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It takes just 15 minutes to prepare this delicious and aromatic Udon Soup, making it ideal for busy weeknights.
This quick and easy recipe is great for busy weeknights when you don’t have much time to cook but still want a meal that’s nourishing and tasty. Not only is it packed with flavor, but it’s also incredibly customizable. From proteins to vegetables, you can top this flavorful soup with a variety of ingredients for an all-in-one meal that will satisfy the whole family. Give it a try, and let me know what you think!
Why This Recipe Works
- Cooking the Udon noodles in the soup allows them to absorb the flavorful broth they are cooked in.
- Fresh aromatics like garlic, ginger, and green onions give this soup a deep and complex flavor.
- Miso paste and soy sauce add umami notes and depth of flavor.
- Mirin and rice vinegar add brightness and make the broth more complex.
- A touch of sugar helps balance any sour notes from the vinegar.
Buying Udon Noodles
Udon noodles are thick noodles used in Japanese cooking made from wheat flour, water, and salt.
You can usually find them in either the frozen or in the Asian section of most supermarkets. See the ingredient notes below for the best options for this recipe.
Ingredient Notes
Sesame oil: Use light sesame oil as it can withstand the higher heat of sauteing.
Garlic: Fresh garlic adds the best flavor. If you need a shortcut, add a couple of whole, peeled garlic cloves instead of minced ones. You’ll get the flavor without chopping. Then discard them before serving.
Miso Paste: Miso paste is fermented soybean paste commonly used in Japanese cooking. It comes in different varieties, but white miso paste and red miso paste are great options for this recipe.
Scallions: Also known as green or spring onions, add a subtle onion flavor that cooks quickly. If you don’t have them, you can use shallots or onions, but be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly and cook them before you add the garlic.
Mirin: A sweet, low-alcohol rice wine used in Japanese cooking. You can substitute it with sweet sherry, a combination of white wine and sugar. For a non-alcohol option, use a little extra rice vinegar and sugar.
Rice Vinegar: Mildly sweet and slightly acidic, it is available in white and red varieties. The red variety has a slight sweetness that pairs well with the other ingredients in this soup.
Udon Noodles: For this recipe, I suggest using pre-cooked or frozen noodles, as they won’t absorb too much of the broth as they cook. If you only have dried Udon Noodles, cook them until just undercooked and then finish cooking them in the broth.
Stock: I highly recommend using homemade stock for this recipe. It gives it the best possible flavor. I make this recipe using my homemade chicken stock, but you can use bone broth or vegetable stock. If you don’t have homemade, use a good quality store-bought version.
Topping Recommendations
Udon Soup is a delicious and nourishing meal that tastes great when topped with some extra goodies. Here are some of my favorite toppings:
- Hard Boiled or Soft Boiled Eggs
- Toasted Sesame Seeds or Furikake
- Sliced Scallions or Fresh Herbs Like Cilantro or Thai Basil
- Cooked Chicken, Meat, or Seafood
- Steamed or Stir-Fried Mushrooms & Vegetables
Step By Step Instructions
Start by prepping your aromatics by mincing a small piece of ginger (you are looking for about two teaspoons of minced ginger) and two garlic cloves.
Then slice the scallions into rounds and separate the dark green from the light green and white portions of the scallions, and set them aside.
Over medium heat, heat two tablespoons of sesame oil in a saucepan. Add the garlic, ginger, and white portion of the scallions to the pot and cook them until they’re fragrant. You don’t want to brown them. Just cook them to release flavor. This will take about thirty seconds.
Add four cups of stock, to the pot with three tablespoons each of soy sauce, miso paste, and mirin.
Then mix in two teaspoons of sugar, and a tablespoon of rice vinegar and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let the broth simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to come together. Add 16oz of udon noodles and cook them for the amount of time listed on the package.
Taste the broth for seasoning before serving and adjust accordingly. Add more soy sauce for saltiness, mirin or sugar for sweetness, or rice vinegar for a bit of acidity. If it’s salty, add more stock or water until the desired seasoning is reached.
Assemble the soup in bowls and divide it evenly between them.
Top each bowl with a green portion of the green onion and whatever other toppings you desire.
Serve hot, and enjoy!
Erren’s Top Tips
- For this recipe, I suggest using pre-cooked or frozen noodles, as they won’t absorb too much of the broth as they cook. If you only have dried Udon Noodles, cook them until just undercooked and then finish cooking them in the broth.
- Be sure to use fresh ingredients for the best flavor and texture.
- Make sure you don’t overcook the noodles – they should be soft but not too mushy or hard.
- Use homemade stock for the ultimate flavor, but if you are using store-bought stock, make sure it is of high quality, as this will really affect the taste of your soup!
- If adding any additional toppings like meat or seafood, make sure that these are cooked before adding them to the soup so that they do not overcook in the broth and become chewy.
- Taste test before serving and adjust with extra seasonings such as soy sauce, mirin, or rice vinegar if desired for extra flavor!
Storage & Freezing Instructions
Making Ahead: Udon Soup can be made ahead for future use. We recommend making the broth ahead, storing it in the fridge, and then cooking the noodles in the broth before serving.
To store leftovers: Let the soup cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container and refrigerating for up to 3 days.
To Freeze: The soup can also be frozen in an airtight, freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to three months. When ready to enjoy, defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until warm.
The Perfect Pairings
Udon soup can be made as a light meal or served as a starter for other meals such as Katsu Curry, Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry, or Japanese Curry.
Recipe
Udon Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 clove garlic
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger (minced)
- 3 scallions (AKA green onions or spring onions)
- 4 cups chicken stock (beef stock, or vegetable stock)
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium)
- 3 tablespoon miso paste
- 3 tablespoon mirin
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 16 oz udon noodles
- toppings of choice (cooked egg, chicken, shitake mushrooms, etc.)
Instructions
- Mince the garlic and ginger. Then slice the green onions into rounds. Separate the green and white portions and set them aside.
- In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and white potion of the scallions and saute until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Add the stock, soy sauce, miso paste, mirin, sugar, and vinegar. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes to bring the flavors together. Add the noodles and cook for the time stated in the package instructions.
- Taste the broth for seasoning before serving. Add more soy sauce for saltiness, mirin or sugar for sweetness, or rice vinegar for acidity. If it’s salty, add more stock or water to taste.
- Divide the soup evenly into bowls. Top with the green portion of the scallions and any other desired toppings. Serve hot.
Tips
- For this recipe, I suggest using pre-cooked or frozen noodles, as they won’t absorb too much of the broth as they cook. If you only have dried Udon Noodles, cook them until just undercooked and then finish cooking them in the broth.
- Be sure to use fresh ingredients for the best flavor and texture.
- Make sure you don’t overcook the noodles – they should be soft but not too mushy or hard.
- Use homemade stock for the ultimate flavor, but if you are using store-bought stock, make sure it is of high quality, as this will really affect the taste of your soup!
- If adding any additional toppings like meat or seafood, make sure that these are cooked before adding them to the soup so that they do not overcook in the broth and become chewy.
- Taste test before serving and adjust with extra seasonings such as soy sauce, mirin, or rice vinegar if desired for extra flavor!
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