Recipe Highlights

This udon soup recipe is more than just a quick meal; it’s a culinary experience designed to delight your senses. Here’s what makes it so special:

Amazing Flavors & Textures: A light and healthy soup doesn’t have to be boring. This udon soup features a delicate broth complemented by tender, savory mushrooms and thick, soft, and chewy noodles, creating a truly enticing combination.

Customizable Soup: Start with my base soup recipe and then personalize it with your favorite vegetables, seasonings, and crunchy toppings. Transform it into a hearty chicken udon soup or load it with fish cakes and tofu for added protein.

Dinner in Under 30 Minutes: Minimal prep work, mostly involving quick slicing, and everything cooks in one pot. Using pre-cooked noodles, you’ll have a perfect bowl of udon noodle soup in less than 30 minutes.

Key Ingredients and Tips for the Best Udon Soup

The quality of your ingredients greatly impacts the final flavor of your udon soup. Here are some essential components and tips to ensure a delicious outcome:

• Udon Noodles: These thick Japanese noodles, made from wheat flour, provide a soft and irresistibly chewy texture. They have a mild flavor, making them excellent at absorbing the broth’s savory essence. You can find them dried or in partially-cooked vacuum-sealed pouches. I recommend the vacuum-sealed pouches for their quick preparation time (ready in just 1-2 minutes).
• Shiitake Mushrooms: While other mushrooms might be tempting, shiitake mushrooms are the best choice for this recipe. They boast a unique, meaty flavor that elevates the soup to a new level. Their umami richness is unmatched by other varieties.
• Green Onions: Use both the white and green parts of fresh, crisp scallions. Slice the white parts for cooking in the soup and the green parts for a fresh garnish.
• Soy Sauce: I use regular soy sauce, but feel free to use low-sodium if you prefer to control the salt content.
• Sesame Oil: Sesame oil is my go-to for this recipe due to its high smoke point and pleasantly mild flavor. While you can substitute it with avocado or canola oil, they lack the smooth, nutty taste that complements the soy sauce and dashi.
• Mirin: This sweet Japanese rice wine adds a subtle sweetness to the broth. It’s available in most large grocery stores. If unavailable, substitute with a sweet white wine or white grape juice (for a non-alcoholic option). The small amount of alcohol in mirin cooks off during the cooking process.
• Dashi Powder: A traditional Asian soup base made with shrimp flakes, seaweed, and dried mushrooms. It has a very distinct flavor, so try to find it at Asian markets or order it online. If you can’t find dashi powder, mushroom powder is a suitable substitute.

How to Make Delicious Udon Soup: Step-by-Step Guide

Making udon soup is a breeze! Follow these simple steps for a quick and satisfying meal.

Prep the Veggies: This step takes less than 10 minutes and involves slicing the vegetables. Start by cutting off the root ends of the green onions and slicing them in half, separating the white parts from the green. Slice the white ends lengthwise and then cut each piece into quarters to create long, noodle-like strips. Thinly slice the green ends for garnish. Finally, finely slice the shiitake mushrooms.

Stir-Fry: Heat sesame oil in a large soup pot (6-8 quart capacity) over medium-high heat. Add the white pieces of the scallions and sliced mushrooms. Stir-fry for 3-5 minutes, until the onions soften. Ensure the vegetables don’t burn by stirring frequently.

Add the Soup Base: Pour in the water, soy sauce, mirin, and dashi powder. Stir well and bring the soup to a simmer. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook the soup for at least 5 minutes to develop a rich, flavorful broth.

Noodle Time: Carefully squeeze the udon noodles from their packaging and add them to the simmering broth. Stir gently to loosen the noodles, allowing them to separate naturally. Over-stirring can cause the noodles to become gummy, so give them some space.

Simmer and Slurp: Since udon noodles are pre-cooked, they only need to simmer for about 2 minutes to heat through. After 90 seconds, test a noodle to ensure it’s hot. Continue cooking for a few more seconds if needed, or remove the pot from the heat once the noodles are ready.

