This quick and easy Yakisoba Sauce is big on flavor yet needs only five ingredients!
Have you ever noticed how some of the memories you have from long ago seem clearer in your mind than those from just yesterday? Not to mention, how many of those distant memories are tied to food? It’s similar to music, when hearing a certain song can transport you back to a specific time and place in your life. Food and music can be magical in that way.
I recall managing fast-food restaurants in a mall food court decades ago. Yes, I’m dating myself, but since I have grown kids, and this was way before they were born, the truth was bound to come out. One of the customs that my fellow food court employees and I used to enjoy was trading food between our various stands. My favorite place to swap with was the Japanese noodle stand. I’d give them stuffed potatoes, tacos, or whatever food I was serving at the time, and they’d provide me with chicken and noodles smothered in yakisoba sauce. Delicious!
When I stopped eating gluten years ago, I had to give up yakisoba because it’s typically served with Chinese-style wheat noodles (most restaurants at that time didn’t have gluten-free substitutes). Since I enjoy many other Japanese dishes, I had never given it much thought until recently, when I experienced a long-forgotten craving for yakisoba. Thankfully, gluten-free noodles are much more readily available these days, and I can rely on this recipe to whip up my own batch of yakisoba sauce at home. And once again, my taste buds are happy!
What is yakisoba?
If you’ve never had the pleasure of enjoying a bowl of yakisoba in a mall food court, I urge you to try it stat! Yakisoba is a popular Japanese dish that consists of wheat noodles stir-fried together with bite-sized pieces of pork (or other meat) and veggies, all of which are coated with a heavenly sauce that has both sweet and salty notes. Yakisoba’s signature umami flavor comes from the addition of Japanese-style Worcestershire sauce, which is a bit sweeter and thicker than the Western-style version of the sauce. However, you can replicate a similar flavor by combining soy sauce, ketchup, and regular Worcestershire sauce, as this recipe does.
How do I store leftovers?
Yakisoba sauce can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. It’s best to use a glass jar if you have one. If not, use a BPA- and phthalate-free plastic container. You can also make this sauce in advance and freeze it for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or zippered bag. Defrost it at room temperature for 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Serving suggestions
While the most common way to use yakisoba sauce is to stir-fry it with Chinese-style wheat noodles, it can also be used in many other ways. Any long pasta, especially glass, udon, ramen, shirataki, or rice noodles, would pair well with the savory, sweet flavor of yakisoba. Personally, I love enjoying cold noodle bowls like this Soba Noodles dish or this Asian Noodle Salad (you can use yakisoba sauce to replace the sauce in these recipes). It also makes a great replacement sauce for this Chinese Chicken Salad or Beef And Broccoli Noodles.
You could also turn a simple Roasted Half Chicken or Tempeh into a sweet and savory dish by glazing it with yakisoba sauce. Serve it over a bowl of Jasmine Rice, and add this Broccoli And Mushroom Stir-Fry for a complete and tasty meal.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 1/2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1 1/4 teaspoons honey plus more, to taste
Instructions
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and honey into a bowl.
- Whisk the ingredients well until they are fully blended and the honey dissolves completely.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the flavor if needed, adding a bit more honey for extra sweetness if desired.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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