The best yakisoba combines springy wheat noodles with a flavorful sauce that’s tangy, sweet, and a little bit spicy. And I’ll be honest: Since we’re talking about the best instant yakisoba, I’m not looking for a miracle here. Still, even if fresh meat and veggies aren’t involved, the noodles alone should be so tasty, you won’t even miss them.
If it wouldn’t severely shorten my lifespan, I would happily eat instant noodles every day. I’m not picky about the kind—ramen, yakisoba, udon, chow mein; you name it, I’ll eat it. That said, I don’t like to be lied to. If the package says yakisoba on it, I’m expecting, at the very least, a stir fried noodle dish that resembles authentic yakisoba. That means wheat-based noodles and a sauce that mixes ingredients like Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, and sugar. (If you want a full refresher on what exactly yakisoba is and how it differs from other Japanese noodles, we’ve got you covered.)
But here’s the deal: Yummy yakisoba is actually pretty hard to find in popular grocery stores! You’d think, given all the love instant ramen gets here in the U.S., more brands would be expanding their stir fried noodle repertoire and trying to “wok” the yakisoba walk. But as a society, we’re clearly not there yet—and that’s okay. I’ll wait. I’ll bide my time with Buldak ramen and, in the interim, bring you a list of the best yakisoba noodles out there right now, according to my very detailed taste test. Luckily, our top yakisobas aren’t yaki-so-bad! And a couple are even yaki-so-good. Let’s get into it.
The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.
- Maruchan Yakisoba Spicy Chicken Flavor
-
If you enjoy Maruchan’s spicy chicken ramen, well, you’re in luck. Because that’s pretty much what this is—an elevated, soup-less Maruchan cup noodle disguised as yakisoba stir fry. Though they’re thicker than Maruchan’s ramen noodles, these “yakisoba” noodles are definitely on the thin side. All that said, when you make this, you will definitely eat it. The addictive, salty, savory sauce has a creamy texture and a flavor that keeps you coming back for more. The biggest con here is that it packs a lot of heat, perhaps too much for some palates. Proceed with caution! This might be too intense for sensitive stomachs. But if you like your food spicy, this is the best yakisoba to buy.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Annie Chun’s Japanese Style Yakisoba Noodle Bowl
-
Annie Chun’s yakisoba bowl has the thickest noodles of the bunch. I would argue these are closer to udon noodles in size, but I also don’t care—the noodles themselves are chewy, delicate, springy, and have a handmade quality that really makes them standout. The sauce definitely leans sweeter than most—in fact, it’s a touch too sweet if you’re sensitive to that. But if you prefer noodle bowls heavy on the sugar, consider these the best yakisoba noodles for you. (Also, heads up: The directions tell you to ignore the water line inside the microwavable bowl, which is kinda fun. We love mixed signals in our packaging here at Sporked. It adds to the experience!)
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Maruchan Chili Cheese Yakisoba
-
I know, I know. I said I don’t like to be lied to, and here I am, letting Maruchan lie to me once again. I even had the audacity to give this the “Best New American Fusion” superlative. And hey, while I do think this would be great in a Japanese fusion restaurant, I want to be clear about something: This is basically just a chili mac and cheese with wide-cut, ribbony stir fry noodles. It has very little in common with yakisoba, and has no business being in a ranking of the best yakisoba. Except… well, it’s very yummy. Sporked managing editor Gwynedd Stuart also tried it and enjoyed it, too. The earthy cumin, spicy chili powder, and salty, creamy cheese blends into an instant meal you just want to devour. Seriously, if they elevated all of the components here, cooked it fresh, and put this on a trendy Japanese restaurant menu, I’d give it 5 stars.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Benihana The Japanese Steakhouse Yakisoba Chicken Frozen Meal
-
Unsurprisingly, the quality of ingredients in Benihana’s frozen chicken yakisoba meal set it apart from the rest of what we tried in our best yakisoba taste test. The chicken is super tender, flavorful, and moist—not easy to accomplish in a microwave meal. The colorful veggies (including zucchini, red bell peppers, carrots, and onions) are plentiful and taste very fresh; they even have a slight char that makes it look and taste like they were stir-fried on the stove. Benihana makes a steak yakisoba that we liked, too. The meat has a tender, short rib-like quality, and if right now you’re thinking, well, that all sounds pretty great—what’s the catch? There’s no catch, but—in a way, both frozen meals taste a lot like reheated leftovers from an overpriced Asian-fusion restaurant. We found ourselves picking at these frozen meals, exploring all they had to offer, not devouring them. While there isn’t anything inherently wrong with that, it’s not ultimately what we’re looking for from the best instant yakisoba bowls. Nevertheless, these are pretty great!
