The Best Yaki Udon Recipe- 焼きうどん

Yaki udon is one of my go-to dishes whenever I have a busy schedule and need something quick, comforting, and satisfying. The udon noodles are stir fried in a simple mixture of butter, soy sauce, and dashi powder, and finished with bonito flakes, fresh scallions, and shredded nori. It’s savory, chewy, buttery, and full of umami — and it only takes about 15 minutes from start to finish.

Yaki udon is one of those dishes you can find everywhere in Japan. It’s a cheap and tasty noodle dish served at izakayas, family restaurants, and even sold premade in Japanese convenience stores and supermarkets. It’s also a dish I grew up eating because udon is my mother’s favorite type of noodle. She often made it for lunch and topped her noodles with sliced cabbage and carrots, almost like yakisoba.

My yaki udon recipe is a little different from hers, and quite different from a traditional yaki udon. This version is more minimal: thick udon noodles coated in a buttery dashi soy sauce, with smoky bonito flakes and nori on top. It’s simple, deeply savory, and very easy to make.

What is Yaki Udon?

Yaki udon is a Japanese stir fried noodle dish made with thick, chewy udon noodles. It’s similar to yakisoba in the sense that the noodles are cooked in a hot pan and tossed with seasonings, but the texture is completely different because udon noodles are much thicker and softer than yakisoba noodles.

A more traditional yaki udon often includes vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, or onions, and sometimes pork, seafood, or fish cakes. My version is much simpler, using only butter, soy sauce, dashi, bonito flakes, and nori.

Since the noodles are pan fried, this dish is still considered yaki udon — yaki meaning “fried” or “grilled,” and udon referring to the noodles.

Yaki Udon Ingredients

• Udon noodles: Fresh or frozen udon noodles work best because they are thick, chewy, and bouncy. You can read more about how they compare to soba noodles in my soba vs udon noodles guide.
• Butter: The butter adds depth of flavor and makes this simple noodle stir fry taste comforting. I recommend using salted butter (vegan butter also works).
• Dashi powder: Dashi powder is a powder made from a mixture of dried bonito flakes, sardines, sometimes other types of fish, and kelp. It has a pleasant fish taste and is packed with umami. The better the dashi you buy, the more complex your dishes will taste.
• Soy sauce: For this recipe you will need Japanese soy sauce such as Kikkoman or Yamasa. The reason is that Japanese soy sauce is more complex in flavor than dark soy sauce or other types of soy sauce.
• Bonito flakes: Bonito flakes, called katsuobushi in Japanese, add an extra layer of umami and absorb the flavors of the sauce so that every bite you savor is epic.
• Green onions: Chopped green onions add a nice crunch to the dish and a beautiful green pop of color.
• Nori: These toasted seaweed sheets have a mineral taste that pair beautifully with the overall taste of the dish. They complete the dish and look beautiful too.

How to Make Yaki Udon

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe.

1. Prep and gather all of your ingredients.
2. Fill a small or medium pot with enough water to cook the noodles, and bring to a boil.
3. Add the noodles and cook them according the directions on the package. Fresh and frozen noodles usually need 2 to 3 minutes to cook. Drain the noodles and set them aside.
4. Add the butter,  dashi powder, and water to a skillet over medium high heat, and stir until the butter has melted and is bubbling.
5. Add the udon noodles and toss them a few times to coat evenly. Cook the noodles for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are soft but a little crunchy on the outside (light brown in color).
6. Stir in the soy sauce, coat the noodles evenly and turn the heat off.
7. Transfer the udon noodles to a plate and top with bonito flakes, green onions, and nori. Serve.

A Different Udon Dish for Every Season

One of my favorite aspects about eating udon is that, in Japan, you will find preparations that match the season. For example, in the hot summer months, cold dishes like bukkake udon ( ぶっかけ うどん) and zaru udon ( ざる うどん) are served with light summery broths. A great way to beat the heat!

However, in the winter months, you can expect to be served more hearty and warming preparations like curry udon and kitsune udon.

Yaki udon and this kimchi udon, on the other hand, has no season and can be served year-round.

What to Serve with Yaki Udon

Whenever I make these stir fried udon noodles I like to serve them with a simple soup, some pickles and greens on the side.

Here are some of my favorite side dishes:

• Vegan kimchi
• Nasu dengaku
• Miso soup
• Iceberg lettuce with Japanese restaurant style carrot ginger dressing
• Gomae (Japanese spinach and sesame salad)

For more easy noodle dishes, check out this collection of 30 Easy Asian Noodle Recipes.

Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comment section below!

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