Yaki Udon Noodles is a traditional Japanese dish that contains protein and vegetables stir-fried in a mixture of sauces, predominantly soy sauce. The most important ingredient in this recipe is, of course, the noodles themselves. If you have ever wanted to learn more about Japanese udon dishes in an easily accessible way, read on!
In this article, we go over everything you need to know about this classic noodle dish. We will show you how to make yaki udon noodles along with some simple ingredient substitutes. Learn about the origins of specific ingredients, ways to prepare yaki udon, and some popular regional variants in Southeast and East Asian countries!
Jump to:
- What are Yaki Udon Noodles?
- Difference between Dried and Fresh Types
- How to Eat Udon
- Varieties of Udon Noodles
- Nutrition and Health
- Types of Udon Noodles
- How to Cook Perfect Udon Noodles
- Recipes Containing Udon
- Yaki Udon Noodles | Japanese Stir Fry Noodles
- Additional Notes on Ingredients
- Hoisin Chicken Yaki Udon Noodles
- Malaysian Udon Noodles
What are Yaki Udon Noodles?
Yaki Udon is a stir fried Japanese noodle dish which is common in bars and restaurants in Japan. The word ‘Yaki’ refers to Japanese cooking method of stir frying the dish. The noodles used for this dish are called udon.
Most cuisines around the world use some form of noodles. Even Western cuisine utilizes spaghetti. In Asian cuisine, however, there are various different varieties of noodles, each used for specific dishes.
Ramen, for example, is made via a Chinese method with wheat. Soba is another type, which is made with buckwheat flour and with a nutty, earthy taste. Udon, on the other hand, consists of thicker and smoother noodles.
Difference between Dried and Fresh Types
Generally, they come in two types: dried and fresh. Dried udon has less dimension and is denser, while fresh udon noodles are springy and light.
We should note that the dried version is usually easier to find. Commonly, you will be able to buy the fresh udon noodles at your local Asian supermarket or made at home with ease as well. In the end, the choice of which to use is mostly up to personal preference.
What Does It Taste Like?
Udon noodles taste mild when cooked, but have a glue-like taste when uncooked. The fresh ones have a stronger flavour than their dried counterparts. It is regarded as one of the healthiest kinds of noodles, although Soba is generally much healthier.
Although traditionally frowned upon, yaki udon noodles can be prepared with Soba as well if you are in a pinch. Either way, the most important part of preparing these dishes is the noodles, so make sure you have the best possible ones!
How to Eat Udon
In Japan, it is customary to slurp while consuming noodles. There are a number of reasons why this might be.
Firstly, slurping enhances the olfactory reception in the sinuses and perhaps also the taste. Another reason is that it makes it easier to consume food at a high temperature, allowing us to eat them while they are still fresh. Finally, some say it allows the noodles to retain more soup or sauce on their surface.
Yaki udon noodles and yakisoba are both usually eaten out of small, handheld bowls with chopsticks. People usually lift the bowls close to their face, instead of bending down. This method of eating dishes is the overwhelmingly predominant one in Japan.
However, for Western gourmands, there is the option to use forks and spoons instead. We, however, would not recommend this as a good idea if you are in an authentic Japanese restaurant, in Japan, or both!
Ultimately, the method of eating yaki udon noodles is not as important. It is more a matter of public presentation than something of concern during cooking.
Varieties of Udon Noodles
There are various different types of udon:
- Yaki: This is fried udon, served in a soy or ketchup broth.
- Inaniwa: This is a special, handmade type of udon from the Akita prefecture. It is a type of noodle rather than a type of preparation. They are aged, fresh, and typically have a thinner, stronger taste. Because of this, it is served with bland broths or sauces, so as not to mask the taste.
- Sanuki: This is another variety of udon noodles from the Kagawa prefecture. It has square, flat ends and has a chewy texture. It is usually served with dipping sauce. If it is served with a broth, that soup will usually contain some kind of dashi.
Seeing this list, one might be overwhelmed upon considering the many different types. However, the simplest preparation which can be made from scratch at home is yaki udon noodles. For this reason, we have included this recipe further down in this article.
Nutrition and Health
Yaki udon noodles are not the healthiest carb, but they are not exactly unhealthy either. 1 cup of plain, cooked ones contains 160 calories. Of this, 64 grams is carbohydrates, 1 gram is fat, and the remaining 27 grams is protein.
It contains no essential vitamins or minerals, but it can be an essential filler or starch in your meals. Due to the absence of minerals, soba is considered generally healthier than udon.
Moreover, they are one of the few varieties that are completely vegan. For this reason, udon noodles are often used as a substitute for pasta or ramen. They are not, however, gluten-free. It is gluten that gives them their characteristic texture.
Types of Udon Noodles
If you do not know where to buy them, visit your local grocery store. If you cannot get it nearby, try checking the nearest Asian grocery store/mart.
One of the most famous ones is the Sanuki Udon from Kagawa prefecture in Japan. Fortunately for us, we can order them online to be delivered for home use!
Sanuki Bussan Udon Noodle
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However, it is important for us to understand the various ways in which they are packaged can also affect flavour. This will help us better pick out which types are suitable for our own preference and circumstance.
