Yakisoba Sauce (Homemade Japanese Noodle Sauce)

Why you’ll love homemade yakisoba sauce

It’s easy to see why you’ll love this homemade yakisoba sauce as much as I do:

• It’s super easy to make: All you need is five minutes to mix together the five simple ingredients.
• It’s flavour-packed: The combination of oyster sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and sugar creates an umami-packed sauce with a perfect balance of sweet, savoury and umami flavours.
• It’s versatile: This yakisoba sauce works great with yakisoba noodles (the traditional Japanese choice), but also with ramen, udon or any other Asian noodles. You can even use it as a marinade for pork belly or an easy dipping sauce.

Yakisoba sauce ingredients and substitutes

This yakisoba sauce is an easy-to-make Japanese sauce that is the perfect companion for Japanese stir-fried noodles.

It requires just a few ingredients:

• Oyster sauce: Oyster sauce adds a sweet and savoury flavour to this yakisoba sauce. But if you are allergic or prefer a plant-based sauce, you can use vegan stir-fry sauce instead.
• Soy sauce: Use all-purpose or light soy sauce. Dark soy sauce is too intense for this recipe.
• Ketchup: Use your favourite tomato ketchup for a flavourful yakisoba sauce. If your tomato sauce is not very acidic, you can add a small splash of rice vinegar to balance the sauce.
• Sugar: I use white sugar, but you can use brown sugar or your preserved sweetener.
• Worcestershire sauce: I use Lea & Perrins, but you can use any brand you have.

Store-bought oyster sauce, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce typically contain gluten. You can swap the combination for a shop-bought gluten-free stir-fry sauce. But you’ll need to adjust the sweetness and acidity of tomato ketchup to taste.

Learn more about oyster sauce vs hoisin sauce.

Step 1: Gather your ingredients. You will need:

• three tablespoons of oyster sauce or vegan stir-fry sauce,
• one and a half tablespoons of soy sauce,
• two tablespoons of ketchup,
• one and a half tablespoons of sugar and
• four tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce.

This makes about a ¾ cup of sauce. You can easily double the recipe if you need more sauce.

Step 2: Combine the ingredients. In a small bowl, add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, ketchup and sugar. Whisk together until the sauce is well combined and sugar has dissolved.

You can also microwave the mixture in a microwavable bowl for 20 seconds to help the sugar dissolve.

Step 3: Adjust the seasoning. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Taste and season with more sugar for a sweeter sauce or a pinch of salt for a savoury boost – until the sauce is balanced to your liking.

It should be punchy and bold in flavour because you will only add 2 tablespoons per portion of noodles.

Yakisoba sauce serving suggestions

Yakisoba sauce is an essential ingredient in Japanese yakisoba noodle dishes.

It’s also a great all-purpose sauce for Japanese cooking. It’s sweet, savoury, and umami-packed – and it only takes a minute to make!

Try homemade yakisoba sauce in these dishes:

• Yakisoba noodles: Make classic chicken yakisoba noodles with pre-cooked ramen noodles, thin strips of chicken, shredded green cabbage, and the perfect balance of sweet, savoury, and umami-packed yakisoba sauce. The easy Japanese fried noodles deliver delicious street food vibes.
• Yaki udon: If you can’t find the par-cooked yakisoba noodles, use udon noodles for deliciously chewy stir-fried udon noodles.
• Vegetable stir-fry: Fry sliced yellow onion and julienned vegetables over high heat. And, stir in yakisoba sauce at the end of cooking.
• Fried rice: Turn your egg-fried rice into a flavourful and savoury dish with yakisoba sauce. To serve, drizzle with toasted sesame oil and top with sliced scallions.