Update: Recipe and photos updated on 7/14/12
Yakisoba, literally grilled (yaki) noodles (soba), was originally derived from the Chinese chow mein. While chow mein uses soy sauce, the Japanese season this noodle with a Worcestershire sauce like thick sweet sauce for yakisoba.
When I was growing up in Japan, yakisoba was often the lunch menu on weekends and my family used to gather around the Japanese hot plate (indoor griddle) and cook this noodle together. It was my dad’s favorite and we didn’t mind the repetition.
After I got married, I unconsciously followed the same routine, cooking yakisoba often on weekends, until one day my husband decided to tell me “Yakisoba again?” Well since then, I don’t cook as often as before, but my children really enjoy eating yakisoba so we have this lunch menu once in a while.
Yakisoba is very easy to make and you can add almost any ingredients to make it your own. Popular yakisoba varieties include vegetarian, seafood, or classic with pork belly. What’s your favorite?
Ingredients:
- 3 Shiitake mushrooms
- 1/2 onion
- 1 carrot
- 2 green onions
- 4 cabbage leaves
- 1/2 - 3/4 lb sliced pork belly (or your choice of meat and/or seafood)
- 1-2 Tbsp oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 Tbsp.* Yakisoba Sauce (or the seasonings that comes with the Yakisoba package)
- 1 pkg Yakisoba Noodles
- Dried green seaweed powder (Ao-Nori) for garnish
- Pickled Ginger (Kizami Shoga) for garnish
Instructions:
- Cut vegetables and meat. Slice the shiitake mushrooms and the onion. Cut the carrot into julienned strips. Chop the green onion and the cabbage into smaller pieces. Cut the meat into 1 inch pieces.
- In a wok, heat oil on medium high heat. Cook the meat until there is no pink visible.
- Add the onion (and other hard vegetable) and cook until wilted.
- Add the rest of (soft) vegetables and stir fry until they are soft.
- Add black pepper and 3 Tbsp. of yakisoba sauce.
- Quickly run hot water over yakisoba noodle to separate the noodle if they are stuck together from the package.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add noodles, separating each other with hands. Keep stirring and make sure not to burn the bottom of the wok.
- Add Yakisoba Sauce. Depending on the amount of ingredients, adjust the amount of sauce. Mix all together using a tong.
- Serve on a plate and garnish with Dried Seaweed Powder and Pickled Ginger. Serve immediately.
Notes
* Please adjust according to the amount of your ingredients.
Enjoy!
Hi, I'm Nami. Thanks for stopping by Just One Cookbook. You can read little bit more about me 
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That looks beautiful
I could have this every day!
LOL about “Yakisoba again?” I had a few meals that I loved making all the time till my Hubby said the same, “Again???”
Thanks Suzana! I took this picture last month when it was still dark at 6pm. Now that I learned NOT to turn on dining table light (yellow light), hopefully pictures will turn out better. I still have several posts that have yellow-ish pictures and need to be published…not so cool. I know, “again?” with that tone of voice…… Grrr!
I hear you. I have so many pictures to update that are yellow or you can see the light but I tend to forget LOL I find morning and afternoon the best for pictures, most light and nice. But not always do I get the chance to take pictures at that time
Your pictures are always so beautiful!
Thank you Suzana…that’s too sweet. I know I have to work on my photo skills, but I just don’t have time to read all the photography books in English. When I read in English, I can get lost easily and I notice I was reading the same paragraphs for the past 10 minutes. Hopefully when kids are little older I can work more on photography. Right even I lose readers because of my bad yellowish pictures, I have to focus on my priority which is to write recipes… At this point, my main goal is to write recipes for me and the kids, not entirely for readers yet.
You’re a posting machine, a new post almost every day now! Go Nami!
Love yakisoba- the noodles are so versatile and I feel less guilty eating those compared to ramen. My next post uses them too!
Hi Lindsey! Haha… We were going to Japan from tomorrow, so I have worked a lot of posts before my trip… now that we canceled the trip, I can post one a day at least for one month.
Looking forward to your post Lindsey! I’m glad you didn’t say you don’t eat Yakisoba too! hehee.
Oh, this looks delish! Thank you for sharing these recipes. I really haven’t tried to cook many Asian dishes even though I love the food so much. Thanks for sharing the 7 things about you too! Congratulations on the awards ~ I can see that you are very deserving.
Have a wonderful week!
Pat
Hi Pat! Thank you for your nice words. I hope you find some recipes that you like. Have a wonderful week, wait, almost weekend! Whoo hoo!
Beautiful blog.
