Just the other day, I was convinced I’d give noodles a break for the week after indulging in a delightful bowl of soba noodle soup. However, things were not as I planned. As I strolled through the bustling streets of Osaka, where the intoxicating landscape of sizzling Yakisoba caught me by surprise.
Yakisoba is a stir-fried soba noodle dish. It’s one of the most popular Japanese street foods besides the curry bread and pancake Okonomiyaki. Typically, you’ll find soba noodles stir-fried with cabbage, carrots, onions, bean sprouts, and thinly sliced or ground pork. However, you can add other ingredients to the yakisoba recipe, such as chicken, ground beef, seafood (shrimp), or tofu and vegetables for a vegan twist.
You can even use spices like chili oil, Sriracha, or curry powder to make spicy or curry yakisoba. People even take the dish to a new level with Yakisoba Pan. This variation sandwiches the noodles and fillings between an oblong bread like a hot dog bun, creating a unique and portable street food experience.
The yakisoba pan-fried noodle dish I had in Osaka is a bit greasy, making me gassy. So, for my stir-fried soba noodle recipe, I would use less oil and make it more healthy – Japanese stir-fried noodles with seafood and veggies.
The sauce plays a crucial role in lending the dish its distinctive flavor. That’s why I would try to create the sauce as close to the original recipe as possible: soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, and a touch of sweetness.
Here is how to make Japanese stir-fried noodles – Seafood Yakisoba:
Ingredients
- 8 oz yakisoba noodles
- 1 lb mixed seafood shrimp, squid, and/or mussels
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup julienned carrots
- 1 bell pepper thinly sliced
- 4 green onions chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Sesame seeds and chopped cilantro and green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the yakisoba noodles according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water to stop cooking and set aside.
- In a large pan or wok, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the mixed seafood and cook until just opaque. Remove seafood from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add a bit more oil if needed. Stir in shredded cabbage, julienned carrots, bell pepper, and green onions. Sauté until vegetables are tender yet still crisp.
- In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and black pepper.
- Add the cooked yakisoba noodles to the pan, Pour the mixed sauce over the noodles. Toss everything together, ensuring the noodles are well coated and heated through.
- Gently fold in the cooked seafood, allowing it to mingle with the noodles and veggies.
- Garnished with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro and green onions for a burst of freshness.
Seafood Yakisoba – Japanese Stir-fried Noodles
Ingredients
- 8 oz yakisoba noodles
- 1 lb mixed seafood shrimp, squid, and/or mussels
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup julienned carrots
- 1 bell pepper thinly sliced
- 4 green onions chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Sesame seeds and chopped cilantro and green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the yakisoba noodles according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water to stop cooking and set aside.
- In a large pan or wok, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the mixed seafood and cook until just opaque. Remove seafood from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add a bit more oil if needed. Stir in shredded cabbage, julienned carrots, bell pepper, and green onions. Sauté until vegetables are tender yet still crisp.
- In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and black pepper.
- Add the cooked yakisoba noodles to the pan, Pour the mixed sauce over the noodles. Toss everything together, ensuring the noodles are well coated and heated through.
- Gently fold in the cooked seafood, allowing it to mingle with the noodles and veggies.
- Garnished with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro and green onions for a burst of freshness.
