Shrimp Yakisoba Noodles with Five Spice Tofu
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This Shrimp Yakisoba with Tofu is a quick and easy Japanese stir-fried noodles dish that features slippery and chewy yakisoba noodles, succulent shrimp, tender tofu, veggies and a sweet-savory sauce with a hint of tang. Ready in just 35 minutes, it’s perfect for an easy weeknight dinner!
If you love Japanese noodles dishes, try my Chicken Yaki Udon, this Teriyaki Chicken Noodles Stir-fry, or this Japanese Curry Udon next!
About This Recipe
Stir-fried noodles are a weeknight favorite in my house and this better than takeout style Shrimp Yakisoba with Tofu ticks all the right boxes! It’s quick, tasty and packed with protein and veggies and SO comforting!
Yakisoba is a classic Japanese stir-fried noodles dish and is a popular street food in Japan. It’s made with protein such as shrimp, pork, chicken, or calamari and veggies like onions, green onions, julienned carrots, mushrooms and cabbage. It’s seasoned with a flavor-packed stir-fry sauce that’s made with ketchup and Worcestershire sauce for its signature savory-sweet and tangy flavor profile.
The word ‘yaki’ translates to “cooked over direct” heat and refers to grilled or pan-fried dishes in Japanese cuisine.
In this Shrimp and Tofu yakisoba, I’ve used juicy jumbo shrimp, tender sliced five spice tofu, garlic, fresh red chilies for a kick of heat, (optional and you can leave them out for a milder dish), plenty of veggies, yakisoba noodles and a flavorful homemade yakisoba sauce!
This recipe easy to make with simple ingredients and super easy to stir-fry on any given weeknight.
It’s ready in about 35 minutes and full of delicious ‘wok hei’ flavors that’ll rival any restaurant made yakisoba!
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Quick and easy. It’s ready in about 35 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknight dinners.
- Tasty flavors and great texture! The savory, sweet and slightly tangy stir-fry sauce paired with juicy shrimp, tender tofu strips, and chewy and slippery yakisoba noodles make it an enjoyable stir-fried noodles dish.
- Customizable. You can customize it with your favorite protein and veggies.
- DELICIOUS comfort food! It’s a comforting, flavorful and filling noodles dish that will leave you satisfied!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
Shrimp Yakisoba with Tofu Stir Fry
- Shrimp (or Prawns): Use pre-peeled and deveined shrimp/prawns for convenience so that you only have to thaw and rinse them. I recommend using size 16/20 as they are large, succulent and won’t overcook as easily as smaller sized shrimp.
- Five Spiced Tofu/Beancurd (wu xiang dou fu gan – 五香豆腐干): This is a dried tofu (dou fu gan) that has been marinated in soy sauce and other seasonings and spices (usually five spice powder). It is pressed tofu that is extra firm and brown on the outside with a whitish inside. It’s available in the form of small thin bricks in vacuum sealed packs at Asian and Chinese supermarkets. You can also find it at vendors selling tofu products in wet markets in Asia. Use regular dried pressed firm tofu if preferred.
- Peanut Oil: Or use any other neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point such as canola oil (also known as rapeseed oil), vegetable oil, grapeseed oil or rice bran oil.
- Veggies: Yellow onion, carrots, shiitake mushrooms and Chinese cabbage (Napa cabbage or wombok) are the typical veggies used in yakisoba.
- Aromatics: Garlic, spring onion (scallion/green onions) and fresh red chilies. Although, chilies aren’t typically used, I like to use them to add a spicy kick to these noodles! Feel free to use less or omit them.
- Yakisoba Noodles: These are steamed, yellow thin Chinese-style noodles. They are coated in a layer of oil and then packed in vacuum sealed packs. You can find them in Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Asian supermarkets as well as online. If the pack you find comes with sauce sachets, you can discard the sauce/seasoning packet (or save for another time).
- Black Pepper: Added at the end to season the noodles stir-fry.
Yakisoba Sauce Ingredients
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds tangy flavors and umami. Japanese Worcestershire sauce can be used if its easily available to you. However, I used Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce as it’s what I have in my pantry.
- Oyster Sauce: A thick and sticky textured sauce with a sweet and savory flavor. It’s an Asian pantry staple and will likely be available in the Asian aisle of your local supermarket. If not, grab a bottle at an Asian supermarket.
- Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce: Low sodium so that we can control the salt levels better. If using regular light soy sauce, use a little less than specified and substitute the remaining amount with water.
- Tomato Ketchup: Adds sweetness and tang. I’ve tested this recipe with both regular and chili tomato ketchup and both came out great. If using chili ketchup, I recommend cutting down or leaving out the fresh chilies from the dish in order to not overpower it with competing spicy flavors.
- Dark Soy Sauce: Not traditionally added in Japanese yakisoba but I love using it to add color.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: Also not typically used but I love the hint of toasted sesame aromas it adds to the dish.
- White Sugar: Balances out the spicy and savory flavors.
Full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below.
