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What Is Yaki Udon?
When it comes to Japanese noodles, there are the big three: ramen, soba, and udon. Udon (うどん) noodles are thick and white, and made with wheat flour and salted water.
One of the best ways to eat udon is Yaki Udon, stir-fried udon noodles, which is commonly made with pork, chicken, or shrimp. In this easy udon noodles recipe, I will teach you how to make a classic yaki udon with pork, shrimp and vegetables.
Other Japanese Noodles Recipes:
Main Ingredients for Yaki Udon
- Onion
- Pork or chicken
- Deveined shrimp
- Udon
- Cabbage
- Bonito flavor soup base or soy sauce
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Difference between Udon and Yaki Udon?
Udon noodles itself are the thick noodles made with wheat flour that have a chewy texture. Yaki udon is the actual stir-fried udon, like my recipe here.
Where Can I Buy Udon Noodles?
Udon noodles are available in Japanese or Asian food stores, or regular supermarkets with an Asian ingredients section. As with any noodles, you can find fresh, dry, or frozen udon.
Fresh udon is ideal for this recipe but dry or frozen udon noodles are quite good as long as you follow the cooking instructions. Udon is known for its chewy texture yet totally smooth mouthfeel, so don’t overcook the udon noodles.
Is Yaki Udon Healthy?
The recipe is potentially healthy and made with great ingredients, but the sodium can add up. This recipe is 563 calories per serving.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 564 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Yaki Udon
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 onion (thinly sliced)
- 4 oz. pork or chicken, cut into small pieces
- 5 peeled and deveined shrimp
- 2 oz. cabbage, shredded
- 1/2 carrot (peeled and cut into matchstick strips)
- 12 oz. udon
- 1 stalk scallion (cut into 2-inch (5cm) lengths)
Seasonings:
- 2 tablespoons Mizkan (Bonito Flavor Soup Base or soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon Mirin
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in the Seasonings in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Boil the udon per the packet instructions. Make sure not to overcook the udon. Rinse the udon with cold running water, making sure that there is no excess starch clinging to the noodles. Drain and set aside.
- Heat up a wok or skillet with the oil. Add the onion and sauté briefly, follow by the pork and shrimp.
- Add the cabbage, carrot, and stir a few times before adding the udon noodles. Add the Seasonings into the wok or skillet, stir continuously to combine well with all the ingredients. Add the scallions, stir a few more times, and transfer the yaki udon into a serving bowl.
- Top the yaki udon with some shaved bonito flakes, beni-shoga, and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
We made this a few weeks ago and it was an instant favorite. My husband said it was in his to top ten. I didn’t even know he had a top ten! Anyway we had company over twice in the last three days and we made this dish both times and everyone enjoyed it greatly. A shortcut that we have employed is to use a bag of shredded cabbage with cabbage strips (coleslaw mix) and we throw in some frozen snow peas to add vegetables. A keeper! Thank you so much!