Yakisoba (Japanese: 焼きそば, [jakiꜜsoba], transl. 'fried noodle'), is a Japanese noodle stir-fried dish. Usually, soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour, but soba in yakisoba are Chinese-style noodles (chuuka soba) made from wheat flour, typically flavored with a condiment similar to Worcestershire sauce. The dish first appeared in food stalls in Japan around the 1930s.[1]
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| Type | Japanese noodles |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Japan |
| Main ingredients | Noodles (wheat flour), Worcestershire sauce, pork or chicken, vegetables (usually cabbage, onions, and carrots) |
| Variations | Sara udon, yaki udon |
Yakisoba is prepared by frying ramen-style wheat noodles with bite-sized pork and finely chopped vegetables like cabbage, onions, bean sprouts, and carrots.[2] It is then flavored with Japanese-style Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.[2] It can be served with a variety of garnishes, such as aonori (seaweed powder), beni shōga (shredded pickled ginger), katsuobushi (bonito fish flakes), or Japanese-style mayonnaise.[2]
Yakisoba can be served on a plate either as a main dish or a side dish.
In Japan, noodles piled into a bun sliced down the middle and garnished with mayonnaise and shreds of red pickled ginger are called yakisoba-pan (pan meaning "bread") and are commonly available at convenience stores[3] and school canteens.[4][5]
Sometimes udon is used as a replacement for the ramen-style noodles and called yaki udon.
Sōsu yakisoba was thought to be invented in the post-WWII era, but recent studies indicate it appeared around the end of Taishō or early Shōwa (1926–1989) periods.
