This Udon Noodles Stir Fry, or Yaki Udon, is a Japanese-style spicy noodle dish that is super delicious and so easy to make. It features chewy udon noodles cooked with colorful vegetables, tofu, and a savory, spicy sauce that ties everything together.
Inspired by Japanese flavors, this quick and flavorful udon noodle recipe is ready in just 20 minutes.
Edible flowers not only add visual appeal but also introduce subtle floral notes to your dishes.
Table of contents
Looking for a quick and easy dinner that’s filling and packed with flavor? This Udon Noodles Stir Fry has your name written all over it!
About the Recipe
Udon noodles make a comforting noodle dish that’s easy to make, full of flavor, and perfect for any noodle lover. Udon noodles are thick, chewy, and soak up all the flavors beautifully from the sauce, making a quick and filling meal idea for a busy day when you want a fast, satisfying meal without spending too much time in the kitchen or compromising on taste.
This is a completely vegetarian and vegan recipe that’s a hit for any weeknight dinner or a quick on-the-go lunch!
The Udon Noodles, also known as “Yaki Udon,” is a Japanese noodle dish famous for its flavorful taste. This Japanese stir-fried noodle dish is made with thick udon noodles cooked in a savory sauce, along with a mix of colorful vegetables and often some protein like meat or tofu. The wheat noodles soak up the flavors from the sauce, making it incredibly delicious.
The word “yaki” means “grilled” or “fried” in Japanese, so when you see “yaki udon,” it simply translates to “fried udon.” It’s a tasty, satisfying meal that’s easy to make!
Making this recipe is super simple. You just cook the udon noodles according to package instructions, make the sweet, spicy, savory, and tangy sauce, cook the veggies, add the noodles and prepared sauce, and toss well. That’s it!
Let’s get cooking!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Udon Noodle dish
✔️ is simple and easy to make
✔️ gets ready in under 20 minutes
✔️ is ideal for a weeknight dinner
✔️ is packed with flavors and textures
✔️ is quite versatile
✔️ has a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy
✔️ is satisfying and healthy
✔️ is vegan and vegetarian
✔️ is rich in fiber and plant-based protein
Udon Noodles Ingredients
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Udon Noodles: As the name suggests, these thick, chewy wheat noodles are the star of this recipe. They nicely absorb the flavors from the sauce.
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Tofu: I have used firm tofu for added protein. The crisp tofu adds a nice texture to the noodles. You can also use chicken or shrimp as a protein source.
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Vegetables: I have used a colorful mix of vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, and onions to add crunch and flavor. You can use other vegetables like edamame, corn, or zucchini. I have also used spring onions for contrast and flavor.
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Garlic & Ginger: Added for deep flavors. Instead of fresh ginger & garlic, you can also use ginger garlic paste.
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Sauces: For a spicy and savory base, you’ll need a combination of sauces like dark soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, and Sriracha.
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Spices: Red pepper flakes for heat and salt to enhance the overall taste.
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Sriracha and Red Pepper Flakes: Add a bit of spice! Adjust to your taste.
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Rice Vinegar: Adds tang and brightness.
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Mirin: A Japanese rice wine vinegar, added for tang, sweetness, and traditional Japanese flavor.
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Brown Sugar: Adds a hint of caramelized sweetness that balances the spicy and savory flavors in the sauce.
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Optional Garnishes: I have used garnishes like spring onions for contrast, toasted sesame seeds, roasted peanuts for crunch, and chili oil for heat. You can also use fried onions or fried garlic.
Serving Suggestions
This Udon Noodles Stir Fry tastes great on its own, but if you want to make it a more extravagant treat, pair it with rice paper rolls, a simple miso soup, hot and sour soup, or a light vegetable broth.
You can also pair it with an Asian cucumber salad, crispy spring rolls, sushi rolls, or even dumplings.
Storage Suggestions
If you have leftover noodles, you can store them in the fridge for up to 2 days. To store, let them cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate without garnishes.
When ready to serve, reheat in a microwave for 30 seconds or in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water to revive freshness. Simply garnish with toppings for added texture and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks for the Best Udon Noodles
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Noodles: Cook the noodles according to package instructions. I have used dried noodles here, but you can also use cooked noodles.
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Rinsing: Rinse the noodles in cold water once tender. This step prevents them from overcooking and becoming sticky.
