Beef yakisoba is a delicious Japanese style noodle dish with stir fried vegetables and meat, tossed in sweet savory sauce. It is easily customizable with any protein or vegetables you have on hand!

Jump to:

• What is Yakisoba
• How to Make Yakisoba Sauce
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• Beef Yakisoba Recipe
• Variations
• Tips
• How to Store Yakisoba Noodles
• More Noodle Recipes...
• Recipe

What is Yakisoba

Yakisoba is a popular street food that is commonly seen at festivals and outdoor markets in Japan. You can find it often at Japanese restaurants here in the states.

However, it is such an easy dish to make at home with accessible ingredients - all you need is beef (or any protein), chopped vegetables and noodles! It is comforting, loaded with flavors and its salty sweetness is just so irresistible.

How to Make Yakisoba Sauce

I truly believe that the sauce is what makes yakisoba so special. It has a Worcestershire sauce flavor as its base with an extra sweetness and umami. While you can purchase yakisoba sauce in bottles, it is very easy to whip up with just three simple ingredients below. This way, it keeps the sauce perfectly gluten-free as well.

Worcestershire sauce - Adds a punchy umami heavy flavor with pepperiness
Ketchup - Adds tanginess and sweetness
Tamari - Adds saltiness and deep Asian umami!

Just mix them all and it’s ready to go 🙂

Ingredients and Substitutes

• Olive oil
• Carrot
• Onion
• Very thinly sliced beef - Very thinly sliced meat can be purchased in Asian grocery stores, sold as meat for hot pot or stir fry. If that is hard to come by, you can substitute with ground beef or thicker sliced meat in any local stores.
• Cabbage leaves
• Gluten free ramen noodles - My favorite is this one by Lotus Foods . Or substitute with rice noodles, or soba noodles that are gluten-free.

For yakisoba sauce:

• Worcestershire sauce
• Ketchup
• Tamari soy sauce

Optional toppings:

• Bonito flakes
• Chopped scallion
• Toasted white sesame

Beef Yakisoba Recipe

1. Make the sauce - Combine everything in a cup and set aside.

2. Prepare the noodles - Cook for 1 minute less than directed on the package.

3. Cook the carrot and onion - until slightly tender.

4. Add in the sliced beef - cook fully.

5. Add in the cabbage - stir fry for 1 minute.

6. Add in the cooked noodles and pour the sauce mix over.

7. Toss gently - until the sauce is well distributed.

Optional: Garnish with bonito flakes, scallions, and pickles (I like to add radish pickles)

*See the recipe card below for detailed instructions.

Variations

While cabbage and onions are a staple in yakisoba, the great thing is that you can switch out the vegetables and meat as you like.

For protein, chicken, pork, shrimps, scallops…anything works. It can be either thinly sliced, chopped into small pieces, or use ground meat.

For vegetables, I recommend adding at least one vegetable with a bit of crunchiness such as napa cabbage, sliced bell peppers, or broccoli florets.

Tips

Make sure to cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water. This helps to remove excess starch, and prevents them from sticking together in the pan when stir frying with the vegetables.

When tossing the noodles, try to lift up the noodles gently and release instead of mixing and swirling inside the pan. This avoids the noodles snapping.

How to Store Yakisoba Noodles

Leftover noodles can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days in the fridge, covered tightly. Upon reheating, if the noodles seem to be dry, pour 1 tablespoon of water to re-moisturize before microwaving or heating on the stovetop.

Recipe