To me, there’s nothing more comforting that a steaming hot bowl of noodles. If you’ve ever watchedRatatouille(I love that movie!), you’ll recall this scene where thefood critic is instantly brought back to childhood when he has a bite of ratatouille. My mom never made me stir fry yaki udon as a kid, but she did make bowls and bowls of otherkinds of noodles. As a result, noodles (all kinds) are one of those extremely comforting foods for me.
When I’m looking for some fast comfort, yakiudonis one of my go to meals. It’s easy, flavourful, and takes no time at all. Andyou can basically chuck in any leftovermeat or vegetablesyou might have lying around in your fridge and it’ll taste pretty darn delicious. Have it with meat, tofu, or even just veggies. Sometimes (most times) it’s the simple things in life that make me happiest of all.
Yakiudon Recipe
serves 2
- oil
- 1/2 small shallot, sliced
- 1/2 cup sliced meat of choice, if desired*
- 1/2 carrot, shredded
- 1 brick frozen sanuki udon
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dashi powder**
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 green onion, sliced
- dried bonito flakes, to garnish
Soak your frozen udon in a bowl of warm water making sure that all of the strands of noodles are separate. Drain and set aside.
Heat up a small bit of oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the shallots, meat (if using) and shredded carrot. Cook until the carrots and shallots are soft, but not overly brown, about 2-3 minutes. Add the drained udon noodles as well as the soy sauce, dashi powder, and sugar. Toss to coat the noodles and turn the heat to medium-high to slightly reduce the sauce, about 1-2 minutes. Turn the heat off, taste and season with freshly ground pepper to taste. Garnish with sliced green onionsandbonito flakes. Enjoy hot.
*This udon tastes perfectly delicious without meat, but if you’d like to add in some protein, go right ahead. In this version, I added some leftover roasted duck that I had on hand. Just cut your cooked meat into strips (or shred it) and add it in.
**If youhaven’t heard ofdashi powder, it’s basically instant soup stock. You can find it in Asian grocery stores in the Japanese section. It definitely adds so I don’t recommend skipping it – but of course cooking is all about being flexible!
PS – If you love the Finex skillet featured in this post, don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
46 Comments
September 4, 2014 at 4:58 am
When I was teenager stir fried Udon with oyster sauce and sesame oil was my instant Mac and cheese. I love how the noodles pure white is turned burnish black by stir frying; Throw an egg in there and you have party!
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Tieghan says:
September 4, 2014 at 5:55 am
A bow of hot noodle? Yes, that is my comfort food!! Love these!
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molly yeh says:
September 4, 2014 at 6:43 am
mmm yum!!!! i LOVE yakiudon!!!! and i am with you, a big bowl of noodles = COMFORT.
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Kristy says:
September 4, 2014 at 8:09 am
Reminds me of the noodles my grandma used to make for us :) yum!
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Mandy@ladyandpups says:
September 4, 2014 at 10:10 am
I LOVE yakiudon! And over the years I find that the frozen ones from japan just has a incomparably better texture and chewiness than the mushy ones u find in refrigerator section. One of my favorite Japanese joint in Vancouver downtown (might not be still open), drops a handful of bonito flakes right on top the hot udon. The rising steam makes the bonito look like they dancing :)
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steph says:
September 4, 2014 at 11:45 am
YES! frozen udon is the only udon i ever buy!!!!
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Katie @ Butterlust says:
September 4, 2014 at 10:45 am
The steam coming off of those noodles (or nooooders as my 4 year old self likes to say) is to.die.for. Such a pretty dish and ALL the comfort. Seriously, I want to just dive in! (P.S. CONGRATS ON THE BOOK!! can’t wait to get my copy!)
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Millie l Add A Little says:
September 4, 2014 at 11:29 am
Looks amazing – I love yaki udon! Comfort food at its best!!
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J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats says:
September 4, 2014 at 11:33 am
Ooh have had tons of yakisoba but never yakiudon! Glad to know this exists. Need to find some udon noodles….
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Shannan says:
September 4, 2014 at 11:50 am
Am I missing a step? I see only a TB of soy as the only liquid, but you call for reducing the liquid. Do we make the dashi with the water as prescribed on the pack and then add it or add the granules? So sorry if this is a dumb question. Sometimes I am thick.
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steph says:
September 4, 2014 at 12:05 pm
Hi Shannan,
Just add the granules as is without liquid. You want to reduce the soy (I know it’s a small amount) slightly so that the sauce clings to the noodles – it’s not a very saucy dish. Of course, you can add more soy to taste if needed! Hope that helps!
