This vegan yakisoba, or Japanese stir-fried noodles, is paired with crispy tofu cubes! Incredibly flavorful and hearty, this gluten-free yakisoba is packed with colorful veggies. Fuss-free and ready in 30 minutes.
There is just something about noodle dishes that I just can't get enough of! Especially Japanese style ones like vegan japchae, teriyaki soba noodles and this tofu yakisoba.
💚Why you will love this recipe
- Tasty and packed with flavor - We will be making our own yakisoba sauce here that is rich, flavorful and ties everything together beautifully!
- Quick and easy to make - Everything can be made in a pan, and tofu yakisoba noodles is ready in 30 minutes. Definitely a great weeknight dinner to make when you just need something quick to fix!
- Family friendly - This dish is definitely a crowd pleaser! It is not spicy, and will be enjoyed by both kids and adults alike.
- Packed with veggies and protein - Tofu is a great source of plant based protein, and this gluten-free yakisoba contains a decent amount of nutritious vegetables!
🤔What is yakisoba
Yakisoba noodles is a super popular Japanese stir-fry noodle dish around the globe. It usually consist of wheat noodles, vegetables and pork cooked in a sweet and savory yakisoba sauce. They are traditional topped with some pickled ginger (benishoga) and aonori (seaweed powder).
To make yakisoba vegan, we will be using tofu in place of pork, and make our own homemade sauce instead. It is also packed full of colorful and vibrant veggies!
🍜Noodles used
Although yakisoba has the word "soba" in it, which typically refers to buckwheat noodles, Chinese wheat noodles are actually more commonly used. They are yellow in color, and have a chewy and bouncy mouthfeel.
However, to keep vegan yakisoba gluten-free, I am using 100% buckwheat noodles here. But like any other stir-fry, you can use any kind of noodles to make this dish! Some of my personal favorites includes ramen, rice noodles and udon.
To make tofu yakisoba higher in protein, you can use protein pasta or lentil based noodles instead.
🧄What you will need
📃Notes/substitutions
- Noodles - To keep tofu yakisoba gluten-free, I am using 100% buckwheat noodles. However, you can definitely use yakisoba noodles, or other Asian noodles like udon, ramen and rice noodles.
- Tofu - Make sure to use extra firm or firm tofu that had been drained and pressed beforehand, either by using a tofu press or by stacking something heavy on top. Check out this post on how to press tofu for a more detailed instruction.
- Cornstarch - Can be substituted with other starches like potato starch, tapioca starch or arrowroot starch.
- Soy sauce - Definitely use one that is certified gluten-free if you are gluten intolerant. Tamari can be used in place.
- Tomato sauce - Optional, but highly recommended. You can also substitute it with 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, and double the amount of maple syrup used.
- Maple syrup - Can be substituted with other sweetener like white or brown sugar, or agave syrup.
- Mirin - You can use sake in place.
🔪How to make
Boil a pot of water and cook noodles according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water and set aside.
In the meantime, make your sauce by combining everything needed.
Mix together cornstarch along with salt in a small bowl and stir to mix. In a zip-top bag, place in tofu cubes along with the cornstarch mixture. Toss to coat.
Heat up a tablespoon of neutral oil in a non-stick wok or skillet on medium high heat. Place tofu cubes in one layer and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until most sides are nicely seared. Set aside.
Heat another ½ tablespoon of oil back to the wok and saute onion for 2-3 minutes, until translucent. Next, stir in garlic and cook for a minute.
Toss in red pepper and carrot. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they have soften slightly. Now, add in mushrooms and cabbage, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until all veggies are cooked.
Add in cooked noodles along with sauce. Toss until everything is well mixed. Turn off heat and stir in tofu. Serve and enjoy your vegan yakisoba while warm!
✔Helpful tips
- If you are using fresh noodles, soak them in some hot water and stir using chopsticks or a fork to help separate the noodles. Drain thoroughly and set it aside.
- However, if you are cooking noodles from dry, slightly undercook them to avoid them from turning mushy. I usually cook noodles 1-2 minutes less than the suggested cooking time. Also, remember to rinse them under cold water after cooking.
- Prepare ingredients ahead of time and keep them near you while cooking. Stir-frying is a fairly quick process, so you will want everything to be prepped and ready!
