Yakisoba is a classic Japanese stir-fried noodle dish that’s seasoned with a sweet and savory sauce similar to Worcestershire sauce. Use any proteins you like—pork, chicken, shrimp, or calamari. For vegetarians, just swap it with tofu or shiitake mushrooms.
Growing up in Japan, yakisoba (Japanese stir-fried noodles) was a staple of our weekend lunches. My mom and I would prepare the ingredients, and everyone gathered around the electric griddle and cooked the noodles together. There were so many memories surrounding the dish that I always associate yakisoba with weekend lunches.
You can easily make yakisoba at home, customizing it with ingredients like chicken, shrimp, calamari, to make it your style. Or try it with mushrooms or tofu for a simple vegetarian version!
Table of Contents
What is Yakisoba?
Yakisoba (焼きそば) is a stir-fried noodle dish that typically includes meat or seafood, as well as vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, onions, and bean sprouts. These ingredients are all cooked together in a thick, sweet-savory sauce, and the final dish is usually topped with aonori (dried green seaweed) and red pickled ginger for added flavor.
A Brief History
According to food history researcher Shogo Shiozaki, this popular street food originated in Asakusa during the Taisho era, where Chinese noodle factories were first established.
Interestingly, yakisoba was actually created as a clever variation of okonomiyaki, a Japanese savory pancake. If you examine both dishes closely, you’ll notice similarities in the ingredients used, including meat/seafood, vegetables, and a British-style sauce! The key distinction is that yakisoba replaces the flour batter used in okonomiyaki with Chinese noodles. In fact, if you visit long-standing okonomiyaki restaurants in Tokyo, you’ll often find yakisoba offered as part of their menu.
Yakisoba quickly gained popularity, especially among young children who loved its delicious fried noodles. Originally a staple of food stalls, it eventually became a common item at Teishoku-ya (Japanese diners) and even at candy stores known as dagashi-ya (駄菓子屋). Due to the ease of setting up an iron plate teppan (鉄板), yakisoba food stalls became popular at school events, festivals, fairs, and more. Today, yakisoba is considered an iconic Japanese street food.
In the US, you can commonly find yakisoba on the menus of Japanese grill teppanyaki restaurants or sold by street vendors at Japanese Obon festivals or cherry blossom festivals.
Is Yakisoba Made with Buckwheat Noodles?
As “soba” is a type of Japanese buckwheat noodles, a lot of people have asked me if yakisoba uses the same noodle.
To clarify, the word “soba” in Japanese is an umbrella term to describe noodles of any type, such as chuka soba for ramen and yakisoba in this instance.
Yakisoba does not use buckwheat soba noodles. Instead, it uses mushi chukamen (蒸し中華麺), which are steamed Chinese-style noodles made from wheat flour, kansui, and water. These noodles have a yellowish color due to the kansui but are not egg noodles. They share a texture similar to ramen noodles and are pre-steamed for quick reheating.
How to Make Yakisoba
The Ingredients You’ll Need
- Yakisoba noodles: These are Chinese-style noodles made with wheat flour (more information below).
- Vegetables: I use thinly sliced yellow onion, green onion, julienned carrot, some sliced shiitake mushrooms, and chopped cabbage. These veggies work great for a stir-fry. You can also use bok choy or thin strips of bell pepper.
- Protein(s): I use sliced pork belly in this recipe as it is the most common choice of meat to make yakisoba in Japan. However, you can switch it up with any protein like shrimp, calamari, chicken, and firm tofu.
- Oil: Any neutral-tasting oil will work.
- Yakisoba Sauce: Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce (or vegetarian stir fry sauce), ketchup, soy sauce, and sugar. Adjust the amount to suit your taste.
- Optional toppings: aonori (powdered green seaweed) and beni shoga (red pickled ginger). Some people also like to top the noodles with katsuobushi (shaved bonito flakes).
The Cooking Steps
- Cut the ingredients into bite-size pieces.
- Warm up the noodles and transfer them to a dish.
- Cook the protein, followed by the tough vegetables, and then the soft vegetables.
- Put back the noodles and season them with Yakisoba Sauce.
- Toss them all together and serve.
Ingredient Variations
My mom often changes up the ingredients when she makes yakisoba. In addition to pork belly slices, she sometimes uses Japanese sausages and ground pork, and my favorite is the combination of ground pork and squid/calamari. For extra crunch and fiber, she also throws in Chinese chives (nira in Japanese) and bean sprouts.
