This one-pot udon noodles soup recipe comes together easily, fast, in just 15 minutes on the stove, for the best, authentic vegetarian udon soup recipe.
Like so many Japanese food fans, I will happily slurp a good bowl of hearty, brothy ramen noodles any time of the day. But if you asked me to choose, udon noodles in their light broth are definitely my first love. There’s something about udon’s thick, bouncy texture that works so perfectly in dishes like my Udon Stir Fry. But this Udon Noodles Soup recipe is where it’s at for an even quicker udon fix. Sure, you can make packaged udon noodles with the enclosed seasoning packet, but I find this super fast broth made with the powdered dashi soup base I keep in my pantry even more flavorful. I add shiitake mushrooms, cabbage, silken tofu, and green onion but there are infinite ingredient combinations to customize this perfect udon recipe.
In This Post
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This udon soup is light, healthy, flavorful, and super delicious
- It comes together on the stove easily, in one pot, in just 15 minutes!
- You can easily adjust this soup to your liking
What is Udon Soup Made From?
You should be able to find most if not all of these ingredients in the International aisle of your regular grocery store, but if not, any Asian market should carry them.
- Waterโbecause we are adding several types of seasonings to this soup, I recommend using water instead of stock for the soup base (the Hondashi powder seasons the broth in the way that bouillon cubes do)
- Soy sauceโfor flavoring the soup and adding excellent umami flavor
- Hondashi powderโthis savory, Japanese powdered dashi base is comprised of bonito flakes, sugar, MSG, and yeast extract and is the signature flavor of the soup broth
- Mirinโ(a sweet Japanese rice wine)โyou could also use sake, dry sherry, or rice wine vinegar, mixed with just a pinch of sugar
- Sugarโfor a subtle touch of sweetness
- Udon noodlesโThe key ingredient to udon soup! These thick, chewy Japanese wheat noodles are fun to eat and so slurpable
- Shiitake mushroomsโadd a nice meaty texture to the soup
- Napa cabbageโfor color, heft, and texture in our soup (I like this texture of cabbage best for this particular soup)
- Silken tofuโsilken tofu is important here because of its smooth and creamy texture
- Green onionsโfor flavor and color
- Furikake rice seasoningโa Japanese seasoning mix consisting of toasted sesame seeds, dried seaweed, salt, and sugar
- Togarashi seasoningโa Japanese spice blend usually made of chili peppers, sesame seeds, orange peel, ginger, and seaweed adds a little heat
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Udon Noodles
- Make the broth. Add water to a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the soy sauce, Hondashi powder, mirin, and sugar until the powder and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
- Cook the noodles in the broth. Add the udon noodles to the broth, cover with a lid, and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the noodles soften and separate.
- Cook the veggies in the broth. Add the mushrooms, cabbage, and half of the green onion. Raise the heat to medium and cook for 3-4 more minutes or until the vegetables soften.
- Ladle, season, and serve. Ladle into bowls and add a few spoonfuls of the silken tofu to each dish, topping with more broth to warm the tofu. Add more green onion, furikake rice seasoning, and togarashi seasoning, if desired.
FAQ and Recipe Tips
- What is the difference between ramen and udon soup? Udon noodles are thick and chewy, while ramen noodles are much thinner and not as chewy. In terms of udon soup and ramen soup,
- Is Japanese udon soup healthy? Yes, this soup is light and full of veggies and protein thanks to the tofu (though you can easily add more protein if you like)
Ingredient Substitutions
- Skip the Add fresh ginger, garlic, or a bit of sesame oil to the broth
- Add spicy heat with a spoon of chili crisp or a squirt of Sriracha
- Swap the cabbage or mushrooms for different veggies, like frozen peas, sugar snap peas, snow peas, carrots, or spinach
- Instead of silken tofu, try adding fried tofu
- Add thinly sliced baked chicken, cooked beef or pork, or thinly sliced Japanese fish cake for extra protein
- Add pickled radishes
Storage Tips
This udon soup will keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this soup, even without the noodles.
What to Serve With Udon Soup
This udon soup is excellent on its own, but here are some ideas of things you could serve with it:
- Edamame
- Add a fried or hard-boiled egg on top
- Crispy Chicken Katsu (for extra protein, on the side)
- Teriyaki Chicken (for extra protein, on the side)
- Sweet and Sour Asian Pickled Cucumbers
- Asian Broccolini with Sesame and Ginger
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Udon Noodles Soup
Ingredients
- 5 cups water
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 teaspoons Hondashi powder
- 3 teaspoon mirin
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 12 ounces udon noodles , or two packages refrigerated udon noodles
- 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms , about 4-6 shiitake mushrooms
- 1 cup chopped napa cabbage
- 11 ounces silken tofu , drained
- 2 green onions , chopped
- furikake rice seasoning
- togarashi seasoning
Instructions
- Add water to a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the soy sauce, Hondashi powder, mirin, and sugar until the powder and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
- Add the udon noodles to the broth, cover with a lid, and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the noodles soften and separate.
- Add the mushrooms, cabbage, and half of the green onion. Raise the heat to medium and cook for 3-4 more minutes or until the vegetables soften.
- Ladle into bowls and add a few spoonfuls of the silken tofu to each dish, topping with more broth to warm the tofu. Add more green onion, furikake rice seasoning, and togarashi seasoning, if desired.
Nutrition
More Noodle Soup Recipes to Try
- Udon Stir Fry (Yaki Udon)
- Sesame Soba Noodles
- Ramen Noodles with Marinated Steak and Broccoli
- Fresh and Easy Vietnamese Noodles
- Soba Noodles with Shrimp and Mushrooms
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