Make my genuine Shrimp Yakisoba recipe with savory selfmade sauce in beneath half-hour. I’ll train you easy methods to sear the seafood and char the crisp veggies to attain the signature street-food taste of those Japanese stir-fried noodles at house.
Basic Yakisoba usually requires sliced pork stomach, however I like seafood in these Japanese stir-fried noodles, too. Right now, I’m bringing you Shrimp Yakisoba loaded with juicy shrimp, tasty calamari, and crisp greens. It’s a satisfying dish that comes collectively rapidly on a busy weeknight. You’ll be glad you skipped takeout!
Hungry for extra Japanese noodle dishes? Strive my Yaki Udon, Vegetable Yakisoba, and Sara Udon recipes subsequent!
What’s Yakisoba?
Yakisoba (焼きそば) actually means “fried noodles” in Japanese and is one in every of Japan’s best-known noodle dishes. It’s Chinese language-style wheat noodles which might be pan-grilled with meat or seafood and crisp greens and seasoned with a signature sweet-savory sauce. Whereas this iconic avenue meals is synonymous with Japanese competition (matsuri) meals, you can even discover it served at specialty okonomiyaki eating places, faculty and sporting occasions, and gala’s.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Scrumptious stir-fried noodles with minimal effort. Utilizing shrimp and calamari as the principle proteins means this yakisoba is prepared in a flash! I like that you just solely have to thaw the frozen seafood and so they’re able to go.
- It’s huge on smoky, savory, and umami taste! My selfmade yakisoba sauce provides genuine umami. I’ll additionally present you easy methods to obtain a mouthwatering char on the components for a significant taste increase.
- This one-pan weeknight meal will transport you to Japan! A scorching scorching plate of selfmade yakisoba brings to the desk an genuine style of Japan—plus nostalgic reminiscences of having fun with these scrumptious noodles once I was rising up.
Elements for Shrimp Yakisoba
- Yakisoba noodles
- Squid – I used defrosted calamari steak
- Shrimp
- Sake – to quick-marinate the seafood
- Inexperienced cabbage
- Onion
- Inexperienced onions/scallions
- Carrot
- Impartial oil – for cooking
- Freshly floor black pepper
- Yakisoba sauce:
- Worcestershire sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Ketchup
- Soy sauce
- Sugar
Discover the printable recipe with measurements beneath.
Substitutions
- Shrimp and squid – I inventory my freezer with frozen seafood so I’m able to put collectively this shrimp yakisoba with out making a particular journey to the market. For max comfort, I like to recommend utilizing frozen shrimp and frozen calamari steak for this recipe. Merely thaw them in a single day within the fridge (or flash defrost) and so they’re prepared to make use of.
- Yakisoba sauce – I share my selfmade yakisoba sauce on this recipe that’s so fast and straightforward to whip collectively. With simply 5 pantry components, it takes simply a few minutes to make from scratch! In the event you don’t have these condiments at house, you should utilize bottled sauce from the shop. Otafuku model gives a yakisoba sauce that’s very talked-about in Japan.
- Yakisoba noodles – For yakisoba, we use mushi chukamen (蒸し中華麺), that are Chinese language-style noodles made with wheat flour. I advocate utilizing yakisoba noodles that yow will discover within the fridge part of Japanese and Asian supermarkets. These pre-steamed and greased noodles will not be egg noodles, although they’ve a yellowish shade. Whereas they share a texture that’s just like ramen noodles, they aren’t the identical. Due to this fact, please don’t substitute ramen or buckwheat soba noodles on this recipe. In a pinch, you should utilize recent Chinese language stir-fried noodles from Asian grocery shops. Please keep away from utilizing frozen noodles or any kind as a result of they have a tendency to interrupt into items when defrosted.
Key Gear
- Griddle, massive wok, or massive skillet with a giant cooking floor
- Tongs or two spatulas
Easy methods to Make Shrimp Yakisoba
Preparation
Step 1 – Make the sauce. Mix the Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk till the sugar is dissolved.
Step 2 – Marinate the seafood and chop the greens. Peel the shrimp and lower the squid into bite-size strips. Toss the seafood with the sake to marinate. Minimize the onion, carrot, inexperienced onion/scallion, and cabbage into bite-size items.
Step 3 – Loosen the yakisoba noodles. Place the pre-steamed yakisoba noodles on a plate and canopy with a moist paper towel. Warmth within the microwave to steam, then loosen the noodles along with your palms.
Cooking
Step 4 – Begin cooking the onions and sear the seafood. On a griddle, sauté the onions and white a part of the inexperienced onions within the scorching oil. Push them to at least one facet and add the shrimp and squid to sear rapidly. Take away the seafood to a tray.