Dried
Dried types are the most ubiquitously available but often cannot stand up to richer, heavier toppings. It also does not provide the same elastic, smooth mouthfeel which is characteristic of freshly made udon noodles.
Frozen
Frozen types are found mostly at Asian stores, and are much more suitable for soups. The required serving size can be thawed and the rest can be refrozen without creating a food safety issue.
However, frozen types overcook much easier than fresh or dried ones, so be careful.
Vacuum-packed
Finally, vacuum-packed ones are relatively rare and are mostly sold locally by manufacturers, not retailers. These are usually sought by local noodle shops or Japanese restaurants.
They are the freshest and usually most expensive kind.
Fresh
Fresh udon noodles can be bought at some Asian grocery stores. However, the shipping, packaging, and retailing process usually wreaks havoc on its structure and texture.
Storage or shelf life differences
Dried ones last the longest on the shelf, followed by the frozen, vacuum-sealed, and finally the fresh ones. If using fresh or vacuum-sealed ones, be very careful while cooking, and make sure the rest of the preparation can keep the same high standard.
In the end, it is availability, cooking ability, and price point which will decide which variety of udon noodles you use. If your cooking technique is solid, you can even get away with using fresh or dried egg pasta instead.
Necessity and creativity are, of course, the parents of invention!
How to Cook Perfect Udon Noodles
Before we explain how to cook the dish du jour, we must first explain how to cook the noodles themselves. Udon is known for its chewy and slippery texture, so either overcooking or undercooking them will completely ruin the texture of the entire recipe for yaki udon noodles.
- To cook it authentically and correctly, bring water to a rolling boil. It is not necessary to salt the water.
- Add in the noodles and stir them gently and intermittently. This will prevent them from clumping together.
- Once each string is separate and seems pliable, they are cooked enough and ready. Remove them from the water via a spider or drain the water directly.
- Then immediately rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking process.
Step 3 may take around 1 to 2 minutes. Alternatively, you can check the instructions on the package. We would suggest for you to try to undercook them slightly if you are finishing them in a stir-fry or a broth to prevent them from softening too much.
If you are not cooking the yaki udon noodles immediately, try to coat them and toss in a little oil to prevent them from sticking after cooking. The high starch content in the carbs usually causes them to stick. Therefore, the motion of rinsing and stirring, as well as the oil, prevents clumping.
If you are faced with persistent clumping, try adding a little salt to the oil.
Once they are cooked, you are ready to add them to whatever dish you wish! Be sure to have your accoutrements ready. It is usually served either cold, stir-fried, in a hot soup, or as a side dish.
Recipes Containing Udon
Some specific recipes which include this versatile ingredient include:
- Kake: This is a relatively simple preparation. Freshly boiled udon noodles are placed in a donburi (oversized rice bowl) and boiling tsuyu (broth) is poured over them. Chilli or scallions can also be added.
- Zaru: Cold noodles are served in a flat basket, accompanied by a dipping sauce. The flavour of the cold carbohydrate can be adjusted by adding sauce as necessary. This is also served with the classic garnishes of chilli, scallions, and fresh ginger.
- Tanuki: This is udon with a specific topping. In the Kanto region, it means udon topped with tenkasu (fried tempura crumbs). In Kyoto, however, it refers to udon topped with aburaage (flat, thin, crispy fried tofu), tempura sauce and ginger.
- Nabeyaki: Udon noodles are cooked inside a clay pot and served in dashi broth. It is topped with a large assortment of things, including tempura, kamaboko fish cakes, sliced pork or char siu, and vegetables (both pickled and fresh). It is a cold-weather dish.
- Kitsune: Udon topped with sweet aburaage.
- Tsukimi: Kake udon with a raw egg cooked in the donburi, often topped with nori seaweed to represent the night sky.
Now that you know the sheer potential of this humble ingredient, let’s move on to the piece de resistance: our own Japanese stir fry recipe for yaki udon noodles.
Yaki Udon Noodles | Japanese Stir Fry Noodles
Ingredients
For the Japanese stir-fry
- 300 g udon noodles
- ½ pound ground pork
- ½ pc large white onion chopped
- 2 pcs large scallions sliced
- 1 pc carrot chopped
- 1 cup mushrooms chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pc large lettuce thinly sliced
- 1 pc garlic clove optional
- Bonito flakes optional, for garnish
- Seaweed strips optional, for garnish
- Red pickled ginger optional, for garnish
For the sauce
- ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 3 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for the sauce together and set it aside.
- Boil and cook your udon noodles.
- Heat a pan or wok over high heat and add the oil.
- When you see it sizzle, add the optional garlic and the ground meat.
- Stir fry for about 3 minutes or until you see some browning.
- Add the carrots and onions.
- Stir fry for about 2 minutes before adding the rest of the vegetables. Reserve some of the lettuce and scallions for garnish.
- Add the sauce and scrape the surface of the pan or wok.
- Immediately after scraping for around 30 seconds, add the noodles.
- Cook and stir the yaki udon until it is well combined.
