Yakisoba Pan Recipe

by Hadley Sui

Yakisoba is a classic Japanese soba noodle stir fry dish often sold at Japanese festivals. It was initially sold in Japan’s food stalls in the post World War II period. But let me back up. Yakisoba is a Japanese stir-fry dish literally meaning “fried buckwheat noodles.” It typically features a variety of items like shredded cabbage, carrots, and scallions. It is believed that soba and udon noodles originally were introduced from China in the 4th century. It was not until the 8th century that Japan started producing its own buckwheat crop. It is at this point that soba started evolving and yakisoba began to present itself as the popular dish we know and love (or soon will!) today. In the early 20th century, yakisoba became a popular item with Japan’s street food vendors, along with favorites like takoyaki and yakitori.

Yakisoba Pan Recipe

Yakisoba Pan or Yakisoba Dogs are a delicious carbs-on-carbs combination that originated in Japan in the 1950s. They are literally yakisoba noodles inside of a hot dog bun! According to an article by Yabai, in the early 20th century, bread was served as a side dish to yakisoba, akin to Westerners eating garlic bread with their pasta. It proved to be a heavenly match. According to Just One Cookbook, a customer of the shop Nozawa-ya used to sell their yakisoba and koppepan buns separately. A customer requested that they be put together to save time, and the yakisoba dog was born. Yakisoba pan is offered at school cafeterias, convenience stores, bakeries, and street stalls in Japan. And now, you can make them at home!

Yakisoba Instant Noodles

Be sure to use a split top bun for the classic yakisoba pan appearance, but regular hot dog buns will work too. We recommend spreading mayo or butter on the inside of the bread, which helps contain the moisture from the yakisoba, preventing the sandwich from getting soggy. Yakisoba’s signature flavor is produced by combining oyster sauce with worcestershire sauce. Bokksu’s yakisoba packs already include all of the seasoning you’ll need, so you don’t need to worry about sourcing those extra ingredients. We suggest topping your creation with sliced scallions, pickled ginger, nori seaweed, and Kewpie mayonnaise. If you’re feeling adventurous, go wild and top it with a fried egg, or mix it up with your favorite Japanese pickles.

Yakisoba pan allows you to eat noodles while walking - an otherwise difficult endeavor. We’re certainly excited about this! Whether you have a cookout coming up, are carb loading, or just need a comforting treat, yakisoba pan is a savory delight that will fill in as a snack or a meal.

Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 yakisoba pan sandwiches

Ingredients:

  • 1 pack yakisoba noodle mix
  • ¼ green cabbage, shredded
  • 1 large carrot, thinly sliced
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon Kewpie mayonnaise, plus extra to garnish
  • Pickled ginger, garnish to taste
  • Shredded nori seaweed, to taste
  • Flaky sea salt, to taste
  • 4 split top hot dog buns

Instructions:

  1. Chop green cabbage in fine shreds.
  2. Thinly slice 1 large carrot.
  3. Thinly slice scallion.
  4. In a medium pan, heat sesame oil over medium heat.
  5. Add cabbage and carrot to the pan. Sautée them over medium heat for 5 minutes.
  6. Prepare a package of Bokksu Market’s single serving yakisoba.
  7. Add yakisoba noodle mix to the pan.
  8. While yakisoba is cooking, spread Kewpie mayo on the inside of your hotdog bun.
  9. Using tongs, transfer your yakisoba into your hotdog bun.
  10. Top with sliced scallions, pickled ginger, and nori pieces.
  11. Sprinkle on flaky sea salt, if desired.
  12. Add an extra dollop of Kewpie mayonnaise, to garnish.
  13. Itadakimasu!

By Hadley Sui


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