Udon Noodle Soup
Thick, chewy udon noodles swim in a delicate dashi-based broth, finished with savory toppings. This incredibly quick and deeply satisfying Japanese soup delivers authentic umami flavor with minimal effort.
Equipment
- Large pot - for cooking the noodles
- Medium saucepan - for the broth
- Fine-mesh strainer - for straining the dashi
- Japanese Ramen Bowls - or large deep soup bowls, for serving
- Tongs - or long cooking chopsticks, for handling the noodles
- Ladle - for portioning the broth
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Small bowls - for organizing toppings before serving
Ingredients
- 28 oz frozen udon noodles - 800g total, preferably Sanuki-style
- 4 cups dashi stock - 960ml, homemade or made from dashi powder
- 3 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce - 45ml, koikuchi shoyu
- 2 tablespoons mirin - 30ml, Japanese sweet cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil - 5ml
- 0.5 teaspoon sugar - 2.5g, optional, to balance the broth
- 0.5 teaspoon salt - 2g, or to taste
- 3 green onions - scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
- 2 teaspoons shichimi togarashi - Japanese seven-spice blend, optional, for garnish
Optional Toppings
- 4 slices kamaboko fish cake - Japanese steamed fish cake
- 4 pieces aburaage - fried tofu pouch, halved
- 2 soft-boiled eggs - halved
- 4 pieces wakame seaweed - rehydrated
- shrimp tempura - for a heartier bowl
For the Dashi (if making from scratch)
- 4 cups cold water - 960ml
- 1 piece kombu - dried kelp, approximately 4 inches (10cm) square
- 0.5 cup katsuobushi - 15g, dried bonito flakes
Instructions
- Make the dashi: Soak kombu in cold water for 20-30 minutes in a medium saucepan. Heat to just below a simmer (140-160°F), remove kombu before boiling. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, add bonito flakes and steep 3-5 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer.
- Season the broth: Return dashi to the saucepan and add soy sauce, mirin, sugar (if using), and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer for 1-2 minutes. Stir in sesame oil and keep warm over low heat.
- Prepare your toppings: Slice kamaboko, halve aburaage, prepare soft-boiled eggs, rehydrate wakame, and thinly slice green onions. Arrange in small bowls near the stove.
- Cook the udon noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add frozen udon noodles directly from the freezer and cook for 1-2 minutes, separating gently with tongs. Drain in a colander without rinsing.
- Assemble and serve: Divide drained noodles evenly among four bowls. Ladle hot broth over each. Arrange toppings on top, scatter with green onions and a pinch of shichimi togarashi if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Frozen vs dried: Use frozen Sanuki-style udon for the best chewy texture. Dried udon noodles often turn out gummy or too firm.
- Don't boil the kombu: Remove it from the water before it reaches a full boil to avoid releasing a bitter, slimy compound that muddies the dashi flavor.
- Taste and adjust: Soy sauce and dashi powder brands vary in saltiness. Always taste the broth after seasoning and adjust to your preference.
- Keep the broth hot: The broth should be at a full simmer when ladled over the noodles to ensure the soup is steaming hot.
- Do not rinse the noodles: The starchy surface helps the broth adhere to the noodles for better flavor in every bite.
- Prep toppings first: Udon noodles cook in under 2 minutes, so have all toppings ready before you start cooking the noodles.
- Storage: Store leftover broth and noodles separately. The broth can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for a month. Cook fresh noodles when reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat the broth gently on the stove, and refresh noodles by dipping them in hot (not boiling) water for 30-60 seconds.