Yaki-soba is Japanese stir fried noodles with vegetables and pork. I have never met a person who did not like this one of the most popular food in Japan. Because of its simple ingredients and recipe, it is also popular menu in the market called ‘yatai’. Wherever ‘yatai’ are held, you can definitely find someone who sells yaki-soba.

yaki-soba bento
Before I show you how to make it, please let me talk about noodles. In the UK I often think it is almost impossible to get good noodles for yaki-soba. I have been struggling to get good noodles for long time. Egg noodles are fine, ramen noodles are also fine but they are so far from perfect. Something is missing somewhere. Then I notice some great tips to obtain perfect noodles… from SPAGHETTI! I notice spaghetti can exactly be what noodles for yaki-soba should be. If you can not find good noodles, then please try spaghetti. The tip is to cook spaghetti 5 more minutes longer than the time its package says. It should also be noted that Udon Noodles are also good option (but in that case the dish will be called yaki-udon, not yaki-soba).
Of course yaki-soba is very popular for bento menu too. When I was a high school student my dad made me yaki-soba bento in the weekend. (I had classes in every Saturday morning so making my bento on Saturday was sometimes my dad’s role. And my family had a strange rule about Saturday dinner; my dad must had made okonomiyaki! Ah, what okonomiyaki lovers/saucy family!)
In fact I made yaki-soba for bento last week and it was quite nice. My husband really liked it. I hope you can enjoy this casual and family warming dish!
[Ingredients] 2 servings
- Spaghetti for 2 people / Udon Noodles for 2 people
- 1/2 spring cabbage
- 100g pork (ignore if you are vegetarian)
- 1/2 green pepper
- 100g beans sprout
- Okonomiyaki sauce
- A pinch of back pepper
- A pinch of aonori (nori powder) as a topping
- A pinch of katsuobushi as a topping
Swapping the pork with sea foods such as prawns or squid is also good idea. Some people put a fried egg on top as a topping. That is a also lovely idea. Red pepper, carrot or onion can also give yaki-soba more colours and flavour. Please look for your favourite ingredients through some trials!
[Method]
- Boil the water for spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti for extra 5 more minutes than the time its package says.
- Roughly chop cabbage, pork and green pepper.
- Pour 2 tbs oil into a frying pan and stir fry pork, and add cabbage, green pepper and beans sprout.
- Add spaghetti and mix very well.
- Add black pepper and Okonomiyaki sauce. Make sure the taste, you may need to add some ketchup.
- Serve with some toppings (if you would like), or put them into your bento box.
Enjoy!xx