Hibachi Noodles: A Guide to this Japanese Cuisine Favorite

Author: Joost Nusselder, author of The Essential Japanese meal planner cookbook Updated February 22, 2023

Hibachi-style cooking has evolved over the centuries as its popularity grew to a full hibachi menu of veggies, proteins, rice… and even noodles. Haven’t tried hibachi noodles yet? Well, you ought to at least ONCE in your life.

Hibachi noodles dishes are one of the most popular members of hibachi cuisine. In this dish, the noodles are cooked on a hot teppanyaki griddle with butter, sesame oil, and copious amounts of soy sauce. The noodles are often sided with steak and veggies. 

This article is all about hibachi noodles, from their history to tips and tricks to prepare them at home and anything in between. 

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What are hibachi noodles?

Hibachi noodles are yakisoba (chukamen) noodles cooked on a teppan or griddle with soy sauce and butter.

Here, let us clarify that the dish is not technically “hibachi” since hibachi refers to foods explicitly cooked on a unique hibachi grill. 

Instead, it’s a creation of a teppanyaki restaurant. It’s an entirely different Japanese cuisine that got popular in North America by the name of hibachi. 

Since teppanyaki is now commonly known as hibachi, so are the noodles made by them, hence the name “hibachi noodles.”

The noodles are prepared as a part of a complete hibachi bowl or platter, sided with hibachi rice, vegetables, and protein.

The protein can be a steak, grilled chicken, or seafood, specifically shrimp. 

The generally mild flavor of the noodles, when combined with other ingredients, turns the whole hibachi platter into a complete combination of deliciousness. 

There are no super special ingredients and no super special culinary skills required to make the dish.

So don’t be intimidated when a hibachi chef cracks an egg with a knife; it isn’t part of the preparation.

In fact, you won’t even need a griddle to prepare hibachi noodles. You can simply prepare them in a wok or skillet. But more on that later.  

All in all, hibachi noodles are among some of the most wholesome and easy-to-cook dishes to satisfy your midnight cravings.

Or maybe, a weekend dinner when you just want to sit on your comfortable couch and watch a movie. 

What do hibachi noodles taste like? 

Just like many other Japanese noodle dishes, hibachi noodles have a very simple taste.

They taste buttery and salty, with a bit of sweetness. All the flavors, when combined, take the direction of umami. 

While the noodles taste good when eaten alone, pairing them with other dishes, such as grilled (hibachi) chicken and veggies (recipe here), is always preferable. 

The smokiness and natural flavors of those dishes combine well with the noodles and provide you with a flavor-packed bite that gets better and better as you savor it. 

If you are eating the noodles without any additional pairings, you should garnish it with something for that extra kick, like some extra sauce, a squeeze of lemon, or some sesame seeds. 

Like it spicy? Add some sriracha sauce to your homemade hibachi white sauce recipe

How to make hibachi noodles

As mentioned, until you are planning to throw knives around, hibachi noodles are some of the simplest to cook when it comes to usually delicately handled Japanese cuisine. 

As a home cook, the following are all the steps you need to follow to cook up hibachi noodles:

Steps involved in making hibachi noodles: 

• Heat a pan on the stove, and brush it with sesame oil and melted butter.
• Add some minced garlic to the pan and saute it for a minute to unlock all the flavor and aroma. 
• Toss the noodles into the pan, and stir them so that the butter and minced garlic are perfectly distributed throughout. 
• Add soy sauce and sugar to the dish, and keep tossing until the ingredients are perfectly mixed with the noodles. 
• Season the noodles with salt and pepper, and garnish them with your favorite ingredients. 
• Serve with hibachi steak, chicken, vegetables, or seafood. You can also serve it alone. A mild drizzle of some sesame oil would also help. 
• Enjoy! 

To enhance your experience even more, try these noodles with the hibachi yellow sauce.

We have an excellent homemade hibachi yellow sauce recipe on our blog that you wouldn’t want to miss! 

The best noodles for the dish

The best noodle type for making hibachi-style noodle dishes is yakisoba, also known as mushi chukamen or simply chukamen noodles. 

It’s basically the Japanese version of traditional Chinese noodles, having a generally thin profile.

These noodles are usually prepared with wheat flour, water, and kansui. 

However, there are also some versions of yakisoba noodles that contain eggs for some extra firmness.

The overall texture and taste of these noodles closely resemble Japanese ramen noodles.

Hence, yakisoba and ramen are also used interchangeably in different dishes, including hibachi. 

However, you might ask, are we strictly supposed to use yakisoba noodles for hibachi?

Well, here’s the good news: you can use many other great alternatives to satisfy your hibachi cravings. 

Check out our post on the best yakisoba noodles alternatives for inspiration.

We have discussed all the details in that particular article, along with some great options you can find online! 

How to eat hibachi noodles

Hibachi noodles have no special etiquette. You only need two chopsticks and slurp the noodles in as you like.

However, if you’d like to enjoy them to the fullest, siding hibachi noodles with other hibachi dishesis ideal. 

The meat and veggies give the generally simple flavor of the noodles the much-needed complexity and texture and turn it into a wholesome meal rather than a lazy bowl of noodles. 

To accentuate the flavors, topping the noodles with hibachi yellow sauce is also a great option. In fact, hibachi food without sauce is considered almost incomplete. 

Origin and history of hibachi noodles

Noodles have remained a staple dish and ingredient in Japanese cuisine for over millennia.

The same applies to hibachi cuisine since the cooking method over a hibachi grill became popular around the same era (Heian period, 794-1185 AD). 

However, as far as hibachi noodles are concerned, they are not as ancient as one might think.

In fact, they are not even technically hibachi since they are cooked using the teppanyaki technique.

This cooking method got popular in Japan in the late 1800s or early 1900s. 

On top of that, hibachi noodles mainly draw their inspiration from yakisoba noodles- a dish that got popular in Japan in the post-World War II era, more specifically, in the 1950s. 

Yakisoba noodles, too, are cooked on a teppan (or griddle) and have almost the same preparation method as hibachi noodles. 

The only exception is the addition of protein and veggies and the different and slightly more intense sauce used for flavoring.

Even the type of noodles used are the same. I have a full yakisoba noodles with beef recipe here if you’d like to have a look.

In other words, hibachi noodles are basically a teppanyaki creation labeled as “hibachi,” just like many other teppanyaki dishes, and have got popular with the name. 

Although extensive historical accounts of hibachi and teppanyaki cuisine are available, not much is known of the true origin of “hibachi noodles” specifically. 

Still, if we connect the dots, the dish seems a few decades old- just about when the first hibachi and teppanyaki restaurants appeared in Japan and America. 

Hibachi noodles vs. udon noodles

Hibachi noodles and udon noodles are two very different types of noodles.

Hibachi noodles are made from wheat flour, while udon noodles are made from wheat flour and salt.

Moreover, hibachi noodles are thinner, perfect for stir-fries and other dishes requiring a light texture.

On the other hand, udon noodles are much thicker and chewier, making them ideal for soups and other dishes that require a heartier texture. 

So if you’re looking for a light, airy noodle, hibachi is the way to go. But if you’re looking for something more substantial, udon might be your perfect choice. 

Hibachi noodles vs. yakisoba

When it comes to hibachi noodles and yakisoba, the differences are pretty stark.

Hibachi noodles are made from wheat flour and are usually served with various vegetables and proteins. 

They’re usually cooked in a hot skillet with a soy-based sauce in traditional settings, usually served or topped with hibachi yellow sauce. 

On the other hand, Yakisoba, while made from the same noodles, are usually served with pork, cabbage, and other vegetables and are prepared with many complex ingredients. 

The flavor profiles are also quite different. Hibachi noodles have a simpler taste complemented by all the other dishes served with it. 

Yakisoba noodles, though, have a very complex flavor on their own, having a combination of sweet, tangy, and salty flavors without any extra seasonings or pairings. 

In other words, if you’re looking for a unique flavor and texture, you can’t go wrong with either of these dishes.

Both are unique, and both are enjoyable to eat. 

Hibachi noodles vs. lo mein

Hibachi noodles and lo mein are two very different types of noodles.

Hibachi noodles are made with wheat flour, while lo mein is made with egg noodles. 

Another difference between hibachi noodles and lo mein is their overall texture.

While hibachi noodles are generally dry, lo mein is filled with sauce.

Moreover, lo mein noodles are filled with vegetables and protein, making it a hearty meal for dinner or lunch. 

On the other hand, Hibachi noodles are quite light and easy on flavors. This not only makes them enjoyable to eat but also pairable with a variety of different dishes. 

Overall, if you’re looking for a complete and nutritious meal with tons of flavor, you will like lo mein more.

But if it’s just about spoiling your taste buds with deliciousness and satisfying your craving, hibachi noodles can be your perfect choice! 

Popular must-try hibachi noodles pairings

Hibachi noodles are one of those dishes you can pair up with anything, and be sure that it will taste absolutely delicious. 

But to stick with tradition, nothing goes better with hibachi noodles than some grilled steak, seafood, chicken, and vegetables. 

For a more flavorful experience, try topping it with some hibachi yellow sauce. It will give the otherwise salty-sweet and smoky combination a tangy kick. 

You can also top it with a soy-based sauce to accentuate the flavor even more. However, yellow sauce generally pairs up better. 

Hibachi noodles ingredients

Hibachi noodles are made with a bunch of very simple ingredients.

Following is a brief list of everything you need to make this delicious dish at home: 

Noodles

We have already mentioned that you need yakisoba noodles to make this dish restaurant-perfect

However, if you can’t find those, you can make it with other noodle varieties, including udon noodles, soba noodles, shirataki, and even instant noodles. 

You can make it with almost any noodle variety as long as you get the sauces and way of cooking right.

As long as you’re sure the noodles will withstand all the tossing and stirring, you’re good to go.

To know more details, refer to our complete article on the 9 best Japanese noodles for hibachi! 

Sauce

Contrary to the type of noodles which allows you many options, the sauce should always be soy-based.

In fact, restaurant-style hibachi noodles are cooked only with soy sauce and butter. 

However, if you would like a little more flavor to your noodles, you can mix soy sauce with mirin, brown sugar, and teriyaki sauce to give the flavor a layer of complexity.

You can replace soy sauce with tamari sauce if you’re gluten-free. In that case you also want to make sure you use gluten-free noodles (like glass noodles)

As for mirin, you can always use white vinegar. 

Other ingredients

Other essential ingredients of the dish include butter and sesame oil, which you will use to stir-fry the noodles.

Some ginger and garlic are also good options to add that punchy spiciness to your dish. 

For topping, sesame seeds and green onions are a perfect option.

If you’re thinking of making the dish more wholesome, try it with shrimp/prawns and chicken, as in hibachi restaurants. 

It will turn the simple noodle dish into a fulfilling and delicious meal. You can also top the dish with a sesame oil or lemon zest drizzle to make it more flavorful. 

Where to eat hibachi noodles? 

Hibachi noodles are available in any of your nearest hibachi or teppanyaki restaurants.

If you don’t have any hibachi restaurant in your nearest areas, you can also go to an izakaya restaurant. 

If you can’t find that either, simply get the ingredients and make the dish at home.

It’s not difficult to cook. As mentioned, even the most novice cooks can pull it off with a little effort. 

In case you were curious, this is what you can expect at a full hibachi restaurant buffet

Are hibachi noodles healthy?

Hibachi noodles may not be the healthiest dish, but it certainly doesn’t have to be unhealthy.

The key to making it a healthy meal is considering the ingredients and portion sizes. 

The noodles are low in calories and fat, but they can be loaded with sodium, so it’s important to watch your sodium intake. 

You can add lots of vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats like olive oil to make the dish healthier.

You can also use a low-sodium soy sauce or teriyaki sauce to add flavor without all the extra sodium. 

With a few simple swaps, you can turn hibachi noodles into a delicious and nutritious meal.

So don’t be afraid to enjoy this tasty dish; just make sure you’re mindful of what you’re putting in it.

Conclusion

Hibachi typically features stir-fried noodles, usually udon or soba, cooked on a flat-top grill along with vegetables, meats, and seasonings such as soy sauce, garlic, and ginger.

Whether enjoyed at a Japanese hibachi restaurant or made at home, these noodles are AWESOME for anyone looking for a delicious and filling meal.

Read next: What To Buy to Make Hibachi At Home? Gear & Ingredients Explained

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Bitemybun's family recipes with complete meal planner and recipe guide.

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Joost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.