Where to Buy Yakisoba Noodles
The two popular yakisoba noodle brands are Myojo (明星) and Maruchan (マルちゃん), and each package comes with three packs of yakisoba noodles. The noodles are already steamed, coated with oil, and packed tightly in the packets.
I recommend using the Myojo brand (see the picture above). Maruchan, if frozen, tends to break into pieces when defrosted. In Japan, yakisoba noodles are never sold frozen. However, these noodles don’t last too long and they are often sold frozen outside of the US.
You can purchase them in Japanese, Korean, and Chinese grocery stores, and they are either in the refrigerated or freezer section.
How to Make Yakisoba Sauce
The popular Otafuku brand offers Yakisoba sauce (see below), but my family actually likes making yakisoba sauce from scratch.
Homemade yakisoba sauce is made with common condiments from American grocery stores, such as Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. You can adjust the sauce as you like, so your yakisoba tastes slightly different each time.
My homemade recipe below is the exact amount needed for the ingredients below. I recommend doubling the sauce in case you end up adding more ingredients. You don’t want the noodles to be bland.
Cooking Tips
1. Use a large cookware.
It’s important to use a griddle, wok, or frying pan with a large cooking space so that your ingredients have direct contact with the hot surface. The nice char will add fantastic flavors and give the noodles a “street food” character.
My griddle is from Thermador and I can’t find the exact model. You can use a similar griddle like this or this when making yakisoba at home. It is also fantastic for Okonomiyaki and all sorts of pancakes!
2. Cook vegetables in stages.
When it comes to any stir-fried dishes, we want to retain the fresh texture and crunch of the vegetables. So it is important to stir-fry the hard vegetables first before adding other softer ingredients. Each vegetable has a different cooking time, so cook quickly and in succession. Do not throw everything at once. Also, do not overcook as wilted veggies are a no-no for stir-fries.
3. Don’t add too many ingredients.
This is after all a noodle dish. It’s tempting to toss in lots of veggies or extra meat. Adding too many ingredients will end up steaming the noodles. You need to let the steam escape, so the noodles are not wet, and preferably make it as dry and crispy as possible. If you prefer drier-style noodles (I prefer mine to have some moisture), fry the noodles first, then transfer them out before cooking the vegetables and meat/ tofu. That way, you don’t have to cook the noodles later on, and the noodles will still stay crispy.
4. Loosen up the noodles first.
I recommend loosening the noodles quickly before mixing with the stir-fried ingredients. This way, you can mix with the other ingredients easily. If you don’t, you will most likely break up the noodles into small pieces on the griddle or wok.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ramen noodles instead of yakisoba noodles?
Yakisoba noodles are already steamed and greased. When you reheat them, the texture of the noodles will become tender.
In a pinch, you can use fresh Chinese stir-fried noodles from Asian grocery stores.
Can I make chicken yakisoba?
I get this question often as chicken is the most popular protein. However, in Japan, chicken is not the common protein choice for yakisoba, but you can certainly use it. I recommend chicken thighs rather than breasts because thighs are more flavorful and don’t get dry easily.
Varieties of Yakisoba
There are also a few different ways of serving stir-fried noodles:
- Modern-Yaki – When the yakisoba noodles are used as a base layer ingredient for okonomiyaki, we call this savory Japanese pancake Modern-Yaki.
- Yakisoba Pan or Yakisoba Dog – It’s basically a hot dog bun stuffed with yakisoba!
- Omusoba – Omelette stuffed with yakisoba.
- Yaki Udon – Originated in the Fukuoka Prefecture, yaki udon uses thick chewy udon noodles instead of Chinese-style wheat noodles.
- Okinawan-style yakisoba – Sometimes features ingredients such as Spam, chopped hot dogs, and sliced hams.
- Gluten-free Yakisoba – Use glass noodles instead of wheat noodles.
