keep in an airtight bottle or jar and refrigerate. 1 month should be okay. 🙂
Cook yakisoda buy ingredients as.recommended in your recipe, use sauce from the noodle it turn out good. Thank you for sharing the recipe. First time I fry japanese noodle.
Hi Margaret! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed making Yakisoba at home! 🙂 Thank you for your kind feedback!
Hi Nami,
Just to let you know how grateful and happy we are to have found your blog. We’ve have been able to enjoy home cooked yakisoba whenever we want. I quadruple the sauce recipe for 2 servings. By the way, love the way you write. Keep up the good work.
Thank you again for sharing.
Your big fan from Thailand
Hi Natcha! Thank you for your kind words! I’m so happy you enjoy this recipe. I’m updating Yakisoba post with a new video soon, so stay toned! 🙂
I tried this with an open mind, but I was severely let down. Not only does it taste nothing like yakisoba-sauce, but its absolutely horrid.
Hi Guro! I made this yakisoba sauce similar to Otafuku brand yakisoba sauce, and we think it’s pretty close to the brand’s sauce and I’m quite happy about the outcome. Sorry this didn’t fit to your taste.
Thank you so much for sharing ! This is very very useful ! Xxxx
Hi Jenn! Thank you for your kind feedback! 🙂
hey, i was wondering what sugar do you normally use. caster, brown, granulated
Hi Kenza! I use granulated white sugar unless it mentions otherwise (like brown sugar). And for salt, I use kosher salt.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/faqs/#Recipes
sure, now to make this recipe we need to know how to make Usutah So-su, oyster and soy sauce.
Hi Leeski! You can find Worcestershire sauce in a regular supermarket, and oyster sauce and soy sauce in Asian supermarket. Or Amazon. 🙂 If it doesn’t have to be exactly the same, you can just mix Worcestershire sauce and ketchup…
Send me some japanese recipe such as yakimiko,yKisoba and more, Thank you, Respectfully yours, EdnaJaap
You can search my blog (use search box) to see if you can find your favorite food. I have Yakisoba recipe on the blog already. 🙂
Hello yesterday I went to the grocery store where I usually get the Yakisoba sauce but didnt find it. so I got the ingredients for the yakisoba sauce here. How I make more sauce? I have 4 people in my family and will be mixing veggies and noodles together so it will be turning into alot of yakisoba. But I just dont know how much of each ingridient I should put? Help please.
Hi Jennifer! This recipe makes about 2 Tbsp. Yakisoba Sauce. For 4 servings of Yakisoba, you will roughly 8-10 Tbsp. (about 1/2 cup) of yakisoba sauce. However, this amount varies depending on how much noodles/vegetables/meat you add in to your Yakisoba. I recommend to make the sauce first in a bowl, and slowly add to your noodle to adjust to your liking. Hope this helps, and enjoy! 🙂
I am trying to figure out how it can make only 2 tbsp of sauce when there is 4 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce?
We made it this tonight and we all loved it. My 5 year old had 2 servings. She basically licked her plate clean.
Hi Marilyn! I’m so glad to hear your 5-year old enjoyed it! 🙂 You can divide the recipe into 1/4. 🙂
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (Usutah So-su)
1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp ketchup
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
3 tsp = 1 Tbsp so above measurement actually gives exact 2 Tbsp of the sauce. 🙂
Hi one question, with regards to the Worcestershire sauce, should it be the Japanese one? Or can it be any?
Hi Jon! It can be either way. 🙂
Thank you for sharing the sauce recipe. Noodles is one of favourite food to eat. I am going to make this food another new recipe to try.
Hope you will enjoy this recipe, Gloria! Thanks so much for your comment!
My two girls 7 and 8 ate yakisoba for the first time at a restaurant near our home. They loved it, and asked if I could make it for them. I search the markets for yakisoba sauce, but with no luck. The markets here have little. I found your recipe and they love it. Thanks so much.
Eric
Kamala Beach, Phuket, Thailand
Hi Eric! I’m so glad to hear your daughters enjoyed yakisoba at home! Thank you very much for your kind feedback. 🙂
So good! It tastes pretty authentic, too. (We lived in Japan)
I multiplied the recipe by 12 and used it with 12 servings of noodles for my family of 10.
Hi Hannah! Thank you so much for your kind feedback! 🙂