Making restaurant-style Asian food at home can feel pretty intimidating, especially when you’re craving those tasty noodles from your favorite hibachi spot. Between juggling work deadlines and family dinners, the idea of mastering hibachi cooking might seem out of reach – and let’s be honest, not everyone has space for a full-size griddle in their kitchen.
That’s where these Blackstone hibachi noodles come in: they’re surprisingly easy to whip up, taste just like the ones from your local hibachi restaurant, and you can make them right on your outdoor griddle with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
Why You’ll Love These Hibachi Noodles
- Quick preparation – These noodles come together in just 20-30 minutes, making them perfect for busy weeknight dinners when you’re craving something special.
- Simple ingredients – You only need a handful of basic Asian pantry staples that you can easily find at any grocery store.
- Restaurant-style taste – These noodles give you that authentic hibachi restaurant flavor right at home, with perfectly balanced sweet, savory, and umami notes.
- Budget-friendly – Making these noodles at home costs a fraction of what you’d pay at a hibachi restaurant, while feeding the whole family.
What Kind of Lo Mein Noodles Should I Use?
Fresh lo mein noodles are ideal for this hibachi-style dish, but dried ones work perfectly fine too and are much easier to find in most grocery stores. Look for wheat-based noodles labeled as “lo mein,” “Chinese egg noodles,” or even “yellow noodles” in the Asian food section – they’re all good options for this recipe. If you can’t find lo mein specifically, you can substitute with thick spaghetti or linguine in a pinch, though the texture won’t be quite the same. Just make sure to cook your noodles until they’re just al dente, as they’ll continue cooking a bit more when you stir-fry them on the griddle.
Options for Substitutions
Need to make some swaps for these tasty hibachi noodles? Here are some helpful substitutions:
- Lo mein noodles: Can’t find lo mein? You’ve got options! Try using yakisoba noodles, udon noodles, or even regular spaghetti. Just cook them until they’re slightly firmer than al dente since they’ll continue cooking on the griddle.
- Butter: While butter adds a nice richness, you can swap it for neutral cooking oil like vegetable or canola oil. For a dairy-free version, try using plant-based butter.
- Brown sugar: Regular white sugar works fine here, or try honey or maple syrup – just use about 2 tablespoons instead of 3 since they’re sweeter.
- Soy sauce: For a gluten-free option, use tamari. Coconut aminos work too, but they’re sweeter, so reduce the brown sugar to 2 tablespoons if using them.
- Sesame oil: This gives a distinct Asian flavor that’s hard to replace, but in a pinch, you can use any neutral oil – just know the taste won’t be quite the same.
- Sesame seeds: These are just for garnish, so feel free to skip them or swap with chopped green onions or crushed peanuts for crunch.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest mistake when making hibachi noodles is overcooking the lo mein – they should be cooked just until al dente in the boiling water, as they’ll continue to cook when stir-fried on the griddle. Another common error is adding all the sauce ingredients at once, which can lead to uneven flavor distribution – instead, start with the butter and garlic to create a flavor base, then gradually add the soy sauce and other seasonings while continuously moving the noodles around. To prevent the noodles from sticking to your Blackstone griddle, make sure it’s properly preheated to medium-high heat and well-oiled before adding any ingredients. For the best texture and taste, avoid letting the noodles sit still on the griddle for too long – keep them moving with your spatulas to ensure even cooking and that perfect hibachi-style char.
What to Serve With Hibachi Noodles?
These savory-sweet noodles are super filling on their own, but they’re even better with some tasty sides! A simple stir-fry of mixed vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and snap peas adds color and crunch to your plate. For protein, you might want to add some grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak – just like they do at hibachi restaurants. If you’re keeping things casual, a side of crispy egg rolls or some steamed edamame with sea salt makes for perfect finger food while you’re enjoying your noodles. Just don’t forget to serve everything with extra soy sauce and maybe some spicy yum yum sauce on the side!
Storage Instructions
Keep Fresh: These tasty hibachi noodles will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The noodles might stick together a bit, but don’t worry – that’s totally normal with lo mein noodles. I like to make a big batch and portion it out for easy lunches throughout the week.
Revive: When you’re ready to enjoy your leftover noodles, just add a splash of water or soy sauce before reheating. This helps bring back their original texture and keeps them from drying out. A quick minute or two in the microwave or a few minutes in a pan will do the trick.
Make Ahead: If you’re planning to make these noodles ahead of time, you can prep all your ingredients and sauce mixture in advance. When you’re ready to cook, just boil the noodles fresh and toss everything together on your Blackstone or in a pan – it’ll take just minutes to put together!
| Preparation Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Total Time | 20-30 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 1200-1400
- Protein: 25-30 g
- Fat: 60-70 g
- Carbohydrates: 160-180 g
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter (I use Kerrygold unsalted butter)
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (I use Kikkoman soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (freshly ground preferred for more flavor)
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp chopped garlic (freshly minced for best flavor)
- 1 lb lo mein noodles
Step 1: Preheat the Grill and Prepare Noodles
Start by preheating your Blackstone Grill to a medium-high heat, aiming for around 400 degrees F.
While the grill is heating, cook the noodles following the package instructions until they reach an al dente texture.
Drain the noodles well and set them aside.
Step 2: Prepare the Sauce
In a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and sesame oil.
Whisk these ingredients together until they are well combined and form a smooth sauce.
This mixture will give your noodles a rich and savory flavor.
Step 3: Sauté the Garlic
Melt butter on the preheated grill.
Once the butter has melted completely, add in the garlic and sauté for 30-60 seconds until it becomes fragrant.
Be mindful not to burn the garlic as it can become bitter very quickly.
Step 4: Cook the Noodles on the Grill
After the garlic is sautéed, add the cooked noodles to the grill.
Pour the prepared sauce over the noodles, ensuring it distributes evenly across all the noodles.
Toss the noodles on the grill to thoroughly coat them in the sauce mixture.
Continue to sauté for a few more minutes until the noodles are heated through and soaking in the flavor from the grill.
Step 5: Garnish and Serve
Once the noodles are well-coated and hot, remove them from the grill.
Transfer them to a serving dish and sprinkle sesame seeds over the top for an added touch of flavor and texture.
Serve immediately and enjoy your delicious grilled noodles!
