Learn how to make it here!
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Naruto loves ramen with a dedication so pure and simple that I have to admire him, so of course his son must also have a food addiction. As we all know, extreme love of food is hereditary. My question is this: How did it go from a love of ramen, arguably one of the best things Japan has to offer the world (I’d know, I’ve read history books detailing the rise of ramen in the modern day and age), to YAKISOBA PAN, which is just some moderately flavored noodles in a bun, not even a fancy bun, one that barely surpasses your average hot dog bun.
Ok, I realize I’m not selling this recipe too well. And you’re probably wondering why I made this if I don’t like it all that much. I’m honestly kind of surprised- out of all the recipes I’ve made, this is about the ONLY one I haven’t enjoyed. I went into this with some misgivings, but I thought I could bring myself around on this food item. I was sadly mistaken, although my two friends scarfed down two over-filled buns each.
Yakisoba pan is a snack typically found in convenience stores in Japan. Typically, they don’t have meat in them and are packaged in plastic and set out with other bread snack items. I never got one on the occasions I was in Japan, but my friend did. It was pretty basic- yakisoba noodles in yakisoba sauce, with some cabbage, in a bun. They were topped with some beni shoga (pickled ginger cut into strips) and seaweed flakes. It’s really a super carb overload, and, as my friend said, perfect for eating after “seeing like ten different sights in Tokyo on the same day, when you can’t afford to eat anything else.” That’s a ringing endorsement if I ever heard one.
It sorta doesn’t surprise me that it was chosen as the ideal favorite food for Boruto. Yakisoba pan is really easy to get ahold of- perfect for all the middle school kids who watch this show and then have to buy lunch at school. I can almost guarantee that a convenience store chain will start carrying Boruto themed yakisoba pan. And, honestly, it’s a good food for kids. Easy to carry, easy to transport, and the flavors are pretty mellow, considering the bun. Yakisoba in and of itself is just noodles with a tasty sauce on, and by adding more carbs to the equation it helps to tone down the flavor of the sauce a bit. Littler kids typically prefer simpler flavors and also typically bounce all over the place (Oh the energy of youth…where did mine go?), so it’s a great handheld snack for them.
Of course I’m biased, because it’s not my favorite food, so I think this really shines as a quick, on-the-go meal, or as a snack for kids. I would encourage anyone struggling financially to try it- it’s a really, really cheap recipe, and is also incredibly easy to make! It didn’t take me longer than 20 minutes, from start to end.
The ultimate simple recipe would be noodles with sauce and cabbage in a bun. I’ve seen recipes with bellpeppers, onions, and carrots included, to fill out the recipe a bit and add some vegetables. With this recipe here, I opted for a subtle middle. I included cabbage, but also some onion to provide a little complexity to the flavors going on here. I went a little light on the sauce, which I think was a bad move. I would definitely encourage you to add more, especially if you are a sauce person. By adding the bun, it soaks up that extra sauce quickly, leaving the noodles a bit dry. In the recipe below, I added a range of sauce amounts, depending on your preference. If you like it light, go with just 1/2 cup of sauce. If you like it with more sauce, go for a full cup (Or more! Go wild. It’s your kitchen.)
Watch the video below for more details on how to make this dish!
Ingredients for Yakisoba Pan:
3 packs of Yakisoba.
1 medium yellow onion
1-2 cups cabbage, cut into stips (about 1/2 of a small cabbage)
1/2-1 cup yakisoba sauce*
Salt and pepper
Olive Oil (for the pan)
Hot dog buns (regular is fine, but if you can, go for fancy ones to up the quality of the overall dish)
Aonori (seaweed prepared to use as a fine garnish)
Beni Shoga (pickled ginger, cut into strips, normally bright red)
*you can easily make your own yakisoba sauce! Find the recipe for that here.
To Make Yakisoba Pan:
1. Slice onion and cabbage thinly.
2. Separate yakisoba into individual strands by soaking with hot water- put in a sieve and run the water over the noodles, breaking up with your hands gently.
3. Heat oil in a pan over medium high heat. When ready, throw in onions and soften, about 3-4 minutes. Put in cabbage and cover with a lid. Cook about 2 minutes until cabbage is wilted and bright green.
4. Dump in yakisoba sauce and noodles. Toss the noodles to thoroughly coat the noodles.
5. Take off heat and set aside. Split a hot dog bun open, and fill with yakisoba.
6. Garnish with aonori and beni shoga! Wrap in plastic to eat later, or eat immediately for instant carb-replenishing relief.
I hope you enjoyed this post! Check in next week for another recipe. To check out more anime food recipes, visit my blog. If you have any questions or comments, leave them below! I recently got a Twitter, so you can follow me at @yumpenguinsnack if you would like, and DEFINITELY feel free to send me food requests! My tumblr is yumpenguinsnacks.tumblr.com. Find me on Youtube for more video tutorials! Enjoy the food, and if you decide to recreate this dish, show me pics! 😀