Yakiudon

Yakiudon is stir-fried udon. In Japanese, “yaki” means grilled and “udon” of course means the thick-cut wheat noodles we all know and love. Together they become grilled (or fried) noodles. Yakiudon usually has a soy based sauce and is made with vegetables and various types of protein. It’s hearty, easy to make, and delicious.

History of yakiudon

Before yakiudon, there was yakisoba, or thin fried noodles. The story of yakiudon, like many popular dishes, is that they were invented when the owner of a noodle restaurant ran out yakisoba noodles and instead used udon. From then, a noodle star was born. Yakiudon is incredibly popular and is a staple street food item at festivals and also at home. There are noodle stands with giant, table sized teppans (flat top grills) where vendors make huge batches of fried noodles for people to enjoy during street festivals and fairs. Yakiudon is also a mainstay at izakayas (bars or pubs that serve food), food courts, and takeaway.

What are udon noodles?

There are three main types of noodles you’ll find in Japanese cuisine: soba, ramen, and udon. Of the three, udon is the thickest, a round or square-cut noodle made from flour. It’s thick and chewy and usually served in soup, with dipping sauce, with curry, or fried up like yakiudon. Just like pasta, there’s a wide variety of udon produced and sold. Also like pasta, you can get udon fresh, dried, flash-frozen, or shelf-stable. Of the kinds of udon available, the most easy to find is the shelf-stable variety. You’ll see these in vacuum-sealed packages in the Asian aisle in most conventional grocery stores. To be honest, while they do in a pinch, they’re not very good. 

If you want the best possible udon, take a trip to an Asian grocery store and peruse the frozen noodle section. There, you’ll find packages of fresh, cooked, then flash-frozen udon. The udon is shaped into convenient individually portioned bricks and sold in packs of five. This kind of frozen udon is typically Sanuki udon, which is a type of udon from the Kagawa Prefecture of Japan. It has straight edges and is particularly chewy. Most of the frozen udon sold in North America is imported directly from Japan and frozen udon should be a staple in your freezer just because it’s so easy to make.

Yakiudon ingredients

This yakiudon is an ode to umami, brimming with flavor thanks to a combination of Bachan’s Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce, dashi, and mushrooms. This is what you’ll need to make it:

mushrooms - mushrooms bring the umami. They’re a natural source of deep savory flavor. You can use any and all kinds of mushrooms for this yakiudon. A mix of fresh mushrooms such as shiitake, portobello, king, shimeji, oyster, button, and enoki is preferred. If you can’t find a variety of mushrooms, straight up regular button mushrooms or cremini will work amazingly.

butter and olive oil - when searing mushrooms, you want a combination of olive oil and butter. The butter adds a layer of flavor and the oil helps prevent the butter from burning as you’re searing.

garlic - garlic and mushrooms and noodles go hand in hand, especially when the garlic is cooked in butter

dashi - dashi, a light colored stock made from dried fish and dried seaweed is a key component in Japanese cooking. You’ll only need a bit in this recipe, so you can skip it and add a bit of water instead since you’ll get so much flavor from the Bachan’s Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce. Alternatively you can use chicken stock.

Bachan’s Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce - this is the secret (not so secret) sauce. It’s what’s going to make your noodles a glorious glossy brown, just glistening with flavor. It’s sweet, savory, and just the right kind of delicious.

udon - frozen bricks of udon are preferred. All you need to do to prep them before frying is soak them in warm tap water. 

green onions - sliced green onions add a little bit of fresh greenery and mild sharp bite.

How to make yakiudon

Soak - Take the udon out of the package and soak it in lukewarm tap water. The noodles will soften and loosen with time. When the noodles are loose, drain well.

Cook - Add the butter and oil to a large skillet. When hot, add your mushrooms and sear. The key is to not move them too much. When they’re super brown and caramelized, flip, and continue to sear. When deeply browned, stir in the garlic and cook briefly.

Sauce - Add a bit of dashi (or water) and a generous splash of Bachan’s Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce to the mushrooms and garlic. Once the sauce starts to cook down, add the drained udon and toss until the sauce reduces and coats the udon.

Enjoy - Remove from the heat, finish with sliced green onions and enjoy hot.

What’s in yakiudon sauce?

Yakiudon sauce is a soy-based sauce that utilizes 4 core Japanese ingredients: soy sauce, sake, mirin, and dashi. Instead of heading out to buy all four though, Bachan’s Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce can give you the savory umami you’re looking for, all in one bottle. The combination of premium traditionally brewed Japanese soy sauce, aged mirin sourced from Japan, and organic rice vinegar combine into a one-two punch of umami. Add to that organic garlic, ginger, and green onions and you have a perfect blend of flavors for yakiudon.

What to serve with yakiudon

Yakiudon is a meal in itself, but since this only contains mushrooms, a bit of protein wouldn’t be unwanted. Try serving it alongside chicken karaage, miso pulled pork, or spicy teriyaki beef.