Omusoba is a delicious fusion of omelette and yakisoba. Made with noodles, meat and vegetables stir-fried in a tangy homemade sauce and wrapped in a fluffy omelette, it’s quick to make and packed with flavor!
What is Omusoba?
Omusoba (オムそば) is a delicious fusion of omelette and yakisoba, believed to have its roots in the okonomiyaki restaurant “Satomi” located in Osaka City. Here, it was initially marketed as a “soba roll (そばロール).”
The dish features stir-fried yakisoba noodles with meat and vegetables wrapped in a thin omelette akin to a crepe, like omurice. It’s then garnished with your choice of sauce, ranging from tangy okonomiyaki sauce, creamy mayonnaise, sweet ketchup, or even tonkatsu sauce.
The sweetness of the sauce melds beautifully with the savory yakisoba sauce flavor, adding both volume and depth to this delectable dish.
How I Developed This Recipe
When I initially set out to create an omusoba recipe, I began by merging my existing recipes for an omurice and yakisoba. However, the result didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
I decided to make a few tweaks: I swapped out the pork belly in the yakisoba for minced meat. For the omelette topping, I opted for okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise, ditching the ketchup, to infuse it with more Osaka flair.
These changes enhanced the flavor, making the dish easier to eat and more fulfilling. I encourage you to try this version and savor the difference!
Ingredients and Substitution Ideas
- Ground Meat: Whether you prefer beef, pork, or both, these options will work well for this recipe. You could even use TVP (textured vegetable protein) for plant-based diets.
- Yellow Onion: Thin slices are ideal. While yellow onions are the standard choice in Japan, white onions can be an alternative if needed.
- Green Cabbage: This is the preferred type of cabbage for the dish, but other similar varieties can also be used if necessary.
- Pre-boiled Chinese-style Noodles (Chukamen): You can hard-boil ramen noodles like this product. If you struggle to find quality ramen noodles, consider spaghetti as a substitute. For this, refer to the Spaghetti Ramen Hack article for a comprehensive guide.
- Egg: Used to make the omelette. This recipe was made using medium-sized eggs, but sizes small or large can also be utilized.
- Milk: A modest amount is incorporated when preparing omelets to create a softer texture.
- Sauces: The trio of Okonomiyaki sauce, yakisoba sauce, and mayonnaise are essential for this dish. You can use store-bought versions or refer to the recipe card for homemade options.
- Toppings: Enhance the dish with optional toppings such as red pickled ginger (benishoga) and aonori seaweed.
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Step-by-Step Process
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make quick and easy Omusoba from scratch. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the printable recipe card below.
Combine oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, sake, sugar, black pepper and sesame oil in a bowl and set aside. This is your yakisoba sauce that will be used to flavor the noodles.
In a separate bowl, mix Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup, soy sauce and honey. This is the shortcut okonomi sauce used for the topping.
If you are using store-bought sauces you can skip this step.
Heat a wok on medium-high and add cooking oil. Once hot, add the noodles and fry until slightly crispy. This will prevent the noodles from becoming soggy and help the sauce coat them better later.
Once slightly crispy, transfer to a plate and set by the stove for later.
In the same pan, fry the ground meat with a pinch of salt and pepper until browned and then add the onion and cabbage. Stir fry together until softened to your liking.
Push the meat and vegetables to one side and add the noodles back to the pan. Pour the sauce over the noodles only and mix until evenly coated. By coating only the noodles with sauce, we can appreciate the flavor of each ingredient individually.
Stir fry everything together for a few minutes and then turn off the heat. Use kitchen scissors to cut the noodles, this will make them easier to eat with the omelette.
Start preheating a 20cm pan on medium and add a drizzle of cooking oil. Spread it evenly using kitchen paper, this will ensure a beautiful smooth finish.
While you wait for the pan to heat up, whisk the eggs, milk and olive oil in a bowl.
Pour the eggs through a sieve to remove any lumps.
Pour one portion of the egg mixture into the pan, this is about 2 eggs-worth of mixture. Make sure not to make it too thin or thick as these will break easily.
