Udon Soup Recipe: How to Make Udon Soup

Udon are thick, chewy Japanese noodles made of wheat flour, water, and salt, usually served in a simple dashi-based broth. The noodles are often two to four millimeters thick and have a flat or rounded shape. Kneading udon dough can be difficult—some chefs stomp on the wrapped dough to relax it.

The earliest iteration of udon noodles likely appeared in China and traveled to Japan during the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE). The original udon may have been closer to a dumpling than a noodle. In some parts of Japan, people eat square-cut udon rather than rolled and pulled udon in noodle form, which became standard by the early fourteenth century.

Japanese restaurants serve udon in many ways, from hot to cold, brothy to stir-fried. Here are some of the most popular types of Japanese udon:

1. 1. Bukkake udon: This dish involves cooking udon noodles on the stovetop, then chilling them in an ice bath before serving with a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.
2. 2. Curry udon: This Japanese dish features a dashi-based curry sauce over thick, chewy udon noodles. You can incorporate a range of other ingredients into curry udon, including potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, fried tofu, seafood, beef, pork, or chicken.
3. 3. Hiyakake udon: Hiyakake udon is a cold udon dish consisting of chilled noodles served in cold dashi broth with a side of dark dipping sauce.
4. 4. Kake udon: Kake udon (かけうどん) is a traditional Japanese noodle dish that features fresh udon noodles and kakejiru, a simple soup stock made from a combination of dashi, mirin, soy sauce, and other flavorful ingredients. Kake udon is a classic noodle dish associated with the Kanto region of Japan.
5. 5. Kamaage udon: This dish consists of hot udon noodles topped with soy sauce. A side of broth or dipping sauce typically accompanies the dish.
6. 6. Kitsune udon: Kitsune udon noodle soup is a broth-based udon soup that features an abura-age (fried tofu pockets) topping. Learn how to make kitsune udon at home.
7. 7. Mimi udon: Mimi udon is a specialty of the Tochigi region in Japan that diners typically eat on New Year’s Day for good luck. It features ear-shaped udon noodles in a simple broth with various ingredients like bonito flakes, shiitake mushrooms, and miso slices.
8. 8. Miso nikomi udon: This regional dish associated with Nagoya, the capital of Japan’s Aichi Prefecture, consists of stewed udon in a miso broth accompanied by shiitake mushrooms, poached eggs, and chicken.
9. 9. Nabeyaki udon: Nabeyaki udon is a soft, stewed hot pot noodle dish that cooks prepare in a clay pot and top with vegetables, eggs, and meat. Learn how to make nabeyaki udon at home.
10. 10. Sanuki udon: A popular regional udon variety from Japan’s Kagawa Prefecture, the noodles in this dish have an especially chewy and firm texture. Restaurants often top sanuki udon with soy sauce or serve it with a side of udon broth.
11. 11. Tanuki udon: Tanuki udon consists of udon noodles with tenkasu, or bits of deep-fried tempura batter, sprinkled on top.
12. 12. Tempura udon: Tempura udon features udon noodles and fried tempura shrimp, veggies, or tofu.
13. 13. Tsukimi udon: Tsukimi udon is similar to kake udon, a traditional noodle dish that features fresh udon noodles and kakejiru. However, chefs top tsukimi udon with a poached egg to make it creamy.
14. 14. Yaki udon: This Japanese dish consists of udon noodles stir-fried with veggies and pork in a flavorful sauce. Yaki udon is a staple at Japanese izakaya restaurants, and it's simple to make at home.
15. 15. Zaru udon: Zaru udon is a chilled udon dish that diners enjoy with a side of cold tsuyu, a multipurpose Japanese condiment that you can use as a dipping sauce or soup base for Japanese noodle soup. Learn how to make your tsuyu sauce.

There is no shortage of tasty toppings that you can add to any hot or cold udon dish. Here are some of the most popular:

1. 1. Abura-age: This deep-fried tofu pocket has a hollow center and a chewy toothsome texture. Abura-age easily takes on the taste of any marinade.
2. 2. Bonito flakes: Dried bonito flakes are integral to Japanese cuisine. These fermented fish flakes can instantly impart a burst of umami flavor into any savory dish. These smoked, fermented, and dried flakes are made of bonito fish or skipjack tuna.
3. 3. Daikon: Native to Asia, this white radish is popular in Japanese cooking. Daikon has a mild, slightly sweet flavor that opposes American radishes’ peppery flavor.
4. 4. Kamaboko: Kamaboko is a Japanese fish cake made from puréed white fish, called surimi (ground meat). The fish cake includes binding agents, such as egg whites, and natural flavoring, like sake. Learn more about kamaboko.
5. 5. Nori: Nori are dried sheets of seaweed. Adding nori sheets to udon broth makes them soft, like wilted spinach.
6. 6. Scallions: Green onions, also called scallions, are fresh young onions identified by their slender shape and mild flavor. The white part of the green onion has the same sharp, sulfuric taste typical of other alliums, albeit with less bite. Thinly-sliced scallions typically accompany the various types of udon.
7. 7. Shichimi togarashi: Chefs use a series of spices to make this popular Japanese red-pepper spice mix. The spices that appear in shichimi togarashi include red chili pepper, sansho pepper, hemp seeds and/or poppy seeds, white sesame seeds and/or black sesame seeds, ground ginger, yuzu or mandarin orange peel, and nori.
8. 8. Shrimp tempura: Shrimp tempura consists of prawns coated in tempura batter and deep-fried until they are golden brown and crispy.
9. 9. Soft-boiled egg: A soft-boiled egg with a solid white and a jammy yellow is a popular udon topping. Learn how to make the perfect soft-boiled egg.
10. 10. Tenkasu: Tenkasu, or tempura flakes, are crispy, deep-fried pieces of tempura batter.
11. 11. Wakame: Wakame is a type of edible seaweed common in Japanese cuisine. Wakame has a slightly slimier texture than nori and typically appears shredded like noodles.

Whether you’re well-versed in Japanese cuisine or beginning your exploration, udon noodle soup is an easy and versatile recipe to tackle. Consider these tips to make the most of your noodle soup:

1. 1. Use store-bought or homemade ingredients. Tailor the ingredients to suit the time and supplies you hand on-hand. Make homemade udon noodles, or opt for store-bought fresh, dried, or frozen udon noodles. Craft homemade dashi broth, or use a pre-made soup base or store-bought dashi powder to aid in the cooking process.
2. 2. Experiment with additions. This simple soup is the perfect canvas for various toppings that suit your unique palate. Incorporate cooked proteins, like pork, chicken, shrimp, or firm tofu. Add flavorful additions, like shichimi togarashi, sesame oil, bonito flakes, baby bok choy, fresh ginger, and abura-age. Experiment with toppings like thinly-sliced green onion, kamaboko, dried seaweed sheets, and more.
3. 3. Store properly. Udon noodle soup will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store the broth separately from the noodles for the best result. Freeze the broth in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.