Name: Ohana Noodles Recipe {Copycat Disney Yakisoba}
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 package yakisoba noodles (6-8 ounce dry); 1 Cup Brown Sugar; 3/4 Cup soy sauce; 1/3 Cup rice vinegar; 2 cloves Garlic (grated); 1 piece ginger (fresh, peeled and grated); 2 Tablespoon Pineapple juice (canned); 1 Tablespoon corn starch; 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil (for sauteing); 1/2 Cup pruple cabbage (shredded); 1/2 Cup green cabbage (shredded); 1 stalk bok choy (finley sliced into ribbons); 1/4 bell pepper (sliced thinly)

Ohana noodles are sweet, savory yakisoba noodles tossed with crisp cabbage, bok choy, and bell pepper in a sticky pineapple-teriyaki style sauce. This copycat recipe is my take on the famous side dish served family style at 'Ohana, inside Disney's Polynesian Village Resort.

Jump to Recipe

horizontal image of Ohana Noodles in a bowl

Whenever we are counting down to our next Walt Disney World trip, my kids ask me to make these. They come together in about 20 minutes, start to finish.

Ohana Noodle Ingredients needed:

The ingredient list is short, and most of it is pantry staples. The full measurements live in the recipe card below; here is what each ingredient is doing in the pan.

Yakisoba noodles: Look for yakisoba noodles in the Asian aisle of your grocery store. The noodles at 'Ohana eat a lot like lo mein, so lo mein noodles are the closest swap; they are the same noodle I use in my steak lo mein.
Brown sugar and soy sauce: This is a sweet sauce on purpose. As it simmers, the brown sugar and soy sauce reduce into the sticky, pineapple-teriyaki style glaze that clings to every noodle.
Rice vinegar: The vinegar balances all of that sugar. Leave it out and the sauce tastes flat and candy sweet instead of tangy and savory.
Fresh garlic and ginger: Grate both so they give up their flavor fast. You strain them out before the sauce goes on the noodles, so there is no need to mince them perfectly.
Pineapple juice: This is the Polynesian nod in the sauce, and it also carries the cornstarch. You only need 2 tablespoons, so the juice from a can of pineapple chunks works fine.
Bok choy: Bok choy grows in sandy soil, and grit hides between the stalks. Slice it into ribbons, soak it in a bowl of cold water so the dirt sinks to the bottom, then lift it out and shake off the extra water before it goes in the pan.

Recipe Card?

To find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions CLICK HERE to go to the recipe card.

How to make Ohana Noodles from Disney's Polynesian Resort

The sauce is the heart of this recipe, and the order you build it in matters more than anything else. Get the sauce simmering first; the noodles and vegetables come together while it reduces.

Ohana Noodles in an earthenware bowl and red chopsticks to the side

Cook Noodles

Cook the yakisoba noodles according to the package directions, drain them in a colander, and rinse with cold water until they feel cool to the touch.

Why Rinse?

Rinsing stops the cooking and washes off the surface starch. Skip it and the noodles clump into one sticky brick in the pan.

Start the Sauce

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Stir until you no longer feel sugar granules scraping the bottom of the pan, then bring it to a gentle simmer.

Reduce and Strain

Let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until it has reduced slightly and the bubbles look bigger and slower. Keep it at a steady simmer, not a hard boil; a sauce this heavy in sugar can boil over or scorch on the bottom.

Pour the sauce through a fine mesh strainer, discard the garlic and ginger, and return the sauce to the pan. They have already given up their flavor, and straining now leaves you with a smooth sauce that coats the noodles evenly.

whisking together lemon juice and corn starch

Make Slurry

While the sauce reduces, whisk the pineapple juice and cornstarch together in a small bowl until no dry lumps remain. Cornstarch added straight to hot sauce clumps up, so it always goes in as a slurry.

What is a slurry?

A slurry is cornstarch whisked into a cold liquid until it dissolves, here the pineapple juice. It gets added to a hot sauce to thicken it, and the sauce thickens once it comes back to a boil.