- Serve your yaki udon noodles garnished with the reserved scallions and thinly sliced lettuce. You may also add bonito flakes, red pickled ginger and seaweed if you would like.
Notes
- If you don’t have dark soy sauce, use 4 tablespoons + a few drops of light soy sauce.
- If you don’t have light soy sauce, use 2½ teaspoons of dark soy sauce.
- Mirin, brown sugar, and rice wine vinegar can all be substituted with equivalent ingredients for this yaki udon dish. Get creative!
- The large lettuce can be substituted with two large bok choy.
- Please check the “How to Cook Perfect Noodles” section for specific notes regarding the cooking yaki udon noodles themselves.
Nutrition
Calories have been calculated using an online calculator. Nutritional information offered on Honest Food Talks is for general information purposes and are only rough estimations.
And that’s it! Yaki udon noodles, prepared in less than 20 minutes. This dish will lose its texture if kept in exposure to the air, so put them in a vacuum-sealed container and store the garnishes separately. They will keep for up to two days in the fridge.
For a visual reference on how to cook the yaki udon noodles, you may also refer to Bridge to JAPAN’s step-by-step video guide.
Additional Notes on Ingredients
- The ground meat used can be chicken, pork, lean beef, or lamb. Seafood is traditionally not used in yaki udon.
- Garlic is not traditional, but we think it pairs great with all the onion flavours in the stir-fry. Give it a try!
- For a vegan or vegetarian yaki udon dish, replace the meat with ½ pound of cubed pressed tofu.
If you are looking for a fast, interesting, and delicious weeknight dinner, look no further than this yaki udon recipe. As a bonus, here are a few regional variants on this Japanese stir fry recipe that are just as easy to make!
Hoisin Chicken Yaki Udon Noodles
Ingredients
- 300 g udon noodles
- 2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 pcs shiitake mushroom sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cm knob ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing cooking wine or mirin
- 1 pc red onion chopped
- 100 g green beans chopped
- ¼ pc carrot sliced thin
- white pepper to taste
- black pepper to taste
- salt to taste
- 3 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil neutral flavoured
- 100 g chicken breast meat cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken breasts in the cooking wine and cornstarch in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
- Mix the hoisin sauce, ginger, garlic, white pepper, black pepper, soy sauce, and salt to make the sauce. Set aside.
- Take the chicken out of the refrigerator.
- Prepare and cook the udon noodles.
- Add the oil to the pan or wok over high heat.
- When it sizzles, add the chicken.
- Cook for around 4 minutes, then add the carrot and onion.
- Add the rest of the vegetables.
- Cook for another 4 minutes, then add the sauce.
- Scrape, then add the noodles.
- Cook and stir until mixed thoroughly.
- Serve garnished with sesame seeds.
Notes
- Although chicken is the titular ingredient, you can substitute the chicken with the same amount of pressed tofu.
- Do not skip the hoisin sauce! It is the primary flavour in the dish.
- You can use any vegetables, including bell pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. This dish is highly customizable, so use whatever you have.
Nutrition
Calories have been calculated using an online calculator. Nutritional information offered on Honest Food Talks is for general information purposes and are only rough estimations.
And that’s it! Yet another delicious type of yaki udon noodles dish! But what if you can’t find hoisin sauce? Well, this next dish is our simplest yet and requires only the most basic and quintessentially Asian ingredients.
Malaysian Udon Noodles
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 2 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon kecap manis sweet soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- white pepper to taste
- black pepper to taste
- salt to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
For the stir fry
- 300 g udon noodles
- 200 g protein beef, chicken, seafood or tofu
- ⅓ cups cabbage shredded
- 1 pc carrot sliced
- ½ pc onion chopped
- 100 g vegetables optional, if desired e.g. bok choy, mushrooms, bean sprouts
- 2 pcs small chillies sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Mix the sauce ingredients and set them aside.
- Prepare and cook the noodles.
- Place the oil in a wok/pan over high heat.
- Once it sizzles, add the protein.
- After about 4 minutes, add the carrot.
- Then add the rest of the vegetables after about 3 minutes.
- After cooking for another 4 minutes, add the sauce. Scrape the wok/pan.
- After a minute, add the noodles.
- Stir and cook to combine until mixed well.
- Serve with any garnish.
Notes
- If vegan, substitute the oyster or fish sauce with an equal quantity of vinegar and dijon mustard.
- The protein used can be ground meat, seafood, or tofu.
- Instead of sweet soy (kecap manis) which is the original ingredient, you may also use ketchup. This is an acceptable substitute.
- Deseed the chillis if you cannot tolerate spice.
Nutrition
Calories have been calculated using an online calculator. Nutritional information offered on Honest Food Talks is for general information purposes and are only rough estimations.
And that’s everything you need to know about yaki udon noodles and easy recipes to try! Whether you are a beginner or an expert at Japanese cuisine, we hope that this article taught you something.
The yaki udon recipes included can be modified and customized as much as needed. Cooking is, after all, as much about accessibility and creativity as tradition.
Keep eating and bon appetit!
Carmela
Hattie
Isabelle
Came out tasty - also added green chili to mine
Re
Marevllous recipe! ty for this enjoyed it much past weekend
Essie