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Yaki udon is an easy Japanese stir fried udon noodle recipe ready in 20 minutes! Stir fried udon noodles with a savory 5 ingredient yaki udon noodle sauce.
Yaki udon noodles is one of my favorite weeknight meals to make because it’s so fast and easy to make! The yaki udon noodle sauce is only 5 ingredients, and the udon noodles are ready to stir fry in under 5 minutes. Throw in any vegetables and protein you’d like because these stir fried udon noodles are super versatile and taste good with just about anything. Also they’re ready in 20 minutes, start to finish!
For this recipe, I used ground chicken for chicken yaki udon but you can also use ground beef or pork. Seafood would work as well.
What is Yaki Udon?
Yaki udon is a stir fried Japanese udon noodle dish made with an assortment of vegetables and protein. It’s stir fried with a savory sauce made of soy sauce and mirin. This is different from yakisoba because they are made with different noodles. Yakisoba is also a stir fried Japanese noodles dish but the noodles used are much thinner. But this is not to be confused with soba noodles which are actually made out of buckwheat flour.
What is Yaki Udon Made of?
Yaki udon is made using Japanese udon noodles. Udon noodles are a thick, chewy wheat noodles made with wheat flour, water, and salt. However, it’s not gluten free like the rice noodles you see in many stir fries. Udon noodles are vegan and dairy free, but always check the ingredients as there can be different additives that vary per brand.
Is Yaki Udon healthy?
Udon noodles are usually made with very few ingredients – wheat flour, water, and salt. As Yaki udon is made with an assortment of vegetables and protein, this can be made into a healthy meal with protein, fiber, and carbs. For this recipe, I used ground chicken for a lighter option. Nutrition information for this chicken yaki udon can be found under the recipe instructions.
Yaki udon is a great way to use frozen udon noodles because they’re excellent in stir fries. Frozen udon noodles are great to have on hand for quick meals because they cook quickly, and according to how you cook them, retain the chewy texture of udon noodles pretty well.
For this recipe I used pre-cooked udon noodles you find vacuum packed in plastic. These are typically found in the refrigerated or frozen section of your Asian grocery store. If you have freshly made or dried udon noodles, cook them according to the packet directions but subtract 1 minute since you’ll be cooking them more in the stir fry. Be sure to rinse them in cold water afterwards and drizzle on a little oil if you’re not using them right away.
How to Cook Udon Noodles for Stir Frying
These instructions are for vacuum packaged udon noodles (pictured above) you find in the refrigerator or frozen section of your Asian grocery store.
Better to Use Frozen Udon Noodles
If you can, freeze the pre-cooked udon noodle packet ahead of time before cooking. If not, you can use them straight from the fridge as well. But after several experiments, I found that frozen udon noodles have a slightly better texture in this dish. More on this below:
How and Why to Use Frozen Udon Noodles
Using frozen udon helps the udon noodles get that chewy texture they’re known for and also prevents them from becoming mushy and overcooked.
Drop your (frozen or unfrozen) udon noodles in rapidly boiling water. Once they’re in the boiling water, the water temperature will decrease and stop boiling because the udon noodles are cold. That’s okay and is a good thing because this prevents them from overcooking, and the water is just hot enough to separate the noodles. Udon noodle texture should be chewy yet soft. Stir the noodles gently until each noodle strand is separated and flexible. This should take 1 – 2 minutes.
Do not overcook your noodles since they already come precooked in the packets and overcooking them will make them too soft and mushy. Try not to pry apart the noodles as this can tear them, just wait for them to separate on their own and give them a gentle stir.
As soon as the noodles separate and become pliable, take them out of the hot water and then rinse them under cold water.
How to Separate Udon Noodles & Prevent Clumping
If you don’t plan using them right away, toss with a little drizzle of oil to keep them from sticking together. This should separate the udon noodles and keep them from drying out and clumping together.
