How To Make Udon Noodle Soup

shiitake mushrooms

🥗Healthier: button mushrooms

💰Cheaper: cremini mushrooms

Button mushrooms are more widely available and less expensive.

chicken breast

🥗Healthier: tofu

💰Cheaper: chicken thighs

Tofu is a plant-based option, while chicken thighs are generally cheaper.

mirin

🥗Healthier: rice vinegar + sugar

💰Cheaper: white wine

Rice vinegar + sugar mimics mirin's sweetness, while white wine is often less expensive.

dashi broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: chicken broth

Vegetable broth offers a lighter flavor, while chicken broth is often more affordable.

Introduce udon noodles and explain their texture and types: frozen, half-boiled, and dried.

Boil water in a large pot.

Add dried udon noodles to boiling water and cook according to package instructions, about 10-12 minutes, while using chopsticks to disentangle the noodles.

For half-boiled udon noodles, cook in boiling water for about 3 minutes.

For frozen udon noodles, boil for about 3 minutes until hot, also using chopsticks to disentangle them.

After boiling, strain the udon noodles and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Prepare dashi stock: if using homemade, soak kombu in cold water for 30 minutes, then bring to a boil, removing kombu just before boiling.

Add katsuobushi (bonito flakes) to the kombu water and simmer for 2 minutes, then strain to make dashi stock.

In the dashi stock, add light soy sauce, mirin, and a little salt, then bring to a boil.

Add cooked udon noodles to the boiling dashi stock and stir to combine.

Serve the udon noodles in large soup bowls.

Prepare toppings: add carrot cut into flower shapes, finely chopped chives, toasted sesame seeds, nori strips, and sprinkle with shichimi togarashi.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens