This traditional Udon Noodle Soup (Kake Udon) is all about simplicity and luxury. The thick and chewy noodles are nestled in a fragile broth that’s vegan adaptable. Get pleasure from this fundamental udon soup as is or add your favourite toppings for a extra substantial meal.
Of all of the Japanese noodles, udon is my go-to consolation meals. These thick, chewy wheat noodles have a novel means of satisfying starvation and soothing the soul. Whereas there are lots of variations, nothing beats the simplicity of traditional Kake Udon (かけうどん). Right now, I’ll present you find out how to make an genuine bowl with my selfmade soup broth for wealthy, umami style or a fast model with store-bought soup base.
When you’re craving extra Japanese udon recipes, attempt my Kitsune Udon, Beef Udon, and Yaki Udon (Stir-fried Udon Noodles) recipes subsequent!
What’s Kake Udon?
Kanto-style kake udon (かけうどん) is essentially the most fundamental type of sizzling udon noodle soup with a simplest garnish of sliced inexperienced onions. The Kansai area (Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto areas) calls this dish su udon (素うどん) and makes use of a lighter-colored dashi broth. Udon is a specialty of a number of areas in Japan together with Kagawa (the “Capital of Udon”) within the Shikoku area that’s identified for the favored Sanuki udon (讃岐うどん). Fukuoka within the Kyushu area and Saitama in Kanto are additionally well-known for his or her scrumptious variations.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Study to make my selfmade udon broth – I’ll train you find out how to make soup broth from scratch that tastes simply pretty much as good or higher than any restaurant.
- Chewy and bouncy noodles – I’ll share the udon noodles that I all the time use for the most effective and most satisfying texture.
- Elective fast soup broth – When you’re brief on time, attempt my fast broth choice to make this Kake Udon in simply quarter-hour!
Substances for Udon Noodle Soup
- Udon noodles – frozen (beneficial)
- Selfmade soup broth (or make the fast broth beneath):
- Dashi (Japanese soup inventory) – For the most effective taste, make Awase Dashi and Vegan Dashi from scratch earlier than beginning this recipe. Brief on time? Use a Dashi Packet for a fast 5-minute inventory!
- Mirin
- Sugar
- Soy sauce
- Kosher salt
- Inexperienced onions and non-obligatory shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) – for garnish
Discover the printable recipe with measurements beneath.
Substitutions
- Udon noodles: For gluten-free, you should utilize rice udon noodles in addition to gluten-free soy sauce or tamari soy sauce.
Brief on Time?
Strive my fast broth within the recipe beneath as a substitute of creating dashi from scratch utilizing katsuobushi (bonito flakes). Merely use bottled mentsuyu (concentrated noodle soup base) from a Japanese grocery retailer or Amazon. Simply observe the bottle‘s directions for sizzling udon soup (うどん or めんのかけつゆ).
For a fair higher possibility, make my Selfmade Mentsuyu forward of time!
The way to Make Udon Noodle Soup
Preparation
Step 1 – Make the selfmade soup broth. In a medium saucepan, deliver the broth elements to a mild simmer, then cowl it with a lid and set it apart. (Or, make my shortcut fast broth.)
Cooking
Step 2 – Reheat or prepare dinner the udon noodles. Convey a big pot of water to a boil, then add the noodles to reheat or prepare dinner per the bundle directions. Stir to loosen up the noodles. Drain in a colander. Divide into bowls.
Assemble
Step 3 – Pour the new broth over the noodles. Garnish with thinly sliced inexperienced onion and non-obligatory shichimi togarashi for a spicy kick.
Nami’s Recipe Suggestions
- Use a great, flavorful dashi – High quality Japanese soup inventory is the important thing! Selfmade dashi affords the most effective taste and takes beneath half-hour to make. When you’re brief on time, a dashi packet is a 5-minute shortcut with good taste. Dashi powder works in a pinch, but it surely lacks depth and is my least favourite possibility.
- Use frozen udon noodles – It takes simply 1 minute to reheat them in boiling water. My favourite is frozen Sanuki udon for its thick and chewy texture.
- Boil the noodles individually from the soup broth – Keep away from cooking or reheating the noodles straight within the soup broth as they launch extra starch that may make the broth cloudy.
- Make selfmade noodles for the most effective texture – When you have time, attempt making Selfmade Udon Noodles with wheat flour, water, and salt!
