Introduction
Craving Japanese stir-fried noodles? Here’s a simple and flexible recipe you can cook right at home. Yaki Udon is a flavorful noodle dish that combines chewy udon noodles, tender beef, and colorful vegetables. The best part? You can use whatever veggies you have in your fridge. It’s filling, delicious, and can even be made into two versions—regular and spicy—perfect for family meals.
Yaki Udon Recipe
Ingredients
Main Components
- 250 g udon noodles fresh or frozen, blanched
- 200 g beef strips with a bit of fat for flavor
- ½ onion sliced
- 2 carrots julienned
- ½