- Use a non-stick wok or large skillet to cook your vegan yakisoba. This ensures that your ingredients do not leap out and cause a mess when stir-frying.
✨Variations/add-ins
If you are not a fan of tofu or intolerant to soy, you can simply skip it, or replace it with other plant based protein like sliced seitan, chopped vegan chicken or your favorite brand of vegan chicken strips.
Feel free to switch up veggies used in tofu yakisoba with whatever you have on hand! Broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas and napa cabbage are some examples of vegetables that work well in stir-fries. You can even use some frozen veggie mix for a quicker version.
If you like spicy foods, toss in a teaspoon or so of red pepper flakes or gochugaru (Korean chili flakes). Or, you can drizzle on some sriracha or hot sauce right before serving your vegan yakisoba.
🥢How to serve
Traditionally, yakisoba are topped with beni shoga (red pickled ginger) and aonori (green seaweed flakes). As I can't find any, I choose to top my tofu yakisoba with chopped green onion and toasted sesame seeds instead.
Although it is pretty hearty on its own, you can definitely serve this noodle dish with some Asian side dishes. Some of my favorite include rice paper rolls, Korean gochujang tofu or some sambal tempeh.
As for appetizers, you can serve some refreshing Asian rice salad, or soul-soothing soups like Chinese spinach soup or Gochujang soup.
❄Storing
Although it is best served fresh, leftover vegan yakisoba can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. You might have to add a splash of water when reheating if the mixture appears to be dry.
❔Commonly asked questions
Traditionally, yakisoba is not gluten-free as Chinese wheat noodles are used. However, this version is free from gluten as we will be using 100% buckwheat noodles, or soba instead.
This vegan yakisoba is savory, sweet and umami with some tanginess coming from the ketchup. It taste really similar to the Chinese lo mein. If you like it to be spicy, feel free to toss in some chili flakes, or top with some sriracha before serving.
Yakisoba is commonly served warm immediately after cooking, like any other stir-fries.
🍽More vegan Asian dinners
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Yakisoba with Tofu (Gluten-free)
Ingredients
For stir-fry
- 7 oz dried buckwheat noodles *
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium carrot julienned
- 1 medium red bell pepper julienned
- 6-8 shiitake mushrooms
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
For yakisoba sauce
For tofu
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato/tapioca/arrowroot starch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 14 oz block extra firm tofu drained, pressed and cubed***
Instructions
- Boil a pot of water and cook noodles according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water and set aside.7 oz dried buckwheat noodles
- In the meantime, make your sauce by combining everything needed.4 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoon ketchup, 1 tablespoon mirin, ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- Mix together cornstarch along with salt in a small bowl and stir to mix. In a zip-top bag, place in tofu cubes along with the cornstarch mixture. Toss to coat.1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 14 oz block extra firm tofu
- Heat up a tablespoon of neutral oil in a non-stick wok or skillet on medium high heat. Place tofu cubes in one layer and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until most sides are nicely seared. Set aside.
- Heat another ½ tablespoon of oil back to the wok and saute onion for 2-3 minutes, until translucent. Next, stir in garlic and cook for a minute.½ yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Toss in red pepper and carrot. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they have soften slightly. Now, add in mushrooms and cabbage, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until all veggies are cooked.1 medium carrot, 1 medium red bell pepper, 6-8 shiitake mushrooms, 2 cups shredded cabbage
- Add in cooked noodles along with sauce. Toss until everything is well mixed. Turn off heat and stir in tofu. Serve and enjoy your vegan yakisoba while warm!
Notes
- Oil -free - Use ¼ cup of water or broth to saute your aromatics instead of oil. As for tofu, you can either cook it without oil on a good non-stick pan, or bake with for 20 minutes at 200C/400F.
- If you are using fresh noodles, soak them in some hot water and stir using chopsticks or a fork to help separate the noodles. Drain thoroughly and set it aside.
- However, if you are cooking noodles from dry, slightly undercook them to avoid them from turning mushy. I usually cook noodles 1-2 minutes less than the suggested cooking time. Also, remember to rinse them under cold water after cooking.
- Prepare ingredients ahead of time and keep them near you while cooking. Stir-frying is a fairly quick process, so you will want everything to be prepped and ready!
- Use a non-stick wok or large skillet to cook your vegan yakisoba. This ensures that your ingredients do not leap out and cause a mess when stir-frying.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
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