This udon noodle stir fry is an easy weeknight meal that you’ll be making on repeat. After mastering the easy art of chewy udon noodles, you might even start swapping them in other recipe for their no-boil ease and chewy texture.
Grab from the Grocery Store
You might just have some or most of the ingredients needed to make udon noodle stir fry already on hand. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Udon noodles – Thick and chewy, these noodles can be found down the international aisle, or your local Asian grocery store if you’re lucky enough to have one. Check the section below for more info.
- Ground pork – The most popular protein used in yaki udon stir fry is pork belly, but in trying to make this an easy weeknight meal, we swap that out for ground pork.
- Soy sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Mirin
- Brown sugar
- Sesame oil
- White pepper
- Cornstarch
- Chili crisp oil
- Vegetable oil
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Scallions
- Bok choy
- White mushrooms
- Snap peas
- Lime wedges
- Sesame seeds
Where to Find Udon Noodles
Much like other types of noodles, udon can be found in the dried good section near other Asian cuisine, sometimes frozen and if you are very lucky to have an Asian grocery store near you, par cooked in the vacuum package.
Most of us will have access to the frozen. If you find the others, follow the package directions but take off one minute of cook time to account for the additional time spent in the stir fry sauce.
How to Make Udon Noodle Stir Fry (Step-by-Step)
The instructions might look long, but you can have this stir fry ready to go in about 30 minutes.
- Combine sauce ingredients. In a very small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, mirin, brown sugar, sesame oil and white pepper. Stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Whisk into the sauce until thickened and glossy.
- Prepare noodles. If using vacuum packed noodles, simply rinse them under warm water to separate and then toss them in a small amount of vegetable oil to preventing sticking. If using dry or frozen, cook according to package direction minus 1 minute and then drain and toss with the oil.
- Cook pork. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the ground pork, breaking into bits as it browns. Flip every 2 minutes until no pink remains. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat to a paper towel lined plate.
- Cook vegetables. Over medium heat, add the garlic, ginger, scallions, boy choy, mushrooms and snap peas. Cook, stirring to prevent sticking, until the vegetables start to soften. Vegetables should be vibrant in color and soft, but still holding their shape.
- Cook noodles. With the skillet still hot, add the udon noodles, arranging in a single layer and trying to get a sear on one side. Cook for 1 minute.
- Toss noodles in sauce. Pour the sauce over the noodles and with tongs, toss lightly in the sauce.
- Add pork and veggies. Add the cooked ground pork and vegetables back to the noodles, continuing to toss lightly. Do not over toss, this will make the noodles gummy.
- Serve with garnishes. Serve immediately with limes, sesame seeds and extra chili crips oil, if desired.
3-Stage Toss for Perfect Udon Noodles
Udon noodles tend to get a bad rap for being challenging to cook based on texture. Let me teach you a technique used by Asian chefs for the perfect chewy noodle. The toss method is only good for cooked (vacuum packed) noodles. To use this, precook them according to package directions, minus 1 minute.
- Dry Toss– while this isn’t actually dry, it refers to the loosening or the separation of the noodles. This is the quick rinse under warm water and then tossing them in a small amount (only 1 teaspoon) of a neutral oil to preventing sticking.
- Sauce Toss– Noodles will be quickly tossed in the sauce being used under high heat. The gluten from the noodles will help to thicken and gloss the sauce while the noodles soak up the flavor. Pro tip: do not over mix, this should be a toss with tongs for under a minute otherwise they will start to get soggy.
- Finish Toss– The last toss, you will be incorporating the protein and veggies. Again, make this quick to preserve the chewy texture.
Vegetable and Protein Swaps
This udon noodle stir fry is super versatile; swap out any of the veggies, or even use a different protein.
Protein Swaps
- Shrimp
- Ground chicken
- Ground beef
- Tofu
- Tempeh
- Sliced beef
- Sliced chicken
- Pork belly
Vegetable Swaps
- Bell peppers
- Carrots
- Zucchini
- Shredded cabbage
- Snow peas
- Bean sprouts
- Broccoli
- Spinach
Udon Noodle FAQ
You sure can! Authentic udon noodles would most likely be made in a wok, however since the majority of us aren’t so lucky, I’ve made the instructions with a skillet.
Most likely you’ve overworked the noodles. Unfortunately you can not remedy this batch. Suck it up and eat them or order a pizza.
They weren’t loosened and/or tossed in oil before adding to the skillet and sauce.
The texture will be wildly different. In Japan, these noodles are always cooked freshly made, never dried. Vacuum packed fresh and cooked is the best, frozen is second and dried should only be used in a pinch.
Both are stir-fried noodles. Yaki udon uses thick wheat udon; yakisoba uses thinner wheat noodles. Flavor profiles are similar but not identical-yakisoba sauce is usually sweeter.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
No more takeout! These asian-inspired recipes are super easy and just as delicious as your takeout favorites.
Udon Noodle Stir Fry Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Udon Stir Fry Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoons water
- 1-2 teaspoons chili crisp oil* , optional
Yaki Udon Stir Fry:
- 18-20 ounces fresh udon noodles , 2 vacuum packages
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil , you might not use all of this
- 12 ounces ground pork
- 3 cloves fresh garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger , grated
- 4 scallions , trimmed and chopped
- 2 stalks bok choy , coarsely chopped
- 1 cup white mushrooms , sliced
- 1 cup snap peas
Garnish:
- fresh lime wedges
- additional scallions
- sesame seeds
- additional chili crisp
Instructions
Stir Fry Sauce:
- In a very small saucepan, combine the3 tablespoons light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons mirin, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1/8 teaspoon white pepper. Stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 teaspoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoons water. Whisk into the sauce until thickened and glossy.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the 1-2 teaspoons chili crisp oil*, if using.
Udon Noodle Stir Fry:
- If using vacuum packed 18-20 ounces fresh udon noodles, they are already cooked. Simply rinse them under warm water to separate and then toss them in a small amount of vegetable oil to preventing sticking. Set aside. If using dry or frozen, cook according to package direction minus 1 minute and then drain and toss with the oil. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the 12 ounces ground pork, breaking into bits as it browns. Aim to get a bit of char on the meat. Flip every 2 minutes for approximately 6 minutes or until no pink remains. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat to a paper towel lined plate.
- If there is still some fat left in the pan, leave it, if it is dry, add 1 tablespoon more of the vegetable oil. Over medium heat, add the minced 3 cloves fresh garlic, grated 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 4 scallions, 2 stalks bok choy, sliced 1 cup white mushrooms and 1 cup snap peas. Cook, stirring to prevent sticking, for approximately 5 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften. Vegetables should be vibrant in color and soft, but still holding their shape (except bok choy, that will wilt). Remove the vegetables to another bowl.
- With the skillet still hot, add the prepared udon noodles, arranging in a single layer and trying to get a sear on one side. Cook for 1 minutes.
- Pour the sauce over the noodles and with tongs, toss lightly in the sauce.
- Add the cooked ground pork and vegetables back to the noodles, continuing to toss lightly. Do not overtoss, this will make the noodles gummy.
- Serve immediately with fresh lime wedges, additional scallions and extra additional chili crisp, and/or sesame seeds if desired.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Notes
Nutrition
