If you equate the word soba with buckwheat, the name yakisoba can be misleading and confusing. In Japan, traditional yakisoba noodles are not gluten-free.
Do you have celiac disease, a gluten sensitivity, or follow a gluten-free diet? I wrote this guide to help you enjoy a gluten-free version of yakisoba in your kitchen at home.
Note: I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or health expert. This is only a general informational guide to help point you in the right direction. If you have serious concerns about gluten or gluten-cross contamination, please consult a trusted healthcare professional before eating or cooking yakisoba for the first time.
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Does yakisoba have wheat?
Yes, yakisoba noodles contain wheat. Unlike traditional soba noodles made with buckwheat, yakisoba is made with Chinese-style wheat noodles.
Personally, I can understand how this causes some confusion for foreign guests visiting Japan. Let me clear up the confusion so you don't mix them up like I did when I first moved here.
In the olden days, all noodles in Japan were referred to as 'soba'. It's comparable to how we use the word 'pasta' in English. Pasta is an umbrella term to name all sorts of different kinds of noodles: chickpea pasta, lentil pasta, green peas pasta. None of these pastas contain wheat flour just like yakisoba doesn't contain buckwheat flour.
Does that make sense?
I'll give you an example to make it more clear. In Japan, you'll find ramen shops with the sign out front saying chuuka-soba (中華そば) instead of ramen (ラーメン). Chuuka is a Japanese word meaning Chinese. Chuuka soba is translated as Chinese-style noodles, NOT Chinese-style buckwheat noodles. Chuuka soba is the old name for ramen in Japan. Get it now?
The noodles used to make yakisoba actually have a texture and color more similar to ramen noodles.
Technically speaking, yakisoba is made with mushi chuuka men (蒸し中華麺), steamed Chinese noodles. These noodles are made from wheat flour, kansui, and water.
What is yakisoba?
Yakisoba is a popular Japanese dish that has roots in Chinese chow mein. Essentially, yakisoba is Japanese-style stir-fried noodles, typically made with meat or seafood and vegetables like cabbage. Living in Japan over the years, I know yakisoba as a standard street food at matsuri and from school festivals. It's typically cooked in large batches on a big hot griddle, in a wok, or fry pan.
Yakisoba is cheap and filling, which is why it became in Japan popular post-World War II. Nowadays, for Japanese people, yakisoba is kind of like a 'mac n' cheese comfort food. It's an easy-to-make lunch that will feed the whole family on a Saturday afternoon. Everyone is happy, minus you, if you have a gluten intolerance.
The difference between yakisoba and soba
Yakisoba
Despite the similar-sounding names, these two noodle dishes are made with very different kinds of noodles.
It's considered a street food, similar to okonomiyaki and takoyaki, which both have similar toppings to yakisoba. Yakisoba is often on the menu at okonomiyaki restaurants in Tokyo.
Yakisoba noodles are comparable to ramen noodles, which are made with wheat flour. Yaki, in this context, means stir fry. Vegetables, meat, or seafood are added directly to the stir fry.
It's typically garnished with beni shoga (red pickled ginger), katsuo bushi (bonito flakes), aonori or nori dried seaweed, finely chopped green onions, and sometimes mayonnaise. Sometimes it gets topped with a sunny-side cooked egg.
Soba
Soba is traditional Japanese noodles. The noodles tend to be grey in color and have a subtle, nutty flavor. Typically, soba noodles are made with a mix of buckwheat flour and wheat flour. 8o% buckwheat/ 20% wheat flour is a common ratio for making soba noodles.
There are noodles made with 100% buckwheat flour. In Japanese, soba made with only buckwheat flour is called juwari soba.
In the summer, soba is typically eaten cold with a dipping sauce called tsuyu and garnishes like dried nori seaweed, finely chopped green onions, and wasabi paste.
Especially in winter, soba can also be served in a hot broth. At a soba restaurant, you can choose how to top your soba. Some of the standard choices on the menu are tempura or kaki-age, onsen tamago or raw egg, sansai mountain vegetables, or abura-age fried tofu pockets.
