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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!
Question – when I change the # of servings from 2 to 6, the Yaki Udon noodles change from 2 packets to 6 packets, but the total # of ounces remains 13 oz. Since 16 oz of pasta typically feeds our family of 4 with a little left over, am I wrong to be concerned that 6 packets of Yaki Udon noodles totals about 40 oz.? =80
Hi Pat! For six (adult) servings, I would use six packets of pre-cooked, vacuum packed udon noodles. Each packet weighs 6.63oz according to the package. The noodles come pre-cooked so the weight is more than what you would cook if they were dried noodles. For dried udon noodles, I would use the amount listed per serving according to the package. Hope that answers your question!
Hands down, one of the best udon recipes that I’ve tried. It’s honestly become my go to dish! Super easy and quick to make. Made this multiple times with different meats – shrimp, ground beef, chicken….going to try it with tofu next time! ?
Thank you Joyce! So happy to hear that. It’s a go to dish for me too. I love this with shrimp or tofu, you can’t go wrong. 🙂
thanks for sharing your recipe. i didn’t have mirin, avocado oil and scallions but still pushed through with the cooking. also dark soy sauce isn’t available so I used 2tbsp soy sauce and added about 2tsp brown sugar. used up shrimp and broccoli coz we didn’t find bokchoy in store. turned out everything still good!! the recipe is perfect! so happy that my toddler enjoyed this meal too and surprisingly asked for several stalks of broccoli. so happy that i really wanted to put a comment here. 🙂 thank you again for sharing this. Take care!
Yay thank you Mona! That’s great your toddler loved this too. Shrimp and broccoli sound delicious in here. 🙂
Oh my!! This was so very delicious! I kept going back for another bite again and again…confession- I even had the leftovers for breakfast! Hands down the best udon noodle recipe I have tried. The family also agrees! Thanks!
Just happened to have all the ingredients and tried it – It was delicious!! What a great recipe!
Great to hear Lima! Thanks for trying it out! 🙂
This is a must try. It’s better than any takeout udon stir fry I’ve had. I always love when I find a recipe better than what I get at restaurants. Yum!
Hello there,
Both of my kids have developed a love for Japanese food. I was gifted a 2 pound bag of dried udon noodles from a relative who knows this. I saw this recipe and thought it would be a great addition to our weekly dinner rotation and want to try it out. However, I’m at a loss how much dried udon noodle to prepare. Would you have a guestimate as to how many ounces I should prepare of the dried variety?
Thank you so much and thank you for posting. You make the world a better place by sharing easy, family friendly, and also budget friendly recipes.
Hi Anisa! What a great gift to receive. 🙂 For pasta, the rule of thumb is cooking 2 ounces of dried noodles per person, so I would think you can extend that same rule for dried udon noodles. The recipe is written for 2 servings so I would cook 4 ounces of dried udon noodles (2 oz per serving) and add the sauce. If it seems like there’s not enough noodles, you can cut back a bit on the sauce. Hope that helps!
Wonderful stir fry noodles! Added tofu and vegetables to this delicious dinner! Will be making this again soon.
Love this recipe! Probably one of the best I’ve tried and I’m just about to make it a second time!
This was pretty good as written! I wanted a little more acid to offset the savory sauce so I added sriracha and lime to the sauce — definitely recommend!
Thanks Calandra! Happy to hear you recommend this! 🙂
I haven’t used udon noodles too many times but your recipe seemed so easy I had to try it. It was a hit! This was super tasty! Thank you!
Last night I was having a craving for udon and boc choy, but I didn’t have either in the house! Found this recipe, knew I had to make it, and tonight I’m eating it. It’s so easy and surprisingly quick. Definitely sated my craving and will become a standard in my kitchen!
Thanks Imogen! Glad to hear you loved it! It’s a regular recipe in our house too. 🙂
Jamie,
Thank you for your recipe! I made it for my wife for Valentine’s dinner, and another two occasions since.
We follow the recipe exactly, except for adding a little extra garnish of fresh chilli at the end, as we love the heat.
We will be trying more of your recipes soon.
Best, Steve
Thanks Steve! So happy you and your wife enjoyed this! 🙂
Five stars – delicious!
We have made this twice now – once with chicken and once with beef.
We loved both. We are not big mushroom fans, so we mixed those up for other veggies, but the dish has quickly become one I know we will make on repeat. We also tried your Thai Peanut Noodles the other night and they were a hit!
Thanks Amanda! Chicken and beef go amazing with this yaki udon. Shrimp is also great if you like seafood. So glad you liked this and the peanut noodles too! 🙂
My Mum and I make this dish just about once a week – we love it that much!! It has such a good balance of flavor and it so simple. We love your blog, Jamie – thank you! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes (though we will always continue to make this one!)
Made this Yaki udon over the weekend and it was a hit! So easy too, thank you!
Thanks Jo! So glad you liked it! 🙂
Overall it has nice taste and easy to make but my husband & I found it was too salty for us. I will either reduce soy sauce or oyster sauce or just use low sodium soy sauce instant.
Thanks
Hi Jamie!
I’m from Australia, and so happy to have your blog through a friend of mine. She recommended I try the Yaki Udon Noodles and also your Korean Beef Bowl. Having tried both now, I can say that your blog is one delicious collection of recipes, and I cannot wait to try them all! We are going to try some of your sweet recipes on the weekend too!
Kind regards, Lucy
Perfect weeknight meal, I love how simple the sauce is and that you can use up whatever veggies you have in the fridge!
This recipe is quick but tastes amazing. My family all loved it for dinner this week.
I’ve been searching for an easy but delicious udon recipe for a long time, I’ve found it. Thank you!