Yakisoba (焼きそば) is a classic Japanese dish made from noodles stir-fried with vegetables and a protein and flavored with a sauce that is both sweet and savory.
“Yaki” (焼き) in Japanese means grilled and “Soba” (そば) in Japanese means buckwheat. However, contrary to what you might assume from the name, yakisoba does not contain buckwheat soba noodles. The noodles used in the dish are chukamen made from wheat and are more closely related to ramen noodles.
Typically you will find the noodles tossed with carrots, onions, cabbage and pork. The dish is then topped with beni-shoga (red pickled ginger), aonori (seaweed flakes), and Japanese mayonnaise.
A relatively easy to prepare meal, yakisoba has quickly become a favorite food stall item for school events, festivals, and snack stalls.
Long a popular dish for children owing to yakisoba being sold in dagashi (candy and snack) shops, its international popularity grew from U.S. soldiers stationed in Japan in the 1950s. These soldiers enjoyed the quick and filling meal found in local mom and pop snack shops.
As it was common practice to serve yakisoba with a side dish of bread, one restaurant suggested that patrons combine the two. Patrons began piling the noodles into a roll and eating it like a hotdog, giving rise to “Yakisoba-Pan” (焼きそばパン). The convenient Yakisoba-Pan can now be found in convenience stores and bakeries.
At this time in the Houston area, you can order this tasty dish to-go through Nippon (Wed-Sun), Zen Japanese Izakaya, GENJI, and Café Kubo’s, to name a few.
Let’s continue to support local Japanese restaurants!
—by GEN-J Facilitator Keiko Tsubokura