Yakisoba is a noodle made by stir-frying Chinese noodles with pork, seafood, and vegetables. Although it has the name soba, soba is not used, but Chinese noodles made by adding lye water, salt, and water to flour are used.
It was born about 90 years ago in Japan. In addition to being served in cafeterias and food stalls as a meal for the common people, instant yakisoba, which can be prepared by simply pouring hot water in a plastic container, is also popular.
What is Yakisoba and can I eat it?
Materials of Yakisoba
Wheat flour, soy saurce, saurce, and other ingredients introduced in “Meal Description”
| with Beef | with Pork |
| Fast food | Food supermarket |
Yakisoba does not use soba (buckwheat) noodles
Yakisoba is a meal of Chinese noodles and ingredients fried together and seasoned with sauce or salt.
Chinese noodles are made by adding lye water to wheat flour, and are the same as the noodles used in ramen. By adding lye water to the flour and kneading it, strong gluten is formed and the noodles are chewy.
Also, the color of the noodles will turn yellow. However, the Chinese noodles used in yakisoba are steamed in advance and then coated with cooking oil to make them easier to loosen.
Even if you buy noodles for yakisoba at a food supermarket and make ramen, you cannot make delicious ramen.
The following ingredients are often used as ingredients for yakisoba.
- Pork
- Squid
- Shrimp
- Cabbage
- Bean Sprout
- Onion
Speaking of yakisoba, “Sauce yakisoba” seasoned with spicy Worcestershire sauce is common, but there is also “Shio yakisoba” seasoned with salt without using Worcestershire sauce. However, Shio yakisoba is not so common, and yakisoba means sauce yakisoba.
The Chinese restaurant has a menu called “Gomoku Yakisoba”. This is Chinese stir-fried noodle and is different from the yakisoba introduced here.
Before eating yakisoba, you may add the following toppings;
- Red pickled ginger
- Green nori
- Bonito flakes
- Mayonnaise
The instant yakisoba in a cup, which will be explained later, also come with a pouch containing toppings.
Yakisoba is a meal for the common people, so there are “local yakisoba” that use local specialties all over Japan. Common dishes that can only be enjoyed locally, including local yakisoba, are called B-grade gourmet, and a national contest is held every year. The following three are called Japan’s three major yakisoba.
Fujinomiya Yakisoba
It uses lard meat and cabbage as ingredients, and is characterized by containing sardine powder. Fujinomiya is a town at the foot of Mt. Fuji.
Ota Yakisoba
It features thick, elastic noodles with a black sauce. Ota is a town in Gunma prefecture.
Yokote Yakisoba
The thick straight noodles are covered with a sweet and spicy sauce, and are topped with fried eggs and Fukujinzuke. Yokote is in Akita prefecture.
Try to eat Yakisoba!
How much ?
$ 3～7
Where can I eat Yakisoba?
- Food court in commercial complex, or rest area of expressway
- Local yakisoba specialty store
- Delicatessen section of food supermarkets
Precautions when eating Yakisoba
For gluten-free people
Soba (buckwheat) is gluten-free, but noodle used in yakisoba is wheat flour noodle. Yakisoba contains a large amount of flour, so please do not eat it. There is no gluten-free Yakisoba.
Japanese writer’s comment for Yakisoba
The instant fried noodles in the cup are also of high quality. There are noodles and some pouches in the cup, so take out the pouches. Then pour boiling water, cover and wait for the specified time. Throw away the hot water completely from the outlet. Finally, sprinkle the sauce and powder and mix to eat.
The cup yakisoba named UFO is famous. It was named because the shape of the container resembles an unidentified flying object.
In addition, Peyang Sauce Yakisoba is an orthodox sauce Yakisoba, but it has become a hot topic with the release of tricky-tasting products and super-large products for 7 people.
Another food I would like to introduce about yakisoba is “yakisoba bread”. This is a sauce yakisoba sandwiched between breads, which you can always find at food supermarkets and convenience stores. I have never seen bread with noodles other than this. However, this is surprisingly delicious and makes me full. If you find one, please try it.
