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Yaki Udon Noodles Stirfry, Udon noodles

Yaki Udon Noodles Stirfry

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Yaki Udon is a Japanese stir-fried noodle dish made with thick udon noodles, vegetables, protein, and a savoury sauce. Itis quick, easy to make, and perfect for a flavourful and satisfying meal.
Course Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine Japanese
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 3
Author sumisculinarynotes

Ingredients

  • 2 packs 400g instant udon noodles (or frozen, thawed)
  • 2 tbsp oil preferably sesame oil
  • 2 Green onion white part
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup carrots julienned
  • 1 bell pepper sliced
  • 1 cup cabbage julienned (or any veggie of choice)
  • 2 springs of Green onions chopped
  • 300-350 g boneless chicken Protein of your choice, shrimp, tofu, or beef

Sauce:

  • 2 ½ tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce or hoisin for vegetarian
  • 1 tbsp mirin or honey
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • ½ tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp pepper powder optional, for heat

Alternate sauce:

  • 4 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp pepper powder

Instructions

  • Prepare the udon noodles: Take the udon noodles out of the vacuum pack and add them to a pot of boiling water. Let them sit for 2 minutes, then gently separate them. Stir gently until the noodles are separated. They are precooked, so avoid overcooking them.
  • Drain well. Drizzle a little bit of oil to prevent sticking if not using immediately.
  • If using dried udon, cook according to the package.
  • Season the chicken or your choice of protein with pepper and salt. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook the protein until fully done, then remove and set aside.
  • Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside.
  • Sauté the vegetables: In the same pan, add the white part of green onion and garlic, stirring for 1 minute. Add carrots, cabbage and bell pepper. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender.
  • Combine everything: Add the udon noodles, 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil (optional) and cooked protein back into the pan. Pour in the sauce and toss everything together for 2 minutes.
  • Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

Notes

I used vacuum-packed udon noodles, which are pre-cooked and sealed—just add them to the boiling water to loosen them before stir-frying. Alternatively, you can use dried udon noodles; just cook them according to the package instructions before adding them to the dish.
If you don’t have mirin and oyster sauce, here are some easy substitutes:
Mirin substitutes
1 tbsp honey or sugar + 1 tbsp water
1 tbsp rice vinegar + 1/2 tsp sugar
Oyster sauce substitutes
1 tbsp hoisin sauce + 1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce + 1/2 tsp sugar (for a lighter alternative)