How to Make Yaki Udon | Stir Fried Udon Noodles
- Prepare the 5 ingredient yaki udon noodle sauce
- Stir fry together your meat and vegetables of choice
- Add in your pre-cooked udon noodles along with the sauce and stir fry together
Variations on yaki udon:
- protein choices: chicken, beef, pork, tofu, shrimp
- vegetable choices: broccoli, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, snap peas, bamboo shoots
This makes great leftovers and reheats really well. Store leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I hope you make this chicken yaki udon, stir fried udon noodles! Please share, rate, and comment below. I’d love to hear from you!
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Yaki Udon | Stir Fried Udon Noodles
Ingredients
- 2 packets udon noodles, total 13 oz vacuum packed noodles; see Note 1
- 2½ cups stir fry vegetables , chopped (I used mushrooms, bok choy, onions)
- 2 stalks scallions, cut 2 inches long
- ½ lb ground meat, beef, chicken, turkey, pork, shrimp
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
Yaki Udon Noodle Sauce
- 2½ Tablespoons dark soy sauce, see Note 2
- 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce, see Note 3
- 1 Tablespoon mirin, see Note 4
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
Instructions
- Sauce: Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and set aside.2½ Tablespoons dark soy sauce, 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 Tablespoon mirin, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
Cook the Udon Noodles
- Remove your udon noodles from its package and add it to a pot of boiling water. Frozen udon noodles can be added directly to the pot of boiling water. Stir gently until your udon noodles are separated and pliable. This should take 1 – 2 minutes. They come precooked so avoid overcooking them as they can get too soft.2 packets udon noodles
- Rinse and drain your noodles under cold water. If not using right away, drizzle on a little bit of oil to keep them from sticking.
Stir Fry
- Heat your pan over high heat and add the oil. Add in the ground meat and stir fry until almost cooked. Add the vegetables and stir fry until meat is fully cooked and vegetables are soft. Next add in the noodles, sauce, and scallions. Add less sauce if you prefer. Continue stir frying for about 3 minutes or until well combined. Serve immediately.2½ cups stir fry vegetables, ½ lb ground meat, 1 Tablespoon avocado oil, 2 stalks scallions
Notes
- Udon noodles – I used vacuum packed udon noodles that are pre-cooked and sealed fresh in individual packets. You can find these in the refrigerated or frozen section of Asian grocery stores. You can also use dried udon noodles. Simply cook them according to their directions and proceed with the recipe.
- Dark soy sauce – you can substitute regular soy sauce if you don’t have dark soy sauce but the color will not be as dark. Pro tip: simply reduce regular soy sauce in a sauce pan with a pinch of sugar and a small drizzle of molasses to create a homemade version. Wait for it to come to a boil then turn it off once it thickens slightly.
- Oyster sauce – contrary to it’s name, oyster sauce doesn’t have an overwhelming oyster flavor, bur rather a sweet, umami flavor that’s similar to hoisin sauce or teriyaki sauce. Substitute with: hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, or any sweet & savory brown stir fry sauce.
- Mirin – mirin is a Japanese cooking wine that gives dishes that restaurant quality taste. Substitute with: cooking wine, sake, soju. Non-alcoholic substitute: stock, water with a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
My son wanted to try something with Udon noodles – watching his macros so had to be careful. We prepared everything (rather, I prepared everything) but cooked it side by side because he needed to count everything. This was EXCELLENT. Made my husband’s with rice. Definitely a keeper recipe.
Thanks Elaine! So happy your family enjoyed this! 🙂
Really tasty! I ended up tweaking things a little as far as ingredients went (spiralizer’d zucchini from my garden and a carrot, plus frozen broccoli and edamame), and used chicken breast cut up thin and small, cooked with soy sauce. Removed the chicken once cooked, then did the veggies which got a drizzle of toasted sesame seed oil, salt/pepper and garlic. Only had dried noodles so undercooked them a lil and rinsed em real well after cooking. Added the noodles, chicken and sauce.. and it was very tasty!! Definitely making this again. Thanks so much!