More Delicious Japanese Noodle Recipes:
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Yakisoba (Japanese Stir-Fried Noodles)
Video
Ingredients
For the Yakisoba Sauce
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce (use vegan Worcestershire sauce for vegan)
- 4 tsp oyster sauce (use Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce for shellfish allergies or vegetarian)
- 4 tsp ketchup
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sugar (plus more, to taste)
For the Yakisoba
- ¾ lb sliced pork belly (or your choice of meat/seafood/mushrooms/veggies)
- ½ onion (5 oz, 142 g)
- 4 inches carrot (3.5 oz, 100 g)
- ¼ head green cabbage (small; ½ lb, 227 g)
- 2 green onions/scallions
- 3 shiitake mushrooms (1.4 oz, 40 g)
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil (plus more, if needed)
- 3 servings yakisoba noodles (pre-steamed; one package contains 3 servings, 16–17 oz, 454–480 g)
- freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup yakisoba sauce (plus more, to taste; from the recipe above)
For the Toppings (optional)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. Freeze the pork belly slices for 10 minutes so that it‘s easier to cut. Tip: For the sauce, I recommend doubling the recipe, just in case. It‘s hard to measure the vegetables and meat precisely, and if you end up adding more ingredients, you‘ll need more sauce so the yakisoba is flavorful.
To Make the Sauce (yields ⅓ cup, 80 ml)
- Whisk together all the ingredients for the Yakisoba Sauce: ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, 4 tsp oyster sauce, 4 tsp ketchup, 2 tsp soy sauce, and 2 tsp sugar. At this point, it‘s important to taste the sauce and add more sugar, if needed. For example, some ketchup is sweeter than others while some Worcestershire sauce is less sour than others. Set it aside.
To Prepare the Ingredients
- Remove ¾ lb sliced pork belly from the freezer. Cut the pork belly slices into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces.
- Cut ½ onion into ¼-inch (6-mm) slices.
- Cut 4 inches carrot into 2-inch slabs. Then, cut them into julienne strips 2 inches (5 cm) long.
- Remove the core from ¼ head green cabbage. First, cut the cabbage wedge into slices 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide.
- Then, cut the slices into bite-sized pieces.
- Chop 2 green onions/scallions into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces. Cut any thick, white parts of the green onions in half lengthwise.
- Remove the stems from 3 shiitake mushrooms. Cut the caps into ¼-inch (6-mm) slices.
To Cook the Noodles
- Heat a griddle (I use a similar one; you can use a large frying pan or wok) on medium heat. When it‘s hot, add 2 Tbsp neutral oil. Then, add 3 servings yakisoba noodles. Tip: The pre-steamed noodles will come pressed together into squares. You do not need to loosen them before placing them on the griddle.
- When the bottom side of the noodles is heated, flip them. The goal here is to loosen up the noodles gently without breaking them into short pieces. If you force them to separate, the noodles will break up. So be patient here.
- With chopsticks, gradually loosen up the noodles. Once they have loosened up completely, transfer them to a plate.
To Cook the Yakisoba
- To the hot griddle, add the pork belly slices and separate the chunks into a single layer. (If you are not using pork belly, add 1 Tbsp oil to the griddle before adding your choice of protein.) Season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Stir-fry until the pork belly is no longer pink.
- Next, add the onion slices to the griddle. Stir to cook for 1–2 minutes, separating the onion layers as you stir-fry.
- Add the carrots and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
- Add the cabbage and shiitake mushrooms. Cook until they are almost tender.
- Lastly, add the green onions and cook for 1 minute.
- Put the yakisoba noodles on top of the protein and vegetables on the griddle. Then, drizzle ⅓ cup yakisoba sauce on the noodles. Taste the noodles and add more sauce, if desired.
- With a pair of tongs, toss to combine the noodles with the sauce and other ingredients. Keep an eye on the noodles as they may stick to the skillet/wok. When the sauce is well distributed and the noodles are warmed through, transfer the yakisoba to individual plates.
To Serve
- Garnish with optional aonori (dried green laver seaweed) and pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga). Serve immediately.
To Store
- You can store any leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for a month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave to warm.
Nutrition
Update: The post was originally published on April 6, 2011. It’s been republished with a new video, new images, and updated content on October 27, 2023.
Hello, Nami! Just to let you know that I’ve tried your recipe and it’s delicious!
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Regards,
Fabrício
Hi Fabricio! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂 xo
Hi Nami, Delicious yakisoba dish! The yakisoba sauce is very different as I have never used so much Worcestershire sauce at one time. I definitely agree with your kids that it needs sugar to balance out the other flavours.
Hi Darlene! Mr. JOC and I tasted and recreated the homemade sauce based on the Yakisoba sauce brand we have. Please feel free to adjust as you like. 🙂
I made this tonight, using bacon, instead of pork belly. It was delicious! My whole family loved it. We’ll be making this again. Such a quick, easy & tasty meal! Thank you!
