A Japanese stir-fried noodle dish, Yaki Soba has a deliciously sweet and sour sauce. This Wagamama copycat version takes just 30 minutes to make!
🍴 Why you will love this recipe
Yaki Soba is a traditional Japanese stir-fried noodle dish, made popular here in the UK by Wagamama restaurants. I'm a huge fan, and have been trying for a while to perfect a copycat version at home.
The three key elements are the noodles, (not buckwheat soba noodles, but Japanese-style wheat noodles), the sweet and sour amai sauce, and the toppings - crispy fried shallots and pickled ginger.
This delicious noodle dish takes just 30 minutes to make, and is packed with punchy flavours and wonderful textures. If you can't make it to Wagamamas, this is a perfect weeknight dinner, and impressive for entertaining!
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📝 What you need
Ingredients
Noodles You would be forgiven for thinking that you might need buckwheat soba noodles for this dish, but in fact Yaki Soba is traditionally made with wheat noodles. These Japanese-style wheat noodles are ideal.
Amai Sauce You can buy ready-made amai sauce, but it is very quick and easy to make your own whilst the noodles are cooking from storecupboard ingredients.
Pickled Ginger often called sushi ginger, is pretty and pink. It adds a pop of colour and a punchy flavour to this noodle dish.
Shallots are fried until crispy, and add a delicious crunch and flavour to your yaki soba.
Equipment
You will need two saucepans, (one large and one small), and a large frying pan or wok.
👩🏽🍳 How to make your Yaki Soba
For a full, printable recipe with ingredients and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this page 👇🏼 .
Boil noodles for 10 minutes or according to packet instructions. Peel and finely slice shallots.
Fry shallots until crispy and golden, then set aside. Clean and slice mushrooms and fry for 4-5 minutes.
Add peppers and spring onions, then beansprouts.
Make the amai sauce, then toss through noodles and vegetables. Top with crispy shallots, pickled ginger and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
🔪 Top Tips & FAQs
If you're cooking for a crowd, you might prefer to make the amai sauce ahead of time - it will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Pack in the protein by topping with crispy fried tofu and/or chopped peanuts.
Use whatever vegetables you like in the stir-fry: leek, asparagus, kale, pak choi, shredded savoy cabbage, broccoli, finely chopped carrot, etc.
Make it spicy by adding a fresh red chilli, finely sliced, at the same time as the beansprouts. You could also add some sriracha to the amai sauce, or a pinch of chilli flakes.
Yes, you could use buckwheat soba noodles (instead of wheat noodles), and swap the soy sauce for tamari, to make this dish gluten-free.
Yaki soba sauce (or amai sauce) is a thickened, sweetened sauce made from soy sauce. It also contains sugar (for sweetness), rice vinegar, tamarind paste (for sourness) and tomato ketchup.
🍽 If you liked that...
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📖 Recipe
Yaki Soba Noodles (Wagamama-Style)
Ingredients
For the noodles:
- 200 g dried noodles Japanese wheat soba or udon noodles are ideal
- 2 tablespoon rapeseed or sunflower oil
- 2 shallots Echalion or Banana shallots
- 8 mushrooms I use chestnut or shiitake
- 1 red pepper
- 3 spring onions
- 100 g beansprouts
For the amai sauce:
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon caster sugar
- 1.5 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1.5 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 2 tablespoon tamarind paste
To finish:
- pickled ginger sometimes called sushi ginger
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook the noodles according to packet instructions. When cooked, rinse under cold water and set aside until needed.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Peel and finely slice the shallots and fry until crispy and golden. Tip onto a small plate and return the pan to the heat.
- Clean and slice the mushrooms and fry for 4-5 minutes until golden.
- Trim and slice the peppers and add to the pan. Trim the spring onions, cut them into 4 or 5 long pieces, and add to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the beansprouts and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- To make the amai sauce, put the soy sauce, sugar and rice vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the tamarind and ketchup. Stir and remove from the heat.
- Tip the noodles into the frying pan with the vegetables, then pour over the amai sauce. Stir everything together, and ensure the noodles are piping hot.
- Divide between two plates, top with crispy shallots and pickled ginger and scatter with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Isabel says
Delicious... however at one point you say tamarind, and at another tamari -both quite different. I made it with tamarind and it tasted great so I'm guessing that's the right one.
Kate Ford says
So sorry for the typo Isabel - you were right, it shold have said tamarind both times - now corrected! Glad you enjoyed it!
Heather Smith Thomassen says
It all sounded very nice until you stated that one should use Japanese wheat noodles as opposed to buckwheat soba noodles. Are you saying that this recipe won't work if you use pure buckwheat noodles ? There are many of us who can only eat gluten free products
Lins says
Hello Kate,
How do you make your tofu really crispy as an addition to this recipe?
Thank you
Kate Ford says
Hi Lins, top tips - get it really dry before starting to cook it (I usually use the brand Tofoo which doesn't need pressing). I tend to toss it in oil and soy sauce and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or you can toss it in a little cornflour and fry until crispy on all sides. Enjoy!
Katherine says
So many wonderful flavors in this noodle dish! Yum!
Savita says
Recently, I am into trying Japanese food, and this homemade version of Wagamama looks amazing. Definitely, a must-try.
Kim says
I can't resist a good 30 minute recipe! I love getting the "bowls" at my favorite Japanese restaurant, so I'm sure I'll love this too! (I may add extra mushrooms though - they're my favorite!)
Stephanie says
I've never heard of Wagamama, so this recipe is very interesting to me! It looks so delicious and healthy for you! My daughter loves Japanese food so I think we will have to try this one tonight!
Jovita says
This looks very appetizing. Love sweet and sour sauce , very nice and interesting recipe 🙂