Each will have a different name in Japanese based on the topping.
Are soba noodles gluten-free?
No, soba noodles are usually not gluten-free either, with one exception. Having “wheat” in the name buckwheat noodles is misleading.
Buckwheat flour is gluten-free, on its own. But it's very important to know that most packaged soba noodles also contain at least some percentage of wheat flour.
However, there are some soba noodles made with 100% buckwheat flour. In Japanese, 100% buckwheat soba noodles are called juwari soba (十割そば). These can be found at most supermarkets in Tokyo. But from my experience, they aren't labeled as certified gluten-free.
Note of caution: the buckwheat in soba causes an allergic reaction in some people.
What is yakisoba made of?
The main ingredient of yakisoba is wheat noodles. The noodles used to make yakisoba are more similar to ramen noodles than soba noodles. It's seasoned with yakisoba sauce, a sweet, savory sauce that's mostly a mix of soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup.
The other popular ingredients are:
- chopped cabbage
- pork
- pork belly
- vegetable oil
- "naga negi" onion
- green onions
- carrot
- bean sprouts
The most popular garnishes are:
- beni shoga (red pickled ginger)
- mayonnaise
- katsuo bushi (bonito flakes)
- finely chopped green onions
- aonori seaweed flakes
- kizami nori dried seaweed slices
You can also use other ingredients and get creative:
- chicken breast
- squid
- shrimp
- bell peppers
- sesame oil
What are yakisoba noodles made of?
I made a trip to the supermarket in Tokyo to answer this question. On the back of the package, this is what the list of ingredients told me:
- wheat flour
- vegetable oil
- salt
- kansui
- gardenia coloring (contains wheat and soybeans)
- preservative
Is yakisoba noodle sauce gluten-free?
Traditional yakisoba sauces are made with soy sauce, which contains wheat. So the bad news is that it's not gluten-free.
Gluten-free alternative to yakisoba sauce
The good news is you can gluten-free yakisoba sauce online. Otafuku is the standard brand of yakisoba sauce. This is their gluten-free/vegan version that's made with gluten-free soy sauce.
If you were looking for a healthy version of yakisoba sauce, this is not it. Three of the first ingredients listed are forms of sugar.
The only other option I've found is homemade, which is what I'd recommend.
Here are a few recipes to help you get started.
Gluten-free Shirataki Yakisoba– "miracle noodles" with a simple, homemade sauce (4 ingredients)
Gluten-free Yakisoba Malony Glass Noodles – with 5-ingredient homemade sauce
What types of Japanese noodles are gluten-free?
You can definitely make delicious yakisoba using gluten-free noodles.
These are some gluten-free options you can try to replace gluten-filled yakisoba noodles:
- juwari soba (100% buckwheat soba noodles)
- shirataki noodles
- rice noodles
- sweet potato noodles
- edamame noodles
- Malony glass noodles
Where to buy gluten-free noodles?
You'll find a few of the options I mentioned above at Asian grocery stores. I always buy gluten-free noodles at a local grocery store back home in the US. If you have a co-op in your area, that's also a good place to check. If all else fails, you'll be able to find them online. Both Amazon and iHerb carry certified gluten-free noodles.
Juwari soba noodles are a great option, if you can find them. They have a pretty similar texture to traditional yakisoba noodles.
Here are a few options that I've found:
- King Soba 100% buckwheat soba noodles (organic and gluten-free)
- King Soba 100% buckwheat ramen (organic and gluten-free)
- shirataki noodles (vegan, keto-friendly, low carb, gluten-free)
- Barilla Gluten-Free Spaghetti (highly rated)
- Korean-style sweet potato glass noodles (organic and gluten-free)
I'm a big fan of juwari soba noodles. Which is your favorite?
Yakisoba - Gluten-free versions
Consider using alternative noodles and making homemade sauce to reinvent this favorite Japanese noodle dish at home. It tastes just as good!
And for inspiration, here are some recipes:
Gluten-free Yakisoba (with video)
Gluten-free Yakisoba (fastest and easiest with store-bought sauce)
Vegan Yakisoba (with gluten-free version)
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