Yakisoba

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

Noodles are one of my go-to meals to make, and yakisoba can easily adapt to whatever veggies I have on hand. Yakisoba recipes often call for green cabbage, onion, carrots, and pork belly. But when I’m not able to source pork belly, I find that thick-cut bacon (which I call for here) works just the same. As for the vegetables, mushrooms, peas, corn, bok choy, Broccolini, or whatever hearty green you have on hand would be delicious too.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons Japanese tonkatsu sauce or Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 (about 5-ounce) packages fresh yakisoba noodles, thawed if frozen
1 small or 1/2 medium yellow onion
1 pound green cabbage
1 medium carrot
3 mediums scallions
3 slices thick-cut bacon (about 7 ounces)
2 to 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as vegetable
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Nori (dried green seaweed) powder, for garnish (optional)
Pickled ginger, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Place 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons tonkatsu sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, and 2 tablespoons oyster sauce in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Place 3 (about 15-ounce) packages fresh yakisoba noodles (discard the seasoning packets) in a large heatproof bowl. Pour enough boiling water over the noodles until they are covered and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir and agitate the noodles to loosen. Drain.
Cut 1 small onion or 1/2 medium yellow onion into 1/4-inch thick wedges. Peel 1 medium carrot and cut into thin matchsticks. Wash and trim the thick core from 1 pound green cabbage. Cut into 1-inch pieces until you have about 4 cups and separate any leaves that are stick together. Cut 3 medium scallions crosswise into thirds. Cut 3 slices thick-cut bacon crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
Heat 3 tablespoons neutral oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onions and bacon and spread into an even layer. Cook undisturbed until browned on the bottom, about 7 minutes. Stir and continue to cook until the onions and bacon are deep golden brown, about 4 minutes more.
Add the carrots and 1/4 black pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the cabbage, noodles, and soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry until the sauce clings to the noodles and vegetables and they are heated through, about 3 minutes. Garnish with nori powder and pickled ginger if desired.