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From savory stir-fried yaki udon to hearty beef udon and flavorful curry udon, discover the best Japanese udon recipes all in one place. These easy, cozy dishes are simple to make at home and absolutely delicious.
Bouncy, chewy, and slippery, udon noodles are one of the most popular noodles in Japanese cuisine. I love them for their comforting flavors, hearty bite, and how easy they are to prepare.
From simple, soul-soothing soups to hearty stir-fries and refreshing chilled salads, there’s a udon dish for every occasion. In this roundup, I’m sharing my favorite authentic Japanese udon recipes to inspire your next meal.
Each dish highlights the versatility of udon, with a mix of traditional flavors and a few modern twists. I hope you’ll find a new favorite to enjoy!
Table of Contents
Nami’s Cooking Tips for Udon
- Use frozen udon noodles – They only take about 1 minute to reheat in boiling water. I especially love frozen Sanuki udon for its thick, chewy texture. You can usually find it in the freezer aisle of Japanese or Asian markets.
- Gluten free? Swap in rice udon noodles and use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari soy sauce.
- Make homemade noodles – If you have time, try making Homemade Udon Noodles with wheat flour, water, and salt. Nothing beats the fresh texture!
Which udon recipe have you tried? Leave a comment at the end of the post—I’d love to hear from you. Now let’s get started!
Our Best Japanese Udon Noodle Recipes
Beef Udon
Steamy broth, chewy noodles, and sweet-savory sliced beef come together in this easy Beef Udon recipe. I'll share my best tips and time-saving options for delicious flavor in this go-to bowl of Japanese comfort.
“This is our favorite JOC recipe! We eat this at least once a week especially now that our supermarket now sells frozen udon. This is also what we eat when we feel a little sick.” – Amy
Yaki Udon (Japanese Stir-Fried Udon Noodles)
In my satisfying Yaki Udon, we pan-grill thick and chewy Japanese wheat noodles with crisp vegetables and protein in a savory sauce. This popular udon dish is incredibly delicious and ready in just 25 minutes. It's easily vegetarian or vegan adaptable, too.
“It’s a 10/10 from me. I just happened to have some chicken, cabbage, and udon noodles to use up, and it all came together in this delicious, satisfying dish.” – Jess
Curry Udon
Thick, chewy udon noodles served in a rich, fragrant curry soup, this Curry Udon will satisfy your noodles craving in an instant. Bonus: It’s simple enough to throw together on a busy weeknight.
“Tried this recipe today and actually used leftover turkey as my protein. Yesterday I smoked a whole turkey and used your miso glaze recipe. Today I turned it into the soul. It was so good!” – Nick
Vegetarian Udon
There‘s nothing more nourishing and comforting than a steaming bowl of Vegetarian Udon Noodle Soup! Made with vegan dashi broth and topped with minced mushroom, tofu, crispy fried eggplant, and bok choy, this is going to be your favorite thing to eat all year round.
“THIS WAS SO GOOD!! Amazing simple broth and perfect for colder weather. I made way too many veggies to everything else ratio, but that’s never a bad thing.” – Richard T
Mentaiko Udon (Spicy Cod Roe Udon)
Mentaiko Udon is my variation on the Japanese wafu pasta classic Mentaiko Pasta. This version tosses thick and chewy udon noodles in a creamy sauce of spicy salted cod roe and tender squid. Sprinkled with refreshing shiso leaves and crisp nori seaweed, it’s a satisfying dish for lovers of seafood and modern Japanese cuisine alike.
“This was very easy and satisfying to say the least! It tasted almost exactly like my favorite Udon places, but mentaiko has been in short supply here, so I had to improvise and add salmon instead. Such a great recipe.” – Aura
Kitsune Udon
Kitsune Udon is a Japanese noodle soup in dashi broth topped with seasoned fried tofu pouches, pink-swirl narutomaki fish cake, and sliced scallions. This comforting udon soup is one of the most popular and classic Japanese noodle recipes of all time.
“Such an simple, yet comforting dish. What I appreciate most is that the recipe provides shortcuts and alternatives if you don’t have the time or ideal ingredients.” – Monica Vu
Udon Noodle Soup (Kake Udon)
This classic Udon Noodle Soup (Kake Udon) is all about simplicity and comfort. The thick and chewy noodles in a delicate broth are perfectly garnished with sliced green onions. Enjoy this vegan-adaptable soup as is or add your favorite toppings for a more substantial meal.
“5 stars! I made this with your homemade udon noodle recipe and enjoyed it with some simmered daikon. I feel so comforted!” – Toni
Cold Tanuki Udon
A quick and easy summer lunch: Cold Tanuki Udon! This refreshing chilled version features cold, thick noodles topped with cucumber, tomatoes, tenkasu (tempura scraps), wakame seaweed, and boiled egg. Drizzle on ice-cold, savory mentsuyu sauce for a winning recipe!
“Just tried making it! Super yummy!!” – Karen
Nabeyaki Udon
Served in an individual donabe clay pot, Nabeyaki Udon is a wintertime staple in Japan. In this recipe, thick chewy udon noodles are cooked in a flavorful dashi broth along with kamaboko fish cake, deep-fried tofu pouch, scallions, and an egg. Top it up with crispy shrimp tempura to make it extra fancy or keep it simple with what you have in the fridge.
“This recipe tasted exactly like what we’d have at a Japanese restaurant. The broth was superb – full of umami and so comforting on a cold day. I was thrilled that I could make it at home!” – C Tan
Cold Curry Udon
Cold Curry Udon is a summertime dish of thick Japanese wheat noodles soaked in chilled curry soup and topped with sliced pork and fresh vegetables. It‘s a colorful, nutritious, and refreshingly savory meal on a warm day.
“I made this curry with the Just One Cookbook roux recipe and fresh tomato and cucumber from the garden. Since I’m a vegetarian, I modified the recipe by excluding animal protein (I only used eggs). It still tasted good.” – Kristi
Miso Nikomi Udon
Miso Nikomi Udon is a hearty and comforting noodle soup in which chicken, fish cake, and thick Japanese wheat noodles are simmered in a miso-flavored dashi broth. When it‘s cold outside, this noodle soup will warm you from the inside out.
“Tried this recipe a few times. My kids love this dish 🙂 Contains all the things they like, except the leek.” – June
Cold Udon Noodles (Zaru Udon)
Cool down on a sweltering summer day with refreshing and delicious Cold Udon Noodles. This simple, classic recipe pairs thick and chewy Japanese noodles with an umami-rich dipping sauce that you can make either from scratch or with bottled soup base.
“I enjoyed Nami’s homemade dipping sauce with the udon noodles, and the sauce (or broth) tasted really great! I loved it!” – Mike L
How to Make Sesame Sauce (Goma Dare)
This simple Japanese Sesame Sauce (Goma Dare) is creamy, flavorful, and savory. Use it as a dipping sauce for shabu shabu (Japanese hot pot) or try it with steamed vegetables, cold or hot tofu, green salad, and somen or udon noodles. The possibilities are limitless!
“I had a small piece of ginger to use up and this was the perfect recipe for that!! This dressing is delicious!!” – Kim
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on January 11, 2024. It was updated on July 4, 2024, and was republished on September 18, 2025, with more helpful information for readers.
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