This Light Udon Noodle Soup Recipe showcases the simplicity of Japanese cooking at its best! Enjoy a bowl of chewy udon noodles in a light, savory broth in just 15 minutes from start to finish.

Light Udon Noodle Soup

Name: Light Udon Noodle Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 people
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 8 ounces dry udon noodles or 2 packets of fresh udon noodles; 1 cup dashi (or 1 teaspoon dashi powder mixed with 1water); 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1/4 cup mirin; 1 cup water; 3-inch piece kombu (dried kelp); 3 stalks scallions (thinly sliced on the bias); tororo kombu (optional); 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms; 2 imitation crab sticks; 2 eggs; 2 tablespoons tempura bits; 2 dry nori sheets

Lunch at our place usually goes one of three ways.

But, it totally depends what we’re doing.

If I’m cooking and photographing recipes, well then obviously we’re devouring that! When we’re working on a holiday gift guide or editing video, we’ll probably order a delicious lunch special from our favorite Thai or Egyptian spot and power through the afternoon on our laptops.

However, sometimes, you just gotta make lunch from scratch for no other reason than it’s a random Tuesday. I consider it an all-pro life-move to disconnect from phones and computers and eat while basking in the afternoon sun filtering through the window as the kitty naps!

This light udon noodle soup recipe came from one such random lunch opportunity. Was it worth the effort? Oh yeah!

Minimal Effort, Maximum Flavor

It was well worth the effort because the light yet savory, umami-loaded broth perfectly accompanied the slippery, chewy, oversized udon noodles as I slurped away. And truth be told, the actual effort put into making this delicious udon noodle soup was insanely minimal. 15 minutes from concept to tummy is a ratio I can get behind!

I call it light udon noodle soup because, more often than not, udon is served with a deep fried element like tempura or aburaage.

Keeping this udon recipe lean and clean meant there was no need to nap-the-food-off before getting back to the workday grind!

Kakejiru – Say What?

While I absolutely love ramen, in my world, the crown belongs to another. Well… two.

Udon and soba are always fighting it out for the top spot in my heart.

No matter the differences, however – let’s be real – when it comes to Japanese noodle dishes, there’s really no last place at all! The large, wheat based noodles in this light udon noodle soup recipe are chewy, soft and almost pillowy.

My favorite feature of udon, whether it’s fresh or packaged, is that it makes a wonderful vehicle for the kakejiru – or broth – which is a simple preparation of dashi, soy sauce and mirin. I added a piece of kombu (dried kelp) to the broth as it was cooking for an even more savory, saline depth.

Lunch: More Than Just Food

Was this impromptu lunch met with a willingness to disconnect from all technology? Uh… yeah – Ben was totally on-board with switching things off for a half-hour to power through a big-ol’ bowl of this lighter udon noodle soup!

In fact, I hadn’t been in the kitchen for more than five minutes before I heard an inquisitive, “What ya’ making? Smells delicious,” coming from his work area.

That’s usually a good sign! We ate and joked around and recharged our batteries. Soon enough it was back to work – but with full bellies and clear heads! What’s your favorite, easy make-at-home lunch? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Other simple, delicious Asian noodle recipes:

Did you like this Light Udon Noodle Soup Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!