Yakisoba is a traditional Japanese stir fried noodle dish. It literally translates to grilled or cooked (yaki) noodle (soba). Soba is more often associated with buckwheat noodles but in this case, it refers to Chinese style noodles. The noodles are flavored with a sauce that is reminiscent of a slightly sweeter version of Worcestershire sauce. The most common ingredients are sliced pork and cabbage.
You will be hard pressed to find a Japanese person who does not love yakisoba. You can find this dish on the menu of many Japanese restaurants and street vendors but it is often prepared at home. Yakisoba can be easily whipped up in a sauté pan, but more often than not it is cooked up on an electric griddle. The griddle becomes the focal point of the meal which brings family and friends together to enjoy food and conversation.
Thin sliced pork and cabbage are the most typical ingredients, but other proteins and vegetables can most certainly be added instead or in addition to these staples. Add shrimp or squid, thin batons of carrots, scallions, bean sprouts or shiitake mushrooms. If you’re simply looking to clean out the fridge, you can cut up that remaining half an onion, or even the two strips of leftover bacon and toss those in too. Anything goes!
There are many different types of yakisoba noodles in the market now. Most include 2-3 servings of noodles and sauce packets. The biggest difference between them is the actual noodle. Sun Noodle Frozen Yakisoba Original Sauce – Thick Noodles contains thicker noodles that have chewier texture. The sauce is a liquid yakisoba sauce so you can evenly coat your noodles. Sun Noodle Frozen Yakisoba contains a slightly thinner noodle more commonly found in packaged yakisoba noodles. The included sauce packet is a powdered type which can be easily sprinkled and mixed in the noodles. Both are freshly made then flash frozen, so they maintain their original texture. Additionally, they come in a package of two individual servings so it’s easy to cook just for one if you’re dining solo.
Ingredients
- 2 servings yakisoba noodles (thawed)
- ¼ head of cabbage
- ½ lb sliced pork belly
- 1 tbsp Canola oil
Optional:
- Yakisoba sauce, to taste
- Aonori (seaweed)
- Benishoga
- Chop cabbage and pork belly into 1 inch chunks.
- Heat up the pan or electric griddle. Coat with oil.
- Add pork belly and heat until just cooked.
- Add cabbage, cook until tender.
- Toss in yakisoba noodles. *Note. Noodles do not need to be boiled but should be fully thawed. Place noodles in a colander and rinse with hot water and loosen up any clumps of noodles.
- Pour or sprinkle in packets of yakisoba sauce and mix thoroughly.
- Taste. Add in additional yakisoba sauce, as needed.
- Cook for an additional minute until noodles are fully heated through.
- Plate individual servings and garnish with benishoga and aonori, if desired.