10-MINUTE UDON NOODLE SOUP

Name: 10-Minute Udon Noodle Soup
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 423 g (1 lb) udon noodles (2 serving packages); 960 g (4 cups) Dashi stock; 20 ml (4 tsp) soy sauce (low-sodium); 20 ml (4 tsp) mirin; 16 g (4 tsp) sugar; 4 g (1 tsp) kosher salt; 8 g (2 tsp) sesame oil (optional; 2 stalks scallion (thinly sliced)

Read Time: 5 minutes
by Karen
20 comments

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Sometimes life gets busy and when it does you need to pull out an easy, one-pot meal that can be made quickly. Well, this udon noodle soup is that meal. It’s perfect for those busy days when you crave a comforting bowl of goodness without the lengthy prep time. Loaded with hearty, chewy udon noodles in a savory dashi broth, this soup is a delightful harmony of textures and tastes. Oh, and did I mention it only takes 10 minutes to make?!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s quick and easy to make. From start to finish it takes only 10 minutes.
It’s a one-pot meal which makes for easy clean-up.
It uses only a few ingredients.

What Ingredients Do I Need

Only a few ingredients are needed for this soup. The most important ingredient will be the dashi stock. You can usually find dashi powder in most large grocery stores or those that specialize in Asian food. This recipe also requires udon noodles. If you can get freshly made udon noodles I highly recommend using them however packaged, shelf stable noodles are fine too and are often what I use. You will also need mirin which is a low alcohol Japanese rice wine. It is similar to sake but sweeter and contains a much lower level of alcohol. If you can’t find mirin, you could substitue with a dry sherry or sweet marsala wine.

Dashi stock – You will usually find this in a powder form to which you add water to make a stock.
Udon noodles – Ideally freshly made udon noodles but shelf-stable noodles will also be good.
Soy sauce – I prefer a low-sodium soy sauce but regular will also work.
Mirin – A low alcohol Japanese rice wine (optionally a dry sherry or sweet marsala wine will work in a pinch).
Sugar – I used regular white sugar but any will work.
Sesame oil – This is optional and not traditional but I like to add it.
Salt – I used kosher.
Scallion stalks – To garnish

Ingredients for udon noodle soup on a marble countertop

How To Make This Udon Noodle Soup

This recipe is so easy there are literally only 3 main steps.

Heat stock – If you’re using powdered dashi, start by mixing the powder with water according to the package. You want (4 cups), Bring stock to a boil.
Mix ingredients – Add in soy sauce, mirin, sugar, salt, and sesame oil (if using) and stir to combine.

Someone pouring soya sauce into a pot of dashi stock.

A pot of dashi stock on a marble countertop.

Add udon noodles – If using shelf-stable (which come in blocks) add them to the stock and let them sit for 1-2 minutes. Gently start separating the noodles and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes more.
Slice scallions – While noodles cook, slice scallions thinly.

Someone adding udon noodles to a pot of dashi stock.

Someone slicing scallions thinly with a knife.

Plate soup – serve in bowls and top with garnish of your choice. I like to use finely sliced scallions.

3 bowls of udon soup in black bowls with a pair of chop sticks and sliced scallions.

Recipe Tips and Tricks For Success

Make sure the stock has come to a full boil before adding the noodles so they cook properly.
Don’t add the noodles til the last 3 minutes of cooking so they don’t overcook and get mushy.

Recipe Variations

This recipe makes 2 servings of soup however you can easily double or even triple the recipe if you’re cooking for more people.

Traditional udon noodle soup uses dashi stock however, if you can’t find dashi you can use a chicken or vegetable stock. Just keep in mind it will not be a traditional udon soup and the flavor will be a little different.

While udon noodles are traditionally used in this soup, you could substitute them for ramen noodles or even soba noodles which will give it a nuttier flavor.

Recipe Substitutions

As udon noodles are made from wheat flour and water they are naturally dairy free, however they do contain gluten. For a gluten-free version you could use gluten-free udon noodles.

While a lot of standard dashi stock mixes are made with dried bonita flakes, there are some plant based dashi mixes available that you could use to make a vegetarian version of udon noodle soup.

What Other Types Of Garnish Can I Use

In the simplest form, udon soup is only garnished with sliced green scallions, however there are many other toppings that can be used. Here are some options;

Halved hard-boiled eggs
Sprouts
Nori (seaweed)
Thin meat slices
Tempura
Mushrooms
Kamaboko (pink and white steamed fish cake)
Vegetables

a closeup shot of a bowl of udon noodle soup with chopsticks across the top.

Storage Tips

If you have leftovers they can be stored in the fridge for a day however the noodles will absorb more of the stock so you might need to add more. The noodles will also be a little softer but it will still be good. Just reheat to serve again.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS;

What does udon soup taste like? The dashi broth used in udon soup has a mild umami flavor and is seasoned with soy sauce and mirin which has a slightly sweet taste.

Is udon just thick ramen? While they are both made with wheat flour, the two are actually quite different. First off, ramen noodles are made with egg while udon noodles contain only wheat flour and water. Udon noodles are also thick and straight in shape while ramen noodles are thin and wavy.

Is udon Chinese or Japanese? Udon noodles are thick and chewy Japanese noodles made from wheat flour. They are most often used in soups or mixed with sauces for a hot or cold noodle dish.