How to Make Shrimp Yakisoba Recipe with Tofu
Below is a step-by-step overview on how to make this recipe. Keep scrolling down to get to the recipe card below with the full recipe and detailed instructions!
Serving Suggestions
Shrimp Yakisoba with Tofu is a delicious meal and filling with protein, carbohydrates and veggies if serving as a main for two people. However, if serving as a side this, you may want to accompany it with side dishes such as steamed or stir-fried veggies, gyoza, boiled edamame, miso soup, or tempura.
Optional toppings that are typically served with yakisoba to enhance the flavors are pickled red ginger (beni shoga) and/or dried green seaweed flake (aonori).
The slightly spicy and tangy pickled red ginger cuts through the flavors of the noodles stir-fry sauce. The mildly salty flavor of the dried seaweed adds more umami.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Storing: While yakisoba tastes best when freshly cooked and hot off the wok, you can store leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Reheating:
Reheat on high in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout.
Cook’s Tips
- Run water over the noodles after you prepare and drain them. Some of the oil coating will remain on the noodles after draining. It’s best to run cold water over the noodles to remove the remaining oil so that your final dish doesn’t taste overly greasy or acidic.
- Prepare all the ingredients before you start cooking. Yakisoba is a quick to cook stir-fried noodles dish. Make sure all your ingredients are prepped and placed by the side of your wok before you start cooking.
- Prepare all the veggies in advance. To save prep time, you can do the chopping the day before and store in airtight containers in the fridge. This way when the time comes to cook, all you need to do is prepare the sauce, shrimp, and tofu.
- Use store-bought yakisoba sauce. Otafuku is a popular Japanese brand that produces yakisoba sauce. Although making your own sauce is more delicious in my opinion, you can use about ⅓ cup of readymade store-bought yakisoba sauce if desired.
Variations
Dietary Modifications:
- Gluten-free. You can use a gluten-free soy sauce (tamari or coconut aminos), oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and gluten-free noodles such as buckwheat soba noodles (make sure it is made from 100% buckwheat and not a combination of buckwheat and wheat flour), rice noodles or brown rice udon noodles.
- Vegetarian/Vegan. Use more five spice tofu (or crispy pan-fried tofu cubes) and/or mushrooms and leave out the shrimp. For the yakisoba sauce, use Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce to replace the oyster sauce and a vegan Worcestershire sauce.
Flavor/Preference Customizations:
- Use a different protein. Chicken, squid, sliced pork tenderloin (pork fillet), pork belly or skirt or flank beef steak would taste great.
- Make it mild. If you’re not a fan of spicy food or if dining with kids, leave out the fresh red chilies.
- Add different veggies. Shrimp yakisoba is a great way to use any stir fry friendly veggies in your crisper drawer. Some good options would be bell pepper, snow peas, sugar snap peas, bean sprouts, bok choy, blanched broccoli florets, asparagus and green beans.
- Use different noodles. Ramen noodles, udon noodles (see my Chicken Yaki Udon recipe) egg noodles, buckwheat noodles (soba noodles), or any type of Chinese or Korean wheat noodles. You can also use pasta such as spaghetti or capellini (angel hair pasta) in a pinch if you don’t have noodles on hand.
- Top with chili oil. Japanese La-Yu (chili oil), spicy chili crisp, or your favorite chili oil either with or without sediment (flakes and seeds). A small drizzle or spoonful goes a long way to add more spice and flavor!
FAQs
Yes! The wheat-based yellow yakisoba noodles are very similar in texture to fresh ramen noodles. I recommend using vacuum sealed packs of ramen like I’ve used in this Teriyaki Chicken Noodles dish instead of the instant, brick ramen noodles. The flavor and fresh texture is more slippery and tender than brick style instant ramen.
You can serve a crispy fried egg with a runny yolk on top for added protein and richness.
Traditional yakisoba is not a spicy dish, but my version is with the addition of fresh red chilies. Other non-traditional ways to add spicy flavors would be to use a chili ketchup instead of regular ketchup, serve with chili oil or chili crisp or add a spoonful to the stir-fry noodles sauce, add gochujang to the sauce for a fusion Korean-inspired flavor or sriracha sauce, or sprinkle some shichimi togarashi (Japanese assorted pepper powder) on top when serving.