Customizations
There are numerous methods to customise this easiest of udon soups. I encourage you to experiment with completely different proteins and toppings for added taste, nourishment, and selection.
- Add protein. I like to make use of Shrimp Tempura to make a easy tempura udon. You can also add fish cake like kamaboko and chikuwa or deep-fried fish cake known as Satsuma age. Tofu works properly, too; attempt deep-fried tofu pouch (Inari age) or deep-fried tofu cutlet (atsuage).
Many are pre-prepared and available at well-stocked Japanese markets. My video reveals 4 variations!
- Prime with greens. Strive leafy greens like blanched komatsuna or spinach. Grated mountain yam known as nagaimo/yamaimo provides a novel slimy texture.
- Sprinkle with yuzu zest. This fragrant citrus peel provides a refreshing contact. Try my publish on The way to Retailer Yuzu Zest out of your winter harvest!
- Add nutrient-rich toppings. My favorites are wakame seaweed, natto (fermented soybeans), and dried kelp shavings known as tororo kombu.
- Add a spicy kick. Whereas shichimi togarashi is a traditional alternative, different condiments that we love to make use of are yuzu kosho, sansho pepper, and Crunchy Garlic Chili Oil (taberu rayu).
Udon Variations
Add signature toppings to make in style udon dishes! In Japan, we have now completely different names for udon soup relying on the toppings we use.
The chances are infinite!
Storage Suggestions
To retailer: You possibly can preserve the udon noodles and broth individually in hermetic containers and retailer them within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
You possibly can. Nonetheless, dried noodles received’t provide the chewy chew (known as koshi (コシ) in Japanese) that frozen udon noodles have. I like to recommend frozen Sanuki udon from the Japanese market within the freezer part.
I don’t suggest it, since dashi powder lacks taste. Please use a dashi packet or dashi created from scratch for the most effective outcomes.
You can also make the selfmade soup broth forward of time and reheat it proper earlier than serving. Nonetheless, I like to recommend boiling the frozen noodles proper earlier than serving for the most effective texture and high quality.
When you used a bottled mentsuyu from the shop, it’s potential that you simply didn’t dilute the concentrated soup base sufficient. Normally, dilution directions are written on the bottle, and every model gives completely different ratios. Typically instances, the directions are written in Japanese, so please you should definitely observe the bottle‘s directions for warm udon soup labeled うどん or めんのかけつゆ.
For the Fast Broth (non-obligatory)
Forestall your display screen from going darkish
To Put together the Selfmade Broth
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In a medium saucepan, add 2⅓ cups dashi (Japanese soup inventory), 1 Tbsp mirin, 1 tsp sugar, 1½ Tbsp soy sauce, and ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
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Convey the broth to a mild simmer. As soon as simmering, take away the pot from the warmth. Cowl with a lid and put aside.
To Put together the Fast Broth (non-obligatory)
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Comply with the directions in your bottle of concentrated mentsuyu for the right dilution ratio for noodle soup broth (proven right here as めんのかけつゆ).
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Mix the water, mentsuyu, and mirin in a medium saucepan. For the model of mentsuyu that I exploit, I add 2⅓ cups water, ⅓ cup mentsuyu (concentrated noodle soup base), and 1 Tbsp mirin. Convey it to a simmer over medium warmth. As soon as simmering, take away the pot from the warmth. Cowl with a lid and put aside.
To Prepare dinner the Udon Noodles
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Convey a big pot of water to a boil. When the water involves a full rolling boil, add 2 servings udon noodles and prepare dinner in response to the bundle directions. The model of frozen udon noodles I exploit requires reheating them for 1 minute. Utilizing chopsticks, stir the noodles to loosen them up. For contemporary noodles, see the cooking directions in my Selfmade Udon Noodles recipe.
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When the noodles are achieved, drain them in a colander or scoop them up with a fine-mesh strainer. Serve the new udon noodles in particular person bowls.
Energy: 271 kcal · Carbohydrates: 54 g · Protein: 8 g · Fats: 1 g · Polyunsaturated Fats: 1 g · Sodium: 554 mg · Potassium: 41 mg · Fiber: 4 g · Sugar: 3 g · Vitamin A: 60 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 25 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Editor’s Observe: This publish was initially revealed on October 8, 2021. It was up to date with new photos and a brand new video on Might 3, 2024, and republished with extra useful content material on February 4, 2025.
