Yaki Udon is Japanese stir-fried udon noodles made with your choice of protein and vegetables seasoned with a savory sauce. This recipe is easily vegetarian or vegan adaptable. It‘s ready in 25 minutes and incredibly delicious!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time25 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: stir fry, udon, udon noodle
Servings: 2(could be 3, depending on the extra ingredients you add)
Gather all the ingredients. For this recipe demonstration, I used seasonings option A. Start bringing a large pot of water to a boil on medium-high heat for heating or cooking the udon noodles later.
To Prepare the Ingredients
Slice ½ onion thinly.
Remove the tough core of 2–3 leaves green cabbage. Then, cut the leaves into pieces about 1 inch (2.5 cm) square.
Peel 2 inches carrot and cut it into thin slabs. Then, julienne them into strips 2 inches (5 cm) long.
Discard the tough stems of 2 shiitake mushrooms and slice the mushroom caps.
Cut 2 green onions/scallions into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces. Cut 6 oz sliced pork belly slices into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces.
When the water is boiling, blanch 2 servings udon noodles (frozen) for 30–40 seconds or until it just starts to loosen up. If you‘re using dry udon noodles, boil them according to the package instructions. Transfer the noodles to a plate and set aside.
To Stir-Fry
Preheat a large frying pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and spread it evenly. Add the pork belly and stir-fry.
Season the pork with ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Cook until it‘s no longer pink.
Add the onion slices and stir-fry until tender.
Add the cabbage, carrot strips, shiitake mushrooms, and green onions. Mix it all together until the ingredients are coated with oil.
Cover with a lid and reduce the stove‘s heat to low. Let the ingredients steam for 3 minutes, or until the ingredients are slightly wilted.
Add the udon noodles to the pan and toss with a pair of tongs to combine (it‘s a lot easier to use tongs than two spatulas).
Add the ingredients for either seasonings option A or B to the pan. For option A, add ½ tsp dashi powder, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sake, and 1 tsp mirin. If you‘re using option B, add 3 Tbsp mentsuyu (concentrated noodle soup base) and 1 tsp soy sauce. Tip: If you have mentsuyu at home, definitely try my go-to seasonings option B because it‘s easy and delicious!
Mix it all together. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more ground black pepper and salt to your liking.
To Serve
Transfer the Yaki Udon to individual plates. Optionally, sprinkle 3 Tbsp katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) on top and garnish with 2 Tbsp pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga) on the side.
To Store
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days and in the freezer for a month.