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Sophie says:
September 4, 2014 at 4:23 pm
I am SO in love with that pan of yours and I am so in love with these noodles! I fry leftovers with noodles (or rice) all the time as a cheap and quick meal and I’ve never done so with the wonderful, chewy udon. Now I have to! Thanks for the tip on buying frozen, too. Looks SO GOOD
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tara says:
September 4, 2014 at 6:10 pm
I love noodles across all forms and cuisines. This looks fantastic!
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Carol at Wild Goose Tea says:
September 4, 2014 at 6:48 pm
I love this type of noodle dishes. And you are right. It’s a good way to use bits of this and that too. Oh I loved that movie too. I kind of forgotten how easy this is. I normally have some type of fresh noodle on hand. I realize its been months since I have gotten any.
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Jason says:
September 4, 2014 at 7:32 pm
Tried this tonight and it came out great! First time cooking with dashi. Definitely won’t be the last.
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September 4, 2014 at 7:45 pm
i heart noodles. let’s go for ramen when i get home. also, teddy’s go-to japanese food is not only tamago and avocado roll, but he also rocks the veggie yaki udon like a seasoned pro! CUTE! (i love that he’ll grow up loving asian food, too!) xo
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jenna @ just j.faye says:
September 4, 2014 at 7:45 pm
You always have such beautiful photos! Also, I’m going to look for udon noodles the next time I’m at the grocery store :)
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Todd Wagner says:
September 4, 2014 at 10:22 pm
Oooh, I want to find that place in Vancouver that Mandy menioned…bonito flakes right on top! Yes please! Comfort food indeed :)
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September 5, 2014 at 7:37 am
Noodles are 100% my comfort food too – it was just the easiest meal for my mum to whip up for me as a child and my go-to when I was in a rush at university. I always have to have a soft boiled egg on top :) Your yaki udon looks delicious, especially with the torn leftover duck! xx
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Helen @ Scrummy Lane says:
September 6, 2014 at 2:29 am
Your photos are making my mouth water! I’ve never tried cooking with dashi powder but of course now I’d love to!
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Lynna says:
September 6, 2014 at 4:24 pm
LOVE these shots! I`m not much of a cook, but this looks simple enough for me to try~
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PassTheKnife says:
September 7, 2014 at 7:31 pm
If I could reach into the computer screen with a fork I would, this looks amazing.
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Farah @ The Cooking Jar says:
September 9, 2014 at 3:09 pm
Jeeze, your pics are GORGEOUS! As if I didn’t crave noodles enough. Now I’m super craving. And I seem to have thing for big fat noodles. Just like you, it’s comfort food for me and I have this noodle button that activates every time I see a good pic or recipe.
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Rachel Walker says:
September 12, 2014 at 8:57 am
I love big fat noodles like these. So tasty – the best comfort food!
(I also love your gifs!)Reply
ellie | fit for the soul says:
September 17, 2014 at 11:03 am
Wow….this looks so simple but……so perfect! Must make this soon! And Yes, I agree in that noodles bring me back to mom’s cooking. I remember my mom always making me not-so-nutritious but delicious korean noodles called “kahlgooksoo” (literally means knife noodles) which is plopped into a simple white-ish broth with green onions. It’s so simple but it makes me think of the “good ol’ days” :D
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Anna says:
September 18, 2014 at 3:22 am
Oh my gosh this looks so amazing!!! I am so hungry looking at this!!! LOL
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September 18, 2014 at 12:19 pm
I could eat this every day!! Noodles are the way to my heart. You make this dish seem so easy and approachable. Will definitely be trying soon.
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Hillary says:
September 22, 2014 at 12:49 pm
Which brand of noodles do you buy?
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steph says:
September 22, 2014 at 1:58 pm
Generally most of the frozen ones are good, as long as it says sanuki udon. You can try Shirakiku or Nissan!
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Courtney C says:
September 22, 2014 at 7:14 pm
If I wanted to add bok choy into this recipe, should I lightly sautee it beforehand, and then throw it in along with the carrots, shallots, and meat?
Thanks! :)
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Hannah says:
September 23, 2014 at 1:22 pm
I made this last night and it was unreal. I cooked some ground pork and added some broccoli. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
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George says:
January 13, 2015 at 5:59 am
Really Amazing. Can’t wait to try.
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Catherine says:
February 20, 2015 at 1:47 am
I’ve tried this recipe a couple of times now and i LOVE it :)
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Callie says:
October 1, 2015 at 7:38 am
Where might you find frozen bricks of udon noodles in the US? I’m in Chicago and have no idea where I might go to find it.
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Stephanie Le says:
October 1, 2015 at 10:20 am
most asian grocery stores carry them!
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ron says:
July 16, 2017 at 3:16 pm
Try these….I just toss the flavor packet. I find they’re 95% as good as frozen.
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Ha says:
December 20, 2020 at 7:56 pm
Tried this today. It’s mind-blowing how easy , quick and tasty this is. Thank you for sharing this awesome gem.Reply