Optional Add-ins for a Customized Udon Soup Experience

Udon noodle soup is a versatile dish that can be customized to your liking. Here are some suggestions for adding extra flavor and texture:

For a refreshing twist, add crunchy mung bean sprouts and fresh herbs like Thai basil or cilantro. A touch of spicy chili paste and crispy fried onions can add a delightful kick.

For a heartier meal, consider adding proteins such as fish cakes, cubes of firm tofu, soft-boiled ramen eggs, or sliced cooked chicken or pork. You can even cook thinly sliced pieces of raw meat directly in the simmering broth, similar to a traditional hot pot recipe.

Serving Suggestions: Complementing Your Udon Soup

Udon soup pairs well with a variety of dishes. I often serve it alongside a simple chopped romaine lettuce salad with a vibrant ginger carrot dressing.

It can also be served as a substantial first course before enjoying main dishes like shrimp fried rice or meaty beef ribs, or any other Asian-inspired cuisine.

Storage and Reheating Tips for Udon Soup

While udon noodle soup is best enjoyed fresh, leftovers can be stored and reheated with proper care.

Let the soup cool completely before transferring it to airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. For best results, store the noodles separately from the broth to prevent them from becoming too soft.

To reheat, warm the broth on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot but not boiling. Add the noodles to the hot broth and cook for 1 minute until heated through. If using the microwave, heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each.

Frequently Asked Questions About Udon Soup

Is this soup vegetarian?

No, this is not a vegetarian recipe because it is made with traditional dashi, which includes bonito flakes (fish flakes). However, you can find fish-free dashi powders online to make the udon soup vegetarian-friendly.

My broth tastes a bit bland; how can I fix it?

A splash of soy sauce or an extra dash of dashi goes a long way. Taste as you go and adjust to your preference!

Can I use dried udon noodles instead of vacuum-sealed noodles?

Absolutely. Prepare them according to the package directions before adding them to the soup near the end of cooking.

More Delicious Soup Recipes to Explore

Looking for more comforting soup recipes? Here are a few of my favorites:

• Tom Yum Soup Recipe
• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Thai Khao Soi (Coconut Curry Soup)
• 5-Minute Miso Soup Recipe

Easy Udon Soup Recipe

Prep Time:

10 minutes

Cook Time:

15 minutes

Total Time:

25 minutes

Servings:

6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 bunch green onions, divided
• 5-6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 10 cups water
• 6 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons dashi powder (bonito soup stock)
• 14.2 ounces vacuum-sealed udon noodles (2 packages)

Instructions:

1. Soup Prep: Lay the bunch of scallions on the cutting board. Cut off the root ends, then cut them in half, separating the white ends from the green ends. For the white ends, cut them in half, lengthwise, and then cut each half into quarters, creating long noodle-like segments of scallion. For the green ends, slice them thin to use later as a fresh soup topping. Finely slice the shiitake mushrooms.
2. Set a large 6-8 quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the sesame oil to the pot. Once hot, add the scallion whites and shiitake mushrooms. Stir fry the veggies for 3-5 minutes until the onions are soft.
3. Pour the water into the soup pot. Then add the soy sauce, Mirin, and Dashi powder. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Simmer the soup base for at least 5 minutes.
4. Cut the udon noodle packages open. Squeeze the noodles out of the packages into the soup broth. Stir gently to loosen the noodles; do not try to break them apart, allow the gentle movement of a liquid to separate them. Once the noodles are fully separated, simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Then turn off the heat.
5. Scoop the noodles and broth into bowls and sprinkle with fresh green onions. Top with any other additional ingredients you like!

Notes:

Leftovers store well with a little TLC! Let the soup cool, then transfer it to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days. If possible, store the noodles separately from the broth – udon noodles soak up liquid quickly and can become a bit too soft/mushy if left together.

To reheat, warm the broth on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot but not boiling. Add the noodles and heat just until warmed through. If using the microwave, heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each.

Nutrition:

Serving: 1 bowl, Calories: 152kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 0.3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1460mg, Potassium: 120mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 20IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 19mg, Iron: 1mg

Course:

Soup

Cuisine:

Asian, Japanese

Author:

Sommer Collier