Japanese Yakisoba Noodles

A classic noodle dish made with wok fried noodles, crispy pork belly and vegetables and seasoned with a Worcestershire and ketchup based savory sauce, these Japanese Yakisoba noodles come together in under 30 minutes!

We have become true yakisoba lovers in our house! This yakisoba recipe is the perfect easy weeknight meal that everyone loves and is a great introduction into Japanese cooking.

Yakisoba is a classic Japanese noodles dish made with fresh noodles and a delicious sweet and savory sauce. It is considered a Japanese street food and is often served in food stalls along with chicken yakitori!

My version of simple yakisoba is made with thinly sliced pork belly (or diced in pieces) 🙂. Traditional yakisoba noodles are made with thin slices of pork, cabbage, carrots and a delicious tangy sweet and savory yakisoba sauce.

Why this yakisoba noodle recipe works

• This authentic yakisoba noodle recipe is incredibly easy to make, with very little prep time and time to cook. Perfect for easy weeknight dinners paired with air fryer chicken karaage.
• It's a one-pot meal so you don't have to worry about dirtying a bunch of dishes and a ton of cleanup (this beef curry udon is one-pot too with succulent beef and noodles).
• It is incredibly versatile and the pork belly can be substituted with beef, chicken, or even tofu. You can also use many different types of noodles instead of yakisoba noodles used in the recipe. You can also add different vegetables like carrots, bean sprouts or even broccoli.
• It is super easy to make the yakisoba sauce with only a handful of ingredients.
• Make it vegetarian by using tofu or vegetables instead of pork.

The Ingredients for yakisoba

The full list of ingredients needed for the stir fry and the sauce with the amounts can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. 

Yakisoba noodles: Yakisoba noodles are noodles made with wheat and are usually a light yellow color. They are typically steamed and packaged so they are quick and easy to use straight from the package. Yakisoba noodles are very similar to ramen noodles and you can find yakisoba in the refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores.

Pork belly: The pork belly will need to be cut in small pieces to get nice and crisped around the edges. Some stores carry pork belly and most butchers will carry it as well.

Oyster Sauce: Oyster sauce is a savory and slightly sweet sauce made from oyster extracts, soy sauce, and other seasonings. It has a deep umami flavor with sweet undertones.

Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce is a tangy and savory sauce made with ingredients like anchovies, vinegar, molasses, and spices.

You can also buy yakisoba sauce instead of making your own if you really want to make it easy (I prefer the homemade sauce).

Ingredient substitutions and variations

• Pork belly: You can substitute chicken or shrimp, as well as beef or even tofu for the pork belly. You can also use already cooked kakuni if you have it on hand.
• Yakisoba noodles: If you can't buy yakisoba noodles, you can substitute soba noodles (buckwheat noodles), chow mein noodles, ramen noodles and even udon noodles or Chinese noodles.
• Vegetables: Substitute any vegetables you prefer such as bok choy, snow peas, bean sprouts or carrots. Cook the vegetables before adding to the noodles to allow excess liquid to cook off.
• Oyster sauce: Substitute a vegetarian stir fry sauce is making this a vegetarian yakisoba.

Step by step instructions to make Japanese yakisoba

Gather all the ingredients before you start cooking as stir fry can go very quickly and you want to be ready.

Step 1: Use your fingers to loosen up the noodles. If you are using any type of dried noodles, cook the noodles first then set aside until ready to use.

Step 2: Cut the pork belly into ½" pieces. Season with the salt and pepper.

Step 3: Heat the cooking oil in a wok (or a large skillet, large frying pan or dutch oven) over high heat.

Step 10: Add the yakisoba sauce and toss to combine. make sure the noodles get coated evenly with the sauce. Remove from heat and garnish with green onions.

Serve with some harumaki on the side for a complete meal!

How to make yakisoba sauce

Step 1: To make the sauce, mix all the sauce ingredients (oyster sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, brown sugar) together in a bowl and set aside for use.

Serving options

• Top with sesame seeds or crushed peanuts and/or a little sriracha or chili sauce for a kick of heat.
• Serve the stir-fry noodles with pickled ginger on the side.
• Serve with a fried egg on top. You can also try a sous vide poached egg on top.
• Serve the cooked noodles in a hot dog bun (yes, I said hot dog bun) to make a yakisoba dog.
• Serve the cooked noodles in an egg omelete to make omusoba.
• The noodles can also be used as a base to make okonomiyaki, which is a savory Japanese pancake.

Expert tips to make the best yakisoba

1. Cook the pork belly in two batches to ensure it gets nice and crispy around the edges.
2. Any kind of sliced fresh mushrooms will work in this recipe. Cook them on high until much of the liquid has evaporated.
3. Use your hands to gently separate the noodles before using them so they don't break apart in the pan. You can also rinse with cold water to separate them - just be sure they are well drained.
4. The noodles only need a quick stir fry - if you overcook them they will become mushy.
5. Be careful not to overload your yakisoba with too many vegetables. The noodle should be the star.
6. Make the sauce ahead of time so it's ready when you start to cook the other ingredients.
7. If you add additional ingredients, I do recommend doubling the sauce. You can also make more noodles by doubling the recipe.
8. You could also use this sous vide pork belly, slice it in pieces and stir fry until crispy.

Frequently asked questions

Favorite stir-fried noodle recipes

If you're a fan of Japanese stir fry dishes, you may also like Hibachi steak or hibachi shrimp! recipe!

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