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Maruchan Yakisoba Teriyaki Beef Flavor
-
Yes, we’re back to Maruchan—the soup-less instant ramen disguised as stir-fried yakisoba. I know, I’m sorry, I’m a fraud. But hear me out: Unlike other, sweeter instant noodle flavors that I’ve disparaged in the past, the teriyaki sauce in this bowl is quite nice, with a balanced sweetness that really makes it akin to a traditional yakisoba sauce. It’s unique and unlike any other Maruchan ramen flavors we’ve tried. Yes, the noodles are too thin for anyone looking for authentic yakisoba noodles, but I simply can’t fault the yumminess. It’s one of the best Maruchan yakisoba flavors, hands down…and, yes, one of the best yakisoba bowls you can buy at major grocery stores.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Maruchan Korean BBQ Yakisoba
-
Marucan gets major points here for upgrading their stir-fry noodles. Instead of a wider ramen noodle, this Korean Maruchan yakisoba uses a round, chow mein-esque noodle. The stir fry sauce strikes a great balance of savory and sweet, borrowing from ingredients in Korean marinades like soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a hint of sugar. It coats the noodles, making them slightly sticky in a way that’s weirdly pleasant. Top this with some green onion, gochujang, kewpie mayo, and a fried egg, and you’re good to go. This is the best Maruchan yakisoba flavor we’ve found to date—and trust me, there are a lot of them!
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Otafuku Yakisoba Noodles
-
These Otafuku yakisoba noodles are the closest thing to authentic instant yakisoba I’ve found so far. Not to sound negative, but I was really beginning to wonder if true instant yakisoba was available through an accessible seller. I’m sure I could visit an Asian grocer and find more options, but we’re not all living in major cities. You can buy these on Amazon, in bulk or (depending on availability) smaller quantities. The noodles come much closer to matching the thickness and chew of wheat-based yakisoba noodles you’d get at a restaurant. The sauce leans quite sweet—I actually offset the sweetness with some spicy mayo and a dash of soy sauce—but the flavor is quite potent, with real depth. You can really taste the soy, tomato, molasses, ginger, and garlic. Flavor and texture wise, I’d say Otafuku slightly outperforms even our #1—but in terms of overall value and accessibility, it doesn’t quite unseat our Costco pick. Yet.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Ajinomoto Yakisoba with Vegetables
-
Listen to me: Costco really turned this taste test around. Not to sound negative, but I was really beginning to wonder if we could find a simple, quick, budget-friendly instant yakisoba brand to rival ramen’s chokehold on the instant noodle game. But Ajinomoto accomplishes just that, and more. Thick, springy, wheat-based yakisoba noodles? Check. Tangy, slightly sweet yakisoba sauce? Check. Plentiful, diverse veggies? Check. Amazing value? Check. One package of Ajinomoto Yakisoba noodles includes six portions of the best instant yakisoba we’ve tasted thus far. I’m thrilled this exists—and honestly, not to @ other brands, but good instant yakisoba isn’t hard to make, guys. Or Ajinomoto just makes it look easy, because, damn. This is exactly what we were looking for from the best yakisoba noodles!
Credit: Merc / Costco
Best for Ramen Lovers
Best Sweet Yakisoba
Best New American Fusion
Best Elevated
Best Yakisoba Sauce
Best Maruchan Yakisoba
Runner Up
Best of the Best
Other yakisobas we tried: Maruchan Fire Spicy Beef, Maruchan Chicken Flavor Yakisoba, Maruchan Teriyaki Chicken Flavor Yakisoba, Maruchan Yakisoba Orange Chicken
My only complaint with the Maruchan Yakisoba is that they’re not nearly big enough. I need 4 or 5 of them just to start feeling full. They’re all delicious though.
Sapporo Ichiban Chow Mein Yakisoba tastes almost as good as the fresh noodles with the dry seasoning package of Yakisoba powder you get in the produce section of your supermarket.