What Is Shio Yakisoba?

When people think of yakisoba, sauce yakisoba is probably the version that comes to mind first. But shio yakisoba is another very popular style in Japan. “Shio” means salt in Japanese, and salt-based flavors are actually very popular in Japanese food. You may have heard of salt bread or salt ramen lately. They may sound simple, but that clean and savory flavor is a beloved flavor profile in Japan.

Types of Yakisoba in Japan

There are several ways to enjoy yakisoba in Japan, but sauce yakisoba is probably the most familiar version, especially outside Japan. Shio yakisoba is seasoned mainly with salt and other savory ingredients rather than a rich yakisoba sauce. It is especially popular at summer beach barbecues, where yakisoba is a classic dish.

Why I Love This Seafood Yakisoba

For this Seafood yakisoba, I use shrimp and squid with cabbage, carrots, garlic, ginger, and garlic chives. The garlic and ginger give it a deliciously savory and slightly spicy aroma, while the seafood adds plenty of natural umami. I also use spaghetti instead of traditional yakisoba noodles. By boiling the spaghetti in water with baking soda, you can mimic the chewy texture of yakisoba noodles, making this recipe easy to recreate with ingredients you can find at an American grocery store. I personally find myself craving this shio yakisoba regularly!

How to Cut a Whole Squid

If you’re using a whole squid, don’t be intimidated—it’s actually much easier to cut than you might think. This method is for a squid that has already been cleaned, with the innards, transparent cartilage, and tentacles removed.

Pinch the squid fins at the top while holding the body firmly with your other hand. Gently pull the fins downward and away from the body.
The fins are edible, so don’t throw them away—slice them into strips.
The body will look like a tube. Make a lengthwise cut along one side of the tube and open it up flat into one large piece.
Cut straight down the center lengthwise to divide the squid into two pieces.
Turn the pieces horizontally and cut them into strips. That’s it! You now have evenly sized pieces of squid ready to add to your yakisoba.

Ingredients

Noodles
Spaghetti: 7 oz (200 g)
Water: 8 1/2 cups (2 L)
Baking soda: 2 tsp (9 g)

Seafood & Vegetables
Shrimp: 4.5 oz (128 g)
Squid: 2 oz (57 g)
Cabbage: 1 cup (90 g), cut into bite-size pieces
Carrot: 1/2 cup (55 g), julienned
Garlic: 1 tsp, minced
Ginger: 1 tsp, minced
Sesame oil: 2 tsp
Salt: 1/4 tsp

Seasoning
Chicken stock powder: 1 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Oyster sauce: 1 tbsp
Garlic chives: 1/2 cup (40 g), cut into 2-inch pieces
Black pepper: 1/4 tsp
Sesame oil, for finishing: 2 tsp

Instructions

Bring 8 1/2 cups (2 L) of water to a boil and add the baking soda. Add the spaghetti and cook it for 1 minute longer than the package instructions. Boiling pasta in baking soda water helps mimic the chewy texture of yakisoba noodles.
While the pasta is cooking, cut the cabbage into bite-size pieces, julienne the carrot, mince the garlic and ginger, peel and devein the shrimp, and cut the squid into bite-size pieces.
Heat 2 teaspoons of sesame oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage and carrot and stir-fry for about 1 minute.
Add the shrimp, squid, garlic, ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir-fry until the seafood is cooked through.
Add the cooked spaghetti, chicken bouillon powder, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and oyster sauce. Toss everything together until well combined.
Add the garlic chives and drizzle in the finishing sesame oil. Sprinkle with black pepper, then turn the heat to high and toss everything together briefly until well combined. Serve immediately.