What is Sobameshi?
Ever heard of sobameshi (そばめし)? Simply put, it’s a mashup of yakisoba and fried rice. It’s like fried rice with that distinctive Worcestershire sauce-based flavor that yakisoba is known for.
It originally started in downtown Kobe, where factory workers from nearby plants would ask the chef to stir-fry their cold lunch rice together with noodles. Even many Japanese people haven’t tried this, but in my hometown, it was a fairly popular homecooked dish that we ate often as kids.
Why? It’s easy to make in one pan, and you can add more vegetables than you can in yakisoba or fried rice. This is perfect for weeknight dinners. The recipe I’m sharing today keeps the core essence while adding a few secret touches to give it a modern twist!
Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Cooked Japanese rice: Short-grain Japanese rice or medium-grain varieties like Calrose work best. Day-old refrigerated rice is actually preferable to freshly cooked rice since it’s drier and won’t clump up in the pan. If you do you freshly cooked rice, let it cool and dry out a little before you start this recipe.
- Thinly sliced pork belly: The fatty pork belly is ideal as it renders delicious fat that flavors the entire dish. Ground pork makes an excellent substitute if pork belly isn’t available. Just use lard to compensate for the missing fat.
- Yakisoba noodles: Pre-steamed yakisoba noodles (yakisoba-men) are the easiest option and can be found in the refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores. If unavailable, you can use fresh ramen noodles with an oiling step or try my spaghetti hack.
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Sobameshi at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
This section aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the cooking steps and techniques with visuals. It also includes more in-depth tips and tricks and explains why I do what I do.
Measuring and cutting all of your ingredients first will ensure everything runs smoothly when it’s time to cook.
Start by washing and cutting the vegetables (carrot, green bell pepper, and cabbage) into similar size cubes.
First, finely chop your thin pork belly slices by rocking your knife back and forth in different directions. You’re looking for small pieces (but not as small as ground meat).
For the yakisoba noodles, roughly cut the block into strips that are about 1 to 2 cm wide. We don’t want any long noodles left in this dish.
Roughly cut your thinly sliced pork belly into small pieces by rocking your knife back and forth in alternating directions. We’re aiming for small, but not as small as ground meat.
Also, mix together Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup, curry powder, and smoked paprika powder to make the sauce and set it by the stove for later. If you’re not cooking right away, store everything in separate sealed containers in the fridge.
That’s what sets my recipe apart! Just add a touch of curry powder and smoked paprika to give it a spicy kick and a hint of smoke. Just don’t go overboard, or it’ll overpower the sauce!
Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat and add your oil. Once it shimmers, add the pork belly and finely diced garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper and let the pork sizzle until you see clear fat pooling around the edges.
If you swap in ground pork instead of belly, you can use lard for extra flavor, but it’s optional.
Using a large, nonstick pan cuts down on scrubbing later. Nobody wants rogue noodles stuck at the bottom of their pan.
Push the pork and garlic to one side, then slide the noodles into the empty space. Let them sit undisturbed on high heat until the underside turns lightly brown and crisp, then flip and repeat on the other side so more surface of the noodles get that satisfying crunch.
Crisping creates extra texture and Maillard reaction, so every bite has a little “snap” instead of a soggy noodle flop.
Add the cabbage, carrot, and bell pepper. Sprinkle a little salt to help the vegetables release their moisture and soften faster. Keep the heat high and stir so that everything cooks evenly but maintains its bite.
Add your cold, day-old rice and then sprinkle in the chicken bouillon powder, dashi granules, and sake. Give it a good stir until everything’s separated and coated.
Rice that’s had time to cool forms firmer starch crystals, so it won’t easily stick to the pan. This way, you get that coveted “fried rice” fluff rather than a gummy clump. Forget to cook it in advance? Spread freshly cooked rice out on a plate to cool quickly, then chill it in the fridge for a short time to help it dry out a bit.
Drizzle your pre-mixed sauce evenly over the rice and vegetables. Give it a good stir until everything’s nice and shiny.
Finally, pour in soy sauce against the hot wall so it sizzles before you fold it in. This gets you that deep, caramelized aroma.
When you toast soy directly on metal, you get these extra savory notes before it seeps into the food. It’s a trick to get that unmistakable deep umami. If your pan’s sides are low, clear a small spot on the surface, drip the soy there, let it darken slightly, and then fold it in for the same effect.
Scatter the tenkasu (tempura flakes) over the top, give one final toss, then mound the mixture onto a warm plate.
Sprinkle on some bonito flakes and aonori, then drizzle with sesame oil. And don’t forget to serve it with red pickled ginger for a bright zing!
I also like frying sunny-side up eggs in a separate pan.
Then put it on top!
Essential Tips & Tricks
- Use day-old, cold rice to keep grains separate and prevent a gummy texture.