I wish someone does the yakisoba for me and I just do the eating. ;p
Thank you Hui! I am not a good baker, so whenever I visit some baker’s blog, all I wish is just to eat those yummy sweets without baking… Thanks for coming!
Lovely Yakisoba! I love this type of 1 pot dish. And yours look great with those colourful veggie in it. Keep all the delicious posts rolling
I totally agree, Ellena. I’m always up for Donburi, noodles, one-plate kind of dishes, especially when I’m really busy with the kids.
love yakisoba!
ME TOO!
Hi Nami: I need to start making more with yakisoba noodles. Hubby and I enjoy it and I just haven’t used it enough. Mmmm – what a great meal! =)
Thank you Cristina!
I used to search high and low for a good yakisoba sauce but since most people point me to the bulldog brand, I’ve stuck with it ever since
Mmmm looks like I must have yakisoba for lunch today after seeing yours 
YUMS~
Hi Min! I grew up with the same brand or Kagome brand. When I met my best friend from Osaka, she told me Otafuku brand is the best, and since then I use Otafuku for Okonomiyaki & Yakisoba. I use Bulldog for Korokke.
I have SO MUCH to learn on photography from you!
I’ve been looking for a good noodle dish to have lately, and I think I just found it! I haven’t had yakisoba in a long time, and I think it’s time to make it! =)
Hi Peggy! I’d love to eat your Yakisoba…must be delicious!
This looks great Nami! I love soba!
Thanks Tiffany!
Hi Nami,
Just stumbled on your site and totally loving it.I have very less knowledge about japanese cusine.So I am looking forward to learning so much from your page.This noodle preparation are just my kind..simple and flavorful.
Would be back for more.
Hi Tanvi! Nice to meet you and I also look forward to your recipes and beautiful pictures of food.
I love Yakisoba, but I LOVE OKONOMIYAKI MORE!!!
We should have Okonomiyaki party soon!
I know I always say this, but, All your food looks so yummy. You make me want to try everything
Hi Beth! Haha… we cook different kinds of food, and I learn a lot from you. A lot! I usually look at your site at night, and I can’t help eating a piece of cheese while looking at your dish with cheese everyday. lol…
Hi,Nami
This dish looks lush and your nice descriptive tutorial and photos make it even easier to follow I shall be giving this a go at the weekend we don’t do Japanese enough.
Thankyou
Mac
Hi Mac! Thank you for visiting my site. I hope you will enjoy being introduced to new Japanese food.
This look so tasty Nami..beautiful and delicious meal that I could eat over and over again!!!! Great tutorial as always!!!
Have a wonderful evening!!!
Thank you Sandra!
I wouldn’t mind eating this every weekend! It looks fantastic. I don’t think I’ve ever had yakisoba…one to add to my list, for sure!
Thank you Karen! I hope you will like Yakisoba.
This looks delicious! I love the flavors and the recipe seems simple too, so I definitely want to try!
Thanks Kara! I hope you will like it.
You are so good with giving us precise directions. And squid? My husband will be doing the happy dance when I make this. Now if only I can find squid around here.
Hi Sandra! I thought most people are not sure how to cook Japanese food, so the step-by-step pictures are my way of saying “it’s easy!” I hope these are helpful. Haha I’d love to see your husband’s happy dance.
Thanks for sharing. I bet I would love this. Great flavor combination.
Thank you Trish!
I adore Yakisoba and would love to have it for lunch everyday. You make it seem so easy, so I am excited to try.
It was great meeting Shen at Ad:Tech and I love your blog. I’ll be back often.
Melissa
Hi Melissa! Thanks for stopping by! Yakisoba is really easy to make and we made it today’s lunch too.
We can create in many version depending on what’s in the fridge. 
Yummy Recipe! Everyone should give this a try. I buy the Nama Yakisoba (3 pack) and use the sauce that comes with it to make your recipe. It makes my mouth water now just to think about it. Keep up the great work — love your blog.
Thank you Helen for your feedback and I’m so happy to hear you enjoy my blog. A comment like this really keep me going. Thank you!!!!
This looks SO tasty! I need to run out and purchase some of these and will be using your recipe. Lovely photos and I hope you are having a great Saturday!!
Gorgeous updated photos!! yum
I think you could make this for me every day and I would never get tired of Yakisoba. Ja Mata, BAM
D: I`m starving! I wish I could eat from the my computer screen…♥
so you don’t boil the noodles?
Hi Maryum! The yakisoba noodles are cooked already and all you need to do is to reheat while you cook with the rest of ingredients.
However, if you use different kinds of noodles (other than Yakisoba noodles in package), please follow the instruction. Hope that helps!
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