Quick Yaki Udon (Stir-Fried Udon Noodles)

Stir-fried yaki udon noodles with pork and vegetables in a wok.

Quick Yaki Udon (Stir-Fried Udon Noodles)

Yaki udon is a Japanese stir-fried udon noodles with vegetables, protein, and savory sauce. Prepare it in 15 minutes using simple 5-ingredient yaki udon sauce for a delicious weeknight meal.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Noodles

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword quick noodles, udon noodles, yaki udon, yaki udon sauce

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings people

Calories 651

Author Holly Ford

Ingredients

Yaki Udon Sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp dark soy sauce or replace with soy sauce
1 tbsp sweet rice wine (mirim)
1 tbsp sesame oil

Udon stir-fry

2 pkg (200 g each) udon noodles frozen
2 tbsp oil divided
8 oz (225 g) minced pork see note below
4 cup (960 ml) chopped green cabbage
1 small carrot thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
5 green onion sliced
4 tbsp bonito flakes to garnish optional

Instructions

To make the yaki udon sauce, mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
To prepare the noodles, place the frozen noodles in hot water and soak them for 1-2 minutes until they become loose. Use chopsticks or kitchen tongs to gently separate the noodles, being careful not to break them. Drain the noodles in a colander and set them aside until you're ready to use them in your dish.
Heat one tablespoon of oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add ground pork or your preferred protein and stir-fry until browned and crisp. Transfer the cooked pork to a plate and set it aside.
Heat the remaining oil in the wok or large skillet. Add the cabbage and carrot and stir-fry until they soften, which takes around 2-3 minutes. Then, add the green onion and garlic, and continue to stir-fry for an additional 30 seconds.
Next, add the noodles, pork, and the yaki udon sauce. Toss everything well to ensure that it is evenly coated with the sauce. If desired, garnish the dish with bonito flakes before serving. Enjoy your delicious yaki udon!

Notes

Udon noodles: I recommend using frozen Sanuki udon noodles. You can find in the freezer section at most Asian grocery stores. The noodles usually precooked, so you will just need to soak them in hot water to defrost before adding to stir-fry.
Protein: You can use any of your preferred protein including thinly sliced beef, pork, chicken, or shrimp. I chose to use ground pork for this recipe. Pork belly slices are another common protein used in Yaki Udon. If you want this noodles to be vegetarian or vegan, replace with plant-based protein, tofu, mushroom or other types of your favorite vegetables.

Nutrition