Thanks Sara! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Great idea using chicken breast here. 🙂
This recipe is a keeper! I love how easy and versatile it is, and your tips are, as always, super helpful!
Thanks Jennifer! So happy you found the tips for cooking udon noodles to be helpful! 🙂
Best. Recipe. Ever.
Everyone needs to try this immediately!
Thanks Gil! So happy you liked it! 🙂
I don’t make noodles often as my hubby is Italian and prefers pasta instead. But I persuaded him to try this recipe and he loved it. I’m so glad he did. This udon noodle stir fry was delicious, I’m definitely making it again soon!
Thanks Jacqueline! So glad to hear you and your husband loved it! We make this all the time at my house too. 🙂
Wow this was so easy and so yummy. I will be making this at least once a week instead of getting takeout. Yum!
Thanks for trying it out! Totally agree it’s better than takeout!
Oh my gosh soooo good! Udon noodles are the way to go – I kept it veggie-packed and left out the meat and still so tasty 🙂
Thanks Andrea! Love the idea of adding lots of vegetables to make vegetarian udon noodles!
This looks amazing and I bet it tastes fantastic. Love your recipe, pinned and bookmarked to make this weekend. Thanks so much!!
Thanks Jenny! Hope you enjoy it!
Looks so good! I know my family would love this.
Thanks Katie! Hope you try it out!
I love quick and easy meals! This looks delicious and so flavourful. Pinning to try!
This was a huge hit with my kids. Definitely the best yaki udon recipe I have made so far. Every bite was gone and we will be making this again soon. We made ours with chicken but I’m sure tofu or shrimp would be amazing too.
Thank you Cyndy! So glad your kids liked it!
What a terrific recipe! I love that this is so super quick and also very flexible to accommodate different proteins and whatever veggies I might have on hand! Also, your tips are terrific and so helpful – especially about freezing the noodles for the absolute perfect texture! This made an excellent dinner. Thank you!
Thank you Shelley! So glad you found that tip helpful! 🙂
Absolutely fantastic! From the freezing noodle tip to the ease of instructions, this was a delicious and satisfying recipe. I doubled it, and there were NO leftovers.
So glad you liked it Danielle! 🙂
I’ve been searching for a good Yaki Noodle recipe for sooooo long., So happy I finally found one that’s as good if not better than our favourite sushi restaurant. With the current state of affairs right now we’re eating at home a lot more. This recipe is definitely a keeper. My family is already asking when I can make it again:)
Thank you Rose! So glad to hear you and your family loved it! We make these udon noodles all the time at home too! 🙂
Delicious and easy to make! Only change I made was used tamari instead of dark soy because that’s all I had. I think my noodle packets were a little bigger than the recipe’s so I think I would make a little extra sauce next time.
I added cabbage as my veggie and it’s delicious.
Thanks Emily! Tamari is a great substitute for soy sauce, you can also use coconut aminos if you have them. So glad you liked it! 🙂
its too yummy!!!
thanks for sharing the recipe.
Wow how amazing! I honestly cant believe how easy and delicious this was. Thanks for the tip of frozen udon noodles. I have never done it this way and they were perfectly chewy just like I like them and not soft and soggy like in the past.
I will definitely make this again and again. Oh and my sauce wasn’t as dark but just as delicious!!❤️
Thank you so much Sandra! I like my udon noodles chewy too and it never fails if I freeze them before cooking. So happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Hi – if we don’t have mirin – is there a sub or is it ok to leave out?
Hi Randi! You can substitute mirin for any white wine or even sake. If you don’t have those, you can replace with a bit of chicken stock or even water. Hope you enjoy!
How many calories does 2 servings have?
Hi Austin, based on the nutritional information there are 344 calories per serving. You can find more nutrition information at the bottom of the recipe card. Hope you enjoy!
I love this yaki udon! It comes together so quickly and easily too. Yum!
This recipe looks so delicious! This yaki udon noodles even better than the one I usually get at the restaurant. I’m going shopping to make this tomorrow!