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Stir-Frying: When stir-frying veggies and tofu, use high heat. This way, the tofu becomes crispy, and the veggies stay crisp without losing flavor.
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Preparation: To make cooking easy, prepare everything like slicing veggies, making sauce, and cooking noodles before stir-frying. This makes cooking easier and faster.
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Spices: Adjust the sauces and spices to your taste preference.
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Tofu: Use firm tofu to get it nicely crispy and add a lovely texture to the udon noodles.
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Slicing Veggies: Cut the veggies evenly and thinly for faster and even cooking.
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Tossing: For easy tossing, use tongs and toss gently to mix everything well without breaking the noodles apart.
Udon Noodles (Step-by-step photo instructions)
Prepare Veggies & Sauce
- Cut tofu into bite-sized pieces. Place on a plate, sprinkle with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper, and mix well to coat evenly. Set aside.
- Cut broccoli into florets, and slice bell pepper, red chili, and onion. Thinly slice carrot into matchsticks and slice spring onion greens.
- In a bowl, whisk together dark soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sriracha, brown sugar, spring onion greens, and red pepper flakes until combined.
Cook the Noodles
- Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Add dried udon noodles, cover, and let them cook until just tender (about 10 minutes or as per package instructions).
- Drain and rinse noodles under cold water to prevent further cooking.
Make Udon Noodles StirFry
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add tofu and cook for about 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Transfer tofu to a plate and set aside.
- Add another 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add minced garlic and ginger, and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add sliced red chili, sauté for 1 minute, then add sliced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Toss in carrot, bell pepper, and broccoli, and cook on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender but still crisp. Season with salt to taste, and mix well. Add the the cooked tofu, and stir to combine.
- Add the prepared sauce and cooked noodles to the pan. Toss everything together for 1 minute on medium-high heat until the noodles are well coated. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Divide noodles into bowls and garnish with chopped spring onions, roasted peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, and a drizzle of chili oil.
Recipe Card
Udon Noodles [Recipe]
★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 6 reviews)
| Prep time 🕐 | Cook time 🕐 | Total time 🕐 |
|---|---|---|
| 15 mins | ||
| Category ☶ | Cuisine ♨ | Serves ☺ |
| Lunch | Asian | 4 |
| Nutrition Info ⊛ | Serving size ⊚ | |
| 226 calories | 1 |
INGREDIENTS
For Udon Noodles
- 400 grams udon noodles
- Water (for cooking noodles)
- Salt (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 250 grams firm tofu, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1-inch piece ginger, grated
- 1 carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 small broccoli, cut into florets
For the Stir Fry Sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
- 3 spring onion greens, chopped
for Garnishing
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Roasted peanuts
- Spring onion green
- Chili oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare Veggies & Sauce
- Cut tofu into bite-sized pieces. Place on a plate, sprinkle with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper, and mix well to coat evenly. Set aside.
- Cut broccoli into florets, and slice bell pepper, red chili, and onion. Thinly slice carrot into matchsticks and slice spring onion greens.
- In a bowl, whisk together dark soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, sriracha, brown sugar, spring onion greens, and red pepper flakes until combined.
Cook the Noodles
- Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Add dried udon noodles, cover, and let them cook until just tender (about 10 minutes or as per package instructions).
- Drain and rinse noodles under cold water to prevent further cooking.
Make Udon Noodles StirFry
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add tofu and cook for about 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Transfer tofu to a plate and set aside.
- Add another 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add minced garlic and ginger, and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add sliced red chili, sauté for 1 minute, then add sliced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Toss in carrot, bell pepper, and broccoli, and cook on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender but still crisp. Season with salt to taste, and mix well. Add the the cooked tofu, and stir to combine.
- Add the prepared sauce and cooked noodles to the pan. Toss everything together for 1 minute on medium-high heat until the noodles are well coated. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Divide noodles into bowls and garnish with chopped spring onions, roasted peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, and a drizzle of chili oil.
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NOTES:
- Cook the noodles according to package instructions. I have used dried noodles here, but you can also use cooked noodles.
- Rinse the noodles in cold water once tender. This step prevents them from overcooking and becoming sticky.
- When stir-frying veggies and tofu, use high heat. This way, the tofu becomes crispy, and the veggies stay crisp without losing flavor.
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Author: Anupama
Recipe Source Link: https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/udon-noodles/