- Use a large nonstick pan.
- Let the noodles brown undisturbed before stirring to build extra texture.
- Drizzle soy onto the hot pan wall to maximize its aroma.
With these simple tips in mind, you’re set for success every time you make Sobameshi.
Meal Prep & Storage
This sobameshi is excellent for meal prep!
- Full Dish Prep: Prepare the entire recipe as written, then spread it out on a plate to cool quickly. Once at room temperature, portion into airtight containers and refrigerate. The flavor is at its peak after about 12-24 hours as the seasonings fully integrate. Reheat in a frying pan or wok and enjoy within 1-2 days for best quality.
- Component Prep: Whisk together the sauce ingredients up to 5 days in advance and store in a sealed jar in the fridge.
- Storage: Use airtight containers. Cool the sobameshi completely before sealing to prevent condensation. Keep refrigerated and consume within 1-2 days. If freezing, wrap portions tightly in plastic wrap, place in sealable freezer bags and use within 2-3 weeks. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight or microwave for convenience. Always reheat in a frying pan or wok to refresh the texture and make sure it’s piping hot before serving.
Serving Suggestions
I hope you enjoy this Sobameshi 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!
More Street Food Recipes
Hungry for more? Explore my street food recipe collection to find your next favorite dishes!
Sobameshi (Yakisoba Fried Rice)
Ingredients
- ¼ carrot
- 1 green bell pepper
- 150 g green cabbage
- 150 g yakisoba noodles (pre-steamed) or boiled ramen noodles, or cooked pasta using my spaghetti hack
- 150 g thinly sliced pork belly or ground pork
- 1 tsp cooking oil or lard if using ground pork
- 1 clove garlic minced or grated
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 150 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice day-old, cold rice preferred
- 1 tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder
- ¼ tsp dashi granules
- ½ tbsp sake or dry sherry, dry white wine
- 1 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 3 tbsp tempura flakes (tenkasu)
Sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp tomato ketchup
- ⅛ tsp smoked paprika powder unsweetened
- ⅛ tsp Japanese style curry powder or any curry powder mix
Topping ideas
- toasted sesame oil
- bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
- aonori (dried green seaweed powder)
- red pickled ginger (benishoga)
- sunny-side-up eggs
My recommended brands of ingredients and seasonings can be found in my Japanese pantry guide.
Can’t find certain Japanese ingredients? See my substitution guide here.
Instructions
- Start by preparing your vegetables. Peel ¼ carrot and roughly dice it into small cubes. Cut 1 green bell pepper and 150 g green cabbage to a similar size.
- Cut 150 g yakisoba noodles (pre-steamed) block into strips about 1-2cm thick.
- Finely chop 150 g thinly sliced pork belly into small pieces by rocking your knife back and forth in different directions. Alternatively, use ground pork.
- In a bowl mix 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, ½ tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp tomato ketchup, ⅛ tsp smoked paprika powder and ⅛ tsp Japanese style curry powder. Set by the stove for later.
- Heat a non-stick pan on medium and add 1 tsp cooking oil. Once hot, add 1 clove garlic and the pork belly. Season with 1 pinch salt and pepper and fry until the fat starts to render out. Then, push the pork to one side, increase the heat to high and add the noodles. Fry undisturbed until crispy, then flip the noodles and repeat on the other side. Stir the pork occasionally to prevent burning.
- Add the vegetables along with another sprinkle of salt and mix well.
- Add 150 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice, 1 tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder, ¼ tsp dashi granules and ½ tbsp sake. Stir fry until the rice separates and everything is evenly distributed.
- Pour the sauce into the pan and stir until all the ingredients are lightly coated.
- Pour 1 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) around the edge of the pan, then stir fry for another minute. If your pan is quite shallow, make a space and pour the soy sauce directly onto the pan, let it darken slightly before mixing it into the rest of the ingredients.
- Add 3 tbsp tempura flakes (tenkasu) and mix thoroughly before removing the pan from the heat.
- Transfer to serving plates and drizzle with a touch of toasted sesame oil. Top with bonito flakes (katsuobushi), aonori (dried green seaweed powder), red pickled ginger (benishoga) and sunny-side-up eggs (optional). Enjoy!
Notes
- Prep all ingredients, measure sauces, spices, and oils before heating the pan.
- Use day-old, cold rice to keep grains separate and avoid a gummy texture.
- Serving ideas: Tofu & Wakame Miso Soup, Egg Drop Soup, Spinach Ohitashi Salad, Pickled Napa Cabbage
- Store cooled sobameshi in airtight containers in the fridge (eat within 1–2 days) or tightly frozen for 2–3 weeks; thaw overnight or in the microwave, then reheat in a hot pan until piping hot.
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