Whisk continuously until it starts to set.
Tilt the pan to ensure the edges of the pan are coated in the mixture, this will make it easier to fold later.
Place one portion of yakisoba noodles over one-half of the omelette.
Carefully use a spatula to peel the edge off the omelette away from the pan and then fold it over.
Push the spatula underneath the omelette to make sure it’s not stuck, then flip or slide it onto a plate.
Add your okonomi sauce and choice of toppings. I used Japanese mayonnaise, aonori and red pickled ginger (benishoga).
Enjoy!
Storage
If you intend to store Omusoba, it’s important to note that the eggs are only half-cooked. When you want to it, separate the egg portion and consume it immediately, then store the yakisoba part separately.
It can last approximately 2 days when stored in a refrigerator.
Storage summary
Room temperature – Not recommended.
Refrigerated – Up to 2 days (Noodles only).
Frozen – Not recommended.
I hope you enjoy this delicious omusoba recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
Omusoba (Yakisoba Omelette)
Equipment
- 20cm Cast Iron Frying Pan
Ingredients
Homemade Yakisoba Sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce or plant-based alternative
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp tomato ketchup
- ½ tbsp sake
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Okonomiyaki Sauce (for topping)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp soy sauce
Yakisoba
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 200 g pre-boiled Chinese-style noodles
- 100 g ground pork or your choice of ground meat
- salt and pepper
- 30 g yellow onion(s) thinly sliced
- 30 g green cabbage roughly cut
Omelette
- 6 medium egg(s)
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cooking oil
- Japanese mayonnaise
- dried green laver powder (aonori)
- red pickled ginger (benishoga)
Instructions
Homemade sauces (skip if using store-bought)
- Take a bowl and add 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp tomato ketchup, ½ tbsp sake, ½ tsp sugar, 1 pinch black pepper and 1 tsp sesame oil. Whisk until well combined, this is the yakisoba sauce.
- In a smaller separate bowl, mix 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp tomato ketchup, 1 tbsp honey and 1 tsp soy sauce. This is the okonomi sauce for the topping so set aside for later.
Yakisoba
- Heat a wok on medium-high and add 1 tbsp cooking oil. Once hot, add 200 g pre-boiled Chinese-style noodles, fry until slightly crispy and then transfer to a plate.
- In the same wok, add 100 g ground pork with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and fry until browned.
- Add 30 g yellow onion(s) and 30 g green cabbage and stir fry until softened to your liking.
- Push the meat and vegetables to one side and add the noodles to the empty space. Drizzle the homemade yakisoba sauce from earlier over the noodles only, and mix until evenly covered.
- Stir fry everything together for 1-2 minutes and then remove from the heat.
- Use kitchen scissors to cut the noodles (this will make it easier to eat with the omelette).
Omelette
- Preheat a 20cm non-stick pan on medium and add 1 tsp cooking oil. Spread it around with kitchen paper to ensure an even finish.
- While you wait for it to heat up, whisk 6 medium egg(s), 2 tbsp milk and 1 tsp olive oil in a bowl until combined, then pour through a sieve to ensure it's smooth.
- Once the pan is hot, pour 1 portion (2 eggs worth) of the mixture into the pan and tilt to spread it evenly. Whisk continuously until it starts to set, then stop whisking and allow it to cook until half-done.
- Tilt the pan occasionally to ensure the egg is going up the edges (this will make it easier to fold).
- Once half-cooked, place one portion of the yakisoba noodles over one half of the omelette.
- Carefully peel one edge of the omelette away from the pan using the spatula and fold it in half over the noodles.
- Push the spatula underneath the omelette to make sure it's not stuck, then flip or slide it onto a plate.
- Repeat with the rest of the egg mixture and yakisoba, making sure to lightly grease the pan between each omelette.
- Top with your homemade okonomiyaki sauce and a drizzle of Japanese mayonnaise, then sprinkle with dried green laver powder, red pickled ginger or your toppings of choice.
- Enjoy!
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