Hi Kimberly! So happy to hear your family enjoyed this recipe! Thank you very much for your kind feedback. 🙂
My little brother and sister served LDS missions in Japan. Both got home recently and we decided to have a Japanese dinner with my family. Everyone was assigned a recipe. I’m sure all of them came from your website. I really appreciated that you had a video, tips and the recipe. It was nice to see it being made before we actually made it. We loved the dish. Thank you, Nami! 🙂
Hi David! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. I am honored to know your family use my blog to make recipes. 🙂 Thank you!!!!
Is it safe too assume that 3 packets are approx. 15oz? I ask because I’m using substitute noodles (Hong Kong pan fried noodles) as I can’t find yakisoba at our local Asian store.
Hi Peter! Two brands are different but they are about 16 to 17 oz (454 to 480 g). I’ll add this info in the recipe. Good call, since people need to know the amount of noodles. Thank you!
Hi Nami!
Yakisoba’s one of my family’s favorite lunch items too! I highly recommend investing in a large wok about 30cm or bigger for stir-frying big portion servings without worrying about ingredients falling out of the pan! ????
Hi LayLee! That reminds me – I finally got a carbon steel wok but haven’t season yet… Not sure about the size, but I bet it’ll be delicious cooking in there! 😀
Glad I am Back after a couple of years away Nami, hope you remember me. I had the Donabi Pot that was over 50 years old
Glad to be back
Hi Dennis! Welcome back! Hope all is well with you. Let’s get cooking! 😀
Great recipe. We loved the sauce. Never added worcestershire sauce to any dish in this amount but it worked great.
Thank you
Thank you Linda! So happy to hear you liked the sauce. Haha yeah, usually not that much in other recipes. Japanese Tonkatsu sauce and Yakisoba Sauce have this sauce as a base. 🙂 Thank you for your kind feedback!
Wow, that looks yummy. I currently don’t have any cookware that large. : C I’ll probably just cook in batches.
Also my mom is trying to go gluten free and I was wondering if there are any gluten free noodles I could sub in.
Hi Erin! Yeah cook in batches or cook in 2 pans will do! Just don’t put too much, and the noodles get too soggy by “steaming”.
I’ve tried gluten free noodles from Kobayashi Seimen. Have you tried this company’s noodles?
http://www.kobayashiseimen.jp/english/
Thanks for the lovely recipe..I love your new Product page…In the past I’ve purchased many of your utensils etc. 🙂
Hi Lyn! Thank you for your kind words! Aww! If I find some new cool tool that I would like to recommend, I’ll update the page. 🙂
Can I use dry soba nodes? And how
Thanks
Hi Yousef! Many people use soba (buckwheat noodles) for stir frying but in Japan we never use it. So it’s a bit strange concept for us, but if you don’t eat soba just in traditional way and I think you can use it. 🙂
Thank you for sharing! This looks absolutely delicious! By the way can I substitute soba noodles for shirataki noodles instead? Just wondering.
Doomo Arigatoo
Aimee????
Hi Aimee! I think so people (especially watching on carb) do that. As you can imagine, the texture and taste is very different but it is possible! 🙂
very nice, very easy i got it
thanks n we appreciat u
Hope you enjoy, Dost!
おつかれ さま です Nami
were i live i could note find any fresh Yakisoba noodles.
all i could find is a dry soba noodles, can i use it for the same recipe and how ?
thanks
Hi Yousef! ありがとう! What kind of soba noodles – are “soba noodles” you’re talking about “chuka (meaning Chinese style) soba noodles”, or buckwheat noodles? You can use Chinese noodles that are similar kind. In Japan, we do not use buckwheat noodles for stir fry (never seen it), but Americans use them for stir fry noodles…. so I guess that is ok. It is just a bit strange for us. 🙂
I am so happy to have found your website! My husband and I are Japanese cuisine fanatics and for the longest time every attempt to make anything has been a disaster 🙁 I made your yakisoba tonight (had to use the homemade sauce too since our local grocery doesn’t have yakisoba sauce) and it was absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to try your other recipes as well 🙂 My wok will finally have it’s work out in from now on 🙂 Thanks again!
HI Arielle! I’m so happy to hear you and your husband enjoy Japanese food and liked this recipe. Thank you very much for your kind feedback. Hope you try other recipes and let me know if you have any questions. 🙂