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Japanese Fried Noodles with Bacon and Cabbage

Japanese Fried Noodles with Bacon and Cabbage

By Courtney HillApril 25, 2023

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    35 minutes
  • Rating

Salty-sweet, umami-packed Japanese stir-fried noodles called yakisoba are a wildly popular type of casual comfort food. The mix of well-seasoned noodles and vegetables (and sometimes protein) might even be tucked into a hot dog bun—yes, a bun—to make a sandwich called “yakisoba pan” or “yakisoba dog.” At home, yakisoba can be made “instantly,” much like instant ramen, or it can be prepared using kits sold in the refrigerator section of the supermarket. We prefer to boil (non-instant) dried ramen, which is sometimes sold as bricks (similar to instant ramen) and sometimes as spaghetti-straight strands, then create our own seasoning mix, which is no more difficult than combining a few ingredients in a bowl. If you’re able to purchase a yakisoba kit, you can discard the seasoning packet and use only the noodles, which are precooked (if using noodles from a kit, you’ll need 10 to 12 ounces). If Italian pasta is the only type of noodle available, see How to “Ramenize” Pasta. Yakisoba typically is garnished with aonori (powdered seaweed) and beni shoga (bright pink pickled julienned ginger). We use nori snacks and gari, the type of pickled ginger served with sushi.

Tip

Don’t discard the fat after cooking the bacon. Pork belly is used in classic yakisoba, but we use easier to source bacon—and we love the smoky flavor it brings to the stir-fry.

Ingredients
  • 8

    ounces non-instant dried ramen noodles or 10 to 12 ounces precooked ramen noodles (see headnote)

  • 2

    teaspoons grapeseed or other neutral oil

  • ¼

    cup soy sauce

  • 3

    tablespoons ketchup

  • 2

    tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • Ground black pepper

  • 8

    ounces bacon, chopped

  • 2

    medium shallots, halved and thinly sliced

  • 1

    medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced

  • 4

    ounces green cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

  • Toasted nori snacks, crumbled or cut into thin strips, to serve

  • Pickled ginger, to serve

Step 1

If using dried ramen, in a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add the ramen and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, then drain in a colander. Rinse under running cool water until cool to the touch, then drain again. Drizzle with the oil and toss to coat; set aside. If using precooked ramen, rinse the noodles in a colander under warm running water, gently separating the strands with your fingers. Drizzle with the oil and toss to coat; set aside.

Step 2

In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup water and ½ teaspoon pepper; set aside.

Step 3

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until beginning to crisp and brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the shallots, bell pepper and cabbage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are lightly browned and the peppers and cabbage are just wilted, 5 to 8 minutes.

Step 4

Add the noodles and soy sauce mixture. Cook over medium, continuously stirring and tossing, until the pan is dry, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with the nori and with pickled ginger on the side.