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More Japanese Noodles
Shrimp Yakisoba with Five Spice Tofu
This Shrimp Yakisoba with Tofu is a quick and easy Japanese stir-fried noodles dish that features slippery and chewy yakisoba noodles, succulent shrimp, tender tofu, veggies and a sweet-savory sauce with a hint of tang. Ready in just 35 minutes, it’s perfect for an easy weeknight dinner!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stir-fry
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Oyster Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Ketchup
- ½ teaspoon Dark Soy Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
- ¼ teaspoon White Sugar, or more to taste
Shrimp:
- 8 ounces / 230 grams peeled and deveined Shrimp or Prawns (frozen weight, 10–12 pieces if using size 16/20) – thawed and rinsed thoroughly
- 1 teaspoon Peanut Oil (or any other neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point), for cooking
Shrimp Yakisoba with Tofu Stir Fry:
- ⅓ medium / 80 grams Yellow Onion – thinly sliced
- 2 medium stalks / 20-22 grams Spring Onion (Scallion/Green Onions) – sliced into 2-inch pieces, white and light green parts separated from dark green parts
- ½ small / 50 grams Carrot – julienned
- 2–3 pieces / 50-60 grams Shiitake Mushrooms (or other brown mushrooms) – sliced
- 1.5 cups / 150 grams chopped Chinese Cabbage (Napa Cabbage/Wombok)
- 3–4 cloves / 20 grams Garlic– minced
- 1–8 pieces / 3-25 grams fresh Red Chilies, to taste (optional – I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies but any variety can be used, omit for milder dish – note 1*)
- 2.5 ounces (2 pieces) / 70 grams Five Spice Tofu (note 2) – thinly sliced
- 16–17 ounces (3 packs) / 450–480 grams Yakisoba Noodles (I used vacuum sealed packs of yakisoba noodles – note 3)
- 1 tablespoon Peanut Oil, for cooking
- ⅛ TSP freshly cracked Black Pepper (or ground black pepper), to taste
- To Serve (optional): Japanese pickled red ginger (beni shōga), dried seaweed flakes (aonori) toasted sesame seeds, etc.
Instructions
Prep:
- Make the sauce: Whisk together the Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, low sodium light soy sauce, ketchup, dark soy sauce, sesame oil and white sugar in a small bowl or measuring cup (for easier pouring) until combined well.
- Prepare the shrimp: Thaw the frozen shrimp and rinse thoroughly. Pat-dry and set aside.
- Prepare all the fresh ingredients: Prepare the yellow onion, spring onion, carrot, mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, garlic, fresh red chilies (if using), and five spice tofu as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section.
Shrimp Yakisoba with Tofu Stir Fry:
- Prepare the noodles: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and place the yakisoba noodle cakes in the pot of hot water. Use tongs to hold onto the noodle cakes and gently shake until the noodle strands have separated and are tender – about 2 minutes. You will see oil that the noodles are coated in separate into the water. Drain into a colander and run cold water on the noodles to remove any remaining oil and prevent from cooking further and sticking.
- Cook the shrimp: Heat 1 teaspoon peanut oil in a large nonstick wok (or heavy bottomed deep skillet/frying pan) over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and spread the pieces out in the pan. Allow to sear for about 1 minute, then stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until just cooked. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Stir-fry the veggies and aromatics: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of peanut oil in the wok over high heat. Add the yellow onion, spring onion white and light green parts, mushrooms and carrots and stir-fry for 30-40 seconds or until starting to soften and change color but are still crisp. Add the garlic and red chilies and stir-fry for 20-30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the tofu: Add the five spice tofu and stir-fry for 30 seconds to combine.
- Stir-fry the cabbage: Add the Chinese cabbage and stir-fry until slightly wilted but it still retains some crunch.
- Add the noodles, shrimp and sauce: Add the noodles and cooked shrimp and pour the prepared sauce over everything. Stir-fry and mix until everything is evenly coated in the sauce.
- Season and toss through the spring onion: Season with black pepper and toss through the spring onion dark green parts. Switch off the heat.
- To Serve: Divide evenly in bowls or on plates and serve immediately with desired toppings.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
- Fresh Red Chilies: Although not typically added in yakisoba, I enjoy these noodles with a spicy kick. Adjust quantity to taste depending on your spice level preference. Omit completely for a milder dish.
- Five Spiced Tofu/Beancurd (wu xiang dou fu gan – 五香豆腐干): This is a dried tofu (dou fu gan) that has been marinated in soy sauce and other seasonings and spices (usually five spice powder). It is pressed tofu that is extra firm and brown on the outside with a whitish inside. It’s available in the form of small thin bricks in vacuum sealed packs at Asian and Chinese supermarkets. You can find it at vendors selling tofu products in wet markets in Asia. Use regular dried pressed firm tofu if preferred.
- Yakisoba Noodles. These are steamed, yellow thin Chinese-style noodles. They are coated in a layer of oil and then packed in vacuum sealed packs. You can find them in Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Asian supermarkets as well as online. If the pack you find comes with sauce sachets, you can discard the sauce/seasoning packet (or save for another time). Substitute fresh ramen noodles or vacuum sealed packs like the one I’ve used in this Teriyaki Chicken Noodles Stir-fry
- Storing and reheating leftovers. Although yakisoba tastes best when freshly cooked and hot off the wok, you can store leftovers in an airtight sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat on high in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout.
- See the ‘Variations’ section in the post above if you’d like to customize this recipe and/or make it for specific dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, veg, vegan).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/3 of recipe
- Calories: 474
- Sugar: 9.3g
- Sodium: 1426.5mg
- Fat: 13.6g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60.9g
- Fiber: 2.5g
- Protein: 27.7g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
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