Step 5 – Sauté the greens in succession and add the cooked seafood. To the cooking onions, add the carrot and cabbage and toss collectively. Let the veggies develop a pleasant char, stirring often. As soon as they’re crisp-tender, add the cooked seafood and the inexperienced a part of the scallions. Toss rapidly to mix.
Step 6 – Add the loosened noodles and sauce. Unfold out the veggies on the cooking floor and place the noodles throughout the highest. Pour the sauce on the noodles, then toss to mix evenly.
Step 7 – Serve! Serve instantly on particular person plates, season with floor black pepper, and sprinkle along with your favourite optionally available toppings. Take pleasure in!
Nami’s Recipe Ideas
- Use a big cooking floor – It’s vital to make use of a griddle, wok, or frying pan with a big cooking area in order that your components have direct contact with the new floor. The good char will add unbelievable taste and provides the noodles a “avenue meals” character. I extremely advocate utilizing a griddle at house to make yakisoba in addition to Okonomiyaki and all types of pancakes!
- Sear the seafood first, then take away from the griddle – Shortly sear the shrimp and calamari till simply cooked, then switch it to a plate when you cook dinner the greens. It will be sure that they cook dinner correctly however don’t overcook when you’re stir-frying the veggies.
- Cook dinner the veggies in levels – To retain the recent texture and crunch of every vegetable, begin cooking the exhausting veggies first earlier than including the softer components. Every vegetable has a special cooking time, so cook dinner them in succession. Don’t throw in every little thing directly otherwise you threat overcooking the mushy veggies. Wilted veggies are a no-no for stir-fries.
- Loosen up the noodles first – I like to recommend loosening the noodles rapidly earlier than mixing with the stir-fried components. Right here, I warmth them with a bit of steam within the microwave and separate them with my fingers. In the event you don’t loosen them, they may most definitely break into small items on the griddle or wok.
- Don’t add too many components – I do know that it’s tempting to toss in plenty of veggies or further protein. However including too many components will find yourself steaming the noodles as a substitute of frying them. You could let the steam escape so the noodles will not be moist. This helps make the noodles dry or a bit of crispy for the right texture.
- Make double the sauce – My selfmade recipe beneath is the precise quantity you’ll want for the yakisoba components that I record. In the event you add extra components or prefer it strongly seasoned, I like to recommend doubling the sauce. That means, you possibly can alter the seasoning to your liking. You don’t need the noodles to be bland.
Variations and Customizations
This dish is so versatile and you’ll change it up along with your favourite components or what you will have readily available. Listed below are some scrumptious concepts to attempt.
- Use different proteins. To change out or complement the shrimp and squid, you can additionally use scallops or sliced pork stomach. My mother typically adjustments up the proteins in her traditional yakisoba, someday including Japanese sausage or floor pork to the pork stomach slices. My favourite mixture is floor pork and squid/calamari! Whereas rooster shouldn’t be a standard yakisoba ingredient in Japan, you possibly can definitely use it. I like to recommend rooster thighs, since they gained’t check out simply.
- Add your favourite greens. I encourage you to attempt different veggies that work properly in stir-fries. I recurrently change issues up with my favourite produce like sliced shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, garlic chives (nira), candy bell pepper strips, and sliced child bok choy. Snow peas, asparagus, broccoli, komatsuna, and corn kernels additionally work on this dish. Keep in mind to cook dinner them in succession so that they keep crisp-tender.
- Use optionally available toppings. I like including conventional yakisoba toppings like aonori (powdered inexperienced seaweed) and beni shoga (crimson pickled ginger) when plating this dish. Some individuals additionally prefer to prime it with katsuobushi (shaved bonito flakes).
- Make it vegan/vegetarian. You possibly can swap the seafood for deep-fried agency tofu cutlet (atsuage) or baked tofu. As a substitute of normal oyster sauce, I like to recommend utilizing Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce. Vegan Worcestershire sauce can be out there.
What to Serve with Shrimp Yakisoba
With a steadiness of proteins and veggies, Shrimp Yakisoba is an entire one-plate meal by itself. I additionally prefer to serve it as a facet dish together with different dishes to steadiness and full the meal:
- With fried dumplings – Strive serving it with my simple Rooster Shiso Gyoza with Yuzu Kosho & Ponzu Sauce
- With a facet salad – I like the refreshing distinction of this Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono).
- With fried rooster – Karaage (Japanese Fried Rooster) is a delicious means so as to add protein to the meal
- With soup – I pull the meal along with my comforting Home made Miso Soup.
- In a sandwich – I am keen on these noodles stuffed in a sandwich roll in a dish referred to as Yakisoba Pan!
Storage and Reheating Ideas
To retailer: Any leftovers may be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. Nevertheless, in case you used beforehand frozen shrimp or calamari to make this recipe, I don’t advocate freezing the leftovers.
To reheat: Warmth the leftovers within the microwave till warmed by way of.
Continuously Requested Questions
In Japan, rooster or beef shouldn’t be a standard protein selection for yakisoba, however you possibly can definitely use it. I like to recommend rooster thighs moderately than breasts as a result of thighs are extra flavorful and don’t get dry simply.
Typically, I like to recommend that you just keep away from tender leafy greens like spinach with a high-moisture content material. They’re not excellent for stir-fries, which require a dry pan to create a pleasant char and crispy pan-grilled texture. Delicate salad-type greens additionally wilt very simply, which is a no-no for stir-fries like yakisoba.
You possibly can, however just remember to don’t overcrowd the griddle, wok, or different massive cooking floor. In the event you do, you’ll find yourself steaming the components as a substitute of pan-grilling them, and also you gained’t develop that signature charred taste of yakisoba. To double the recipe, I counsel utilizing a second griddle and cooking two batches on the identical time.
Extra Yakisoba Recipes
In the event you love this Shrimp Yakisoba, you’re in for a deal with with these different irresistible yakisoba recipes.
For the Toppings (optionally available)
Forestall your display from going darkish
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Collect all of the components. Tip: For the sauce, I like to recommend doubling the recipe, simply in case you want further. If you find yourself including extra components, you‘ll want extra sauce so the yakisoba noodles are flavorful.
To Make the Yakisoba Sauce
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Whisk collectively the sauce components: 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 4 tsp oyster sauce, 3 tsp ketchup, 2 tsp soy sauce, and 2 tsp sugar till the sugar is totally dissolved. Tip: It‘s vital to style the sauce now and add extra sugar, if wanted. For instance, some ketchup is sweeter than others whereas some Worcestershire sauce is much less bitter than others. Set it apart.
To Put together the Elements
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Peel and devein 5 oz shrimp. Minimize 2 oz squid into bite-size strips. Place the seafood in a bowl and toss with 2 Tbsp sake to marinate. Put aside to marinate.
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Minimize ½ onion into ¼-inch (6-mm) slices.
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Minimize 4 inches carrot into 2-inch slabs. Then, lower them into julienne strips 2 inches (5 cm) lengthy.
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Take away the powerful core from ½ lb inexperienced cabbage. Minimize the cabbage leaves into slices 1 inch (2.5 cm) vast. Then, lower the slices into bite-sized items.
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Chop 3 inexperienced onions/scallions into 2-inch (5-cm) items. Minimize any thick, white components of the inexperienced onions in half lengthwise. Maintain the inexperienced and white components in separate piles.
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Place the 3 servings yakisoba noodles on a plate and canopy with a moist paper towel. Warmth within the microwave to steam, then loosen the noodles along with your palms.
To Cook dinner the Shrimp Yakisoba
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Warmth a griddle, massive wok, or massive skillet on medium-high warmth, then add 1 Tbsp impartial oil. When the oil is scorching, add the sliced onions and white a part of scallions. Sauté, tossing often with a pair of tongs, permitting the onions to char on the perimeters and soften a bit. Once they begin to change into translucent, push them one the facet of the griddle. Add the shrimp in a single layer to an empty area on the cooking floor.
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Add the squid items subsequent to the shrimp in a single layer. Shortly sear the seafood, flipping the shrimp when it turns opaque and pan-grilling the squid till its juices evaporate on the griddle. Take away the seafood to a tray.
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Add the cabbage and carrot to the cooking onions and toss collectively. Cook dinner the greens whereas tossing often, leaving them to grill and brown on the new cooking floor and develop a golden char. When the cabbage is barely softened however nonetheless crisp, unfold out the greens throughout the griddle. Add the cooked seafood and inexperienced a part of the scallions throughout the highest.
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Unfold out the loosened noodles throughout the highest of the greens and seafood. Then, pour the yakisoba sauce on prime of the noodles.
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Toss to mix the noodles, seafood, and greens and distribute the sauce evenly. Decrease the warmth, if wanted. Style and add extra sauce, if desired. Toss and switch off the warmth.
To Retailer
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You possibly can retailer the leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. In the event you used beforehand frozen shrimp or calamari to make this recipe, I don’t advocate freezing the leftovers. Reheat within the microwave till warmed by way of. You probably have any leftover selfmade yakisoba sauce, you possibly can retailer it in a mason jar or different hermetic container for as much as a month.
