Yakisoba Pan 焼きそばパン

Ingredients

• 156 g (5.5 oz)yakisoba noodles
• 2small sausages
• 1egg
• 15 ml (1 tbsp)olive oil
• 1/4onion, sliced
• about 45 g (1/2 cup)cabbage, sliced
• 4hot dog buns
• 40 g (8 tsp)margarine
• 20 g (4 tsp)red pickled ginger (beni shōga)
• 2 tspaonori seaweed flakes
• 15 ml (1 tbsp), optionalJapanese mayonnaise
• 7.5 ml (1/2 tbsp)sake
• 7.5 ml (1/2 tbsp)mirin
• 7.5 ml (1/2 tbsp)soy sauce
• 7.5 ml (1/2 tbsp)tonkatsu sauce
• 7.5 ml (1/2 tbsp)oyster sauce
• 7.5 ml (1/2 tbsp)tomato ketchup
• 1/2 tbspsugar
• 22.5 ml (1 1/2 tbsp)Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. 1

   Loosen the noodles

   Open the noodle packet and pour boiling water over the noodles, loosening them with chopsticks. Alternatively, bring a large pot of water to the boil, cook the noodles for 1 minute, then drain and set aside.

2. 2

   Brown the noodles

   Heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and add the noodles. Press them against the pan with an egg flipper and brown over medium-high heat. After about 5 minutes, when they are browned and cooked, transfer them to a bowl.

3. 3

   Cook the sausage

   Return the pan to medium-high heat and add another 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Add the sliced sausages and cook.

4. 4

   Add the egg

   Once the sausages are cooked, move them to one side of the pan. Pour in the beaten egg and scramble it.

5. 5

   Add the vegetables

   Add the sliced onion and cabbage to the pan.

6. 6

   Steam the noodles

   Set the drained noodles over the onion, cabbage, egg and sausage so they can steam as they cook.

7. 7

   Mix the sauce

   Combine all the yakisoba sauce ingredients in a small mixing bowl.

8. 8

   Finish the yakisoba

   When the onion and cabbage are cooked, pour in the sauce. Cook everything together until all the liquid has evaporated.

9. 9

   Portion the noodles

   Turn off the heat and use kitchen scissors to divide the yakisoba into 4 equal portions.

10. 10

    Prepare the buns

    Cut a slit about two-thirds of the way down each hot dog bun. Spread margarine on both sides of each slit.

11. 11

    Fill the buns

    Fill each slit with one-quarter of the yakisoba.

12. 12

    Add the toppings

    Top with the red pickled ginger and sprinkle over the aonori seaweed flakes.

13. 13

    Serve with mayonnaise

    Add mayonnaise on top if you like, then serve.

What is yakisoba pan?

Yakisoba pan is a Japanese sandwich of stir-fried noodles tucked into a soft roll, often a koppe-pan. It brings together two familiar comfort foods in a portable, filling format.

This version combines browned noodles, sausage, egg and vegetables with a savoury-sweet sauce. Pickled ginger and aonori provide a sharp, fragrant contrast to the rich filling.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 482 calories, 11g protein, 54g carbs, 24g fat.

The buns and noodles provide most of the carbohydrates, while the margarine and olive oil contribute much of the fat. Sausage, egg and the noodles provide protein. Pair a bun with a serving of fresh vegetables or salad for a more balanced plate.

Build flavour in the noodles

Browned noodles: pressing them against the hot pan gives them colour and a toasted edge before the sauce goes in. Let them sit against the pan long enough to brown rather than stirring constantly.

Sauce: the sake, mirin, soy, tonkatsu, oyster, ketchup, sugar and Worcestershire create a layered, savoury-sweet coating. Mix everything in a bowl first so it is ready to pour in at once.

Cook the filling in stages

Sausage and egg: cook the sliced sausages first, then move them aside to scramble the beaten egg in the same pan. This keeps the components together while giving the egg room to cook.

Vegetables: add the onion and cabbage before laying the noodles over them. The noodles help trap steam as the vegetables soften.

Look for the right finish

Vegetables: cook until the onion and cabbage have softened, then add the sauce. The method gives no exact time for this stage, so use the vegetables’ texture as your cue.

Sauce: continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated and the noodles are coated rather than sitting in a pool. Switch off the heat before portioning the mixture with scissors.

Make the buns easy to fill

Slit: cut down about two-thirds of each bun, leaving the base intact so it can hold the filling. Spread margarine on both sides of the cut.

Filling: divide the noodles into four equal amounts and tuck one portion into each bun. Finish with ginger and aonori, adding mayonnaise if wanted.

Serve it as a meal

Yakisoba pan is substantial on its own, so a crisp salad or lightly dressed vegetables make a fresh counterpoint. Serve the buns soon after filling, while the rolls are soft and the noodles are warm.

For easier serving, keep the ginger and aonori nearby and let everyone add the toppings they prefer.

Recipe notes & tips

• Drain the noodles well if you use the boiling-water method so excess water does not dilute the sauce.
• Use medium-high heat to brown the noodles, pressing them down with the egg flipper.
• Beat the egg before adding it to the pan so it scrambles readily.
• Mix the sauce ingredients together before you start cooking the vegetables.
• Use kitchen scissors to divide the cooked noodles into portions that fit the buns.
• Wait until serving to add the pickled ginger and aonori for a bright finish.

Variations

• More vegetables: add extra sliced cabbage for a vegetable-forward filling.
• Different sausage: use your preferred small sausages in place of the listed ones.
• Skip the mayonnaise: leave it off for a simpler finish.
• Extra ginger: add more beni shōga for a sharper, tangier contrast.
• More aonori: sprinkle on extra seaweed flakes just before serving.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Wet noodles: drain them thoroughly after boiling so the sauce is not watered down.
• Pale noodles: press them against the pan and give them about 5 minutes to brown.
• Crowded egg: move the cooked sausages to one side before scrambling the egg.
• Watery sauce: keep cooking until all the liquid has evaporated.
• Cut-through buns: stop the slit about two-thirds of the way down so the base holds together.
• Uneven portions: divide the yakisoba into 4 equal amounts before filling the buns.

How to store

For the best texture, assemble and eat the buns soon after cooking. Refrigerate leftover yakisoba in a covered container and use within 2 days; reheat it in a frying pan until hot, then fill fresh buns.

Frequently asked questions