Yaki Udon

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Servings: people

Calories: 469kcal

Author: Platings and Pairings

Make this Japanese-inspired yaki udon recipe for easy weeknight dinners! Bouncy udon noodles, a variety of stir fried vegetables, and your favorite ground meat are tossed in a homemade stir fry sauce to give you a hassle-free and satisfying meal in only 20 minutes.

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Equipment

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons dark soy sauce ***
2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
1 Tablespoon mirin
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 7-ounce packages fresh udon noodles I used Fortune brand in my refrigerated produce section
1 Tablespoon avocado oil plus more for drizzling, or vegetable or canola oil
½ pound ground pork beef, chicken or turkey
½ yellow onion thinly sliced
4 ounces white mushrooms or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
½ red bell pepper thinly sliced
1 medium bok choy sliced into1-inch pieces
3 green onions sliced into1-inch pieces, plus more for serving
4 cloves garlic minced
Sesame seeds furikake or chile oil, for serving (optional)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dark soy sauce, low-sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce, mirin, rice vinegar and sugar.
Bring a medium pot of water to boil over medium-high. Add the udon and cook according to the package directions. Drain, quickly rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, transfer to a medium bowl and drizzle with a little oil to prevent sticking.
In a wok or a large pan, heat 1 TBSP oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a small bowl, leaving the oil and drippings in the wok.
To the now empty wok, add the onion and mushrooms, and cook until just beginning to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add the red pepper and bok choy and cook for about 3 minutes.
Stir in the green onions, garlic and cooked meat; cook for 1 minute.
Add the noodles and sauce, tossing until the noodles are coated and glossy. Taste and adjust any seasonings, if needed.
Enjoy topped with additional sliced scallions and sesame seeds, furikake or chili oil, as desired.

Video

Notes

***Dark soy sauce - you can substitute regular soy sauce if you don't have dark soy sauce but the color will not be as dark.

Storing and reheating

Yaki udon is best served fresh out of the wok, as udon noodles tend to become gluey and sticky when reheating. Still, if you have leftovers, feel free to store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

Variations

Swap the protein: Instead of using ground meat, make chicken yaki udon with leftover sliced chicken breasts or thighs, or opt for beef yaki udon with tender beef strips. Even sliced lamb or pork loin will work well!
Use seafood instead: If you’re a bigger fan of seafood, make shrimp yaki udon by adding seared shrimp at the end. Or, consider a medley of fresh shrimp, scallops, squid, and mussels. Remember to sear the fresh seafood in the hot wok until they’re cooked through before tossing it with the cooked noodles and vegetables.
Vegan/vegetarian version: Swap meat for tofu, tempeh, or extra vegetables. Substitute the oyster sauce with a mushroom-based sauce or vegan hoisin sauce.
Add more vegetables: Mix and match the vegetables in the recipe with even more veggies like snap peas, broccoli, edamame, Napa cabbage, zucchini, baby corn, and spinach.
Customize the sauce: Boost the umami flavor by stirring fish sauce or miso paste into the stir fry sauce. Or, for more heat, add chili oil, Sriracha sauce, or diced fresh chilies. For my ideas, check out these 15+ Tasty Sauces for Udon!

Nutrition