Thicken the Sauce

Bring the strained sauce back to a simmer and whisk in the slurry. Let it bubble for 1 minute, whisking the whole time, until the sauce turns shiny and coats the back of a spoon.

Stop there. Cornstarch thins back out if it boils too long, especially in a sauce with vinegar in it; that is why the slurry goes in after the reduction and not before.

Saute the Vegetables

While the sauce reduces, heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil in a wide skillet or wok over medium-high heat until the oil looks thin and ripples when you tilt the pan. Add the cabbage, bok choy, and bell pepper and toss for a couple of minutes, just until the colors brighten and the cabbage starts to wilt but still has some crunch.

mixing the noodles and vegetables together, before the sauce is added

Add Noodles

Add the rinsed noodles to the vegetables and toss with tongs until everything is mixed and the noodles are warmed through.

Sauce the Noodles

Pour about ¾ of the sauce over the noodles and vegetables and toss until every strand is coated a deep, shiny brown. Taste a noodle, then add more sauce a spoonful at a time until it tastes right to you.

bowl of Ohana Noodles in an earthenware bowl with the rest of the pan of noodles in the background

Garnish and Serve

Pile the noodles into a bowl and finish with sliced scallions, crushed peanuts, or both. Serve them hot or warm, and get any leftovers into the refrigerator within 2 hours.

To round out an 'Ohana night at home, I serve these next to my Hawaiian pasta salad and a pan of pineapple glazed ham. If your family loves Disney food as much as mine does, my Pixar Bao buns are a fun project for the next movie night.

Did you make this recipe?

Do you have feedback that would be helpful to others? If so can help this small business owner by leaving a rating and a review in the comments section? Thank you for being part of the Savoring The Good Community. ~ Sarah

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Ohana Noodles FAQ

While I try to share all the information you need to make this recipe in your home with restaurant-quality results, there still may be a question or two. Or these are questions I have received from the community about this recipe. I do my best to answer them as clearly as I can. I hope this helps.

What kind of noodles are Ohana noodles?

They are thin wheat noodles, very close to lo mein. I use yakisoba noodles from the grocery store, and lo mein noodles are the next best choice.

Is Ohana noodle sauce the same as teriyaki sauce?

It is close, but sweeter and stickier. The sauce is soy sauce and brown sugar with rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and a splash of pineapple juice, thickened so it clings to the noodles. For a classic teriyaki to use on chicken or salmon, use my homemade teriyaki sauce instead.

Where can I get Ohana noodles at Disney World?

They come with the family-style dinner at 'Ohana in Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. Tambu Lounge, right next to 'Ohana, has also served them as a stand-alone dish. Menus change, so check the Disney Parks app before you go.

Are these noodles served warm or cold?

I serve these yakisoba hot or warm straight out of the pan but will eat the leftovers cold out of the refrigerator.

How do you reheat the noodles?

I put my potion on noodles in a microwave safe bowl, give it a splash of water and microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring between intervals until heated through.

Should I wash the bok choy before using?

Yes! Bok choy is grown in sandy soil and can have sand and soil in between the stalks. Thinly slice the vegetable and soak in water, allowing the dirt to sink to the bottom of the bowl. Shake off excess moisture before sautéing.

Sarah Mock, a woman with long brown hair wearing a light blouse, stands indoors smiling and holding a glass of red wine. A plant and staircase are visible in the background.

Sarah's Culinary Insight

I have made these noodles more times than I can count, usually with a Disney trip on the calendar. Here is what I have learned along the way.

Start with ¾ of the sauce. This recipe makes more sauce than the noodles need, on purpose. Everyone likes a different amount, and you can always add more; you can't take it back off.
The slurry goes in last. Reduce the sauce first, then thicken it with the slurry for just 1 minute. Cornstarch that boils for the full reduction loses its hold, and you end up with thin sauce pooling in the bottom of the bowl.
Leftovers are good cold. I serve these hot or warm straight out of the pan, but I will happily eat the leftovers cold, right out of the refrigerator, the next day.

I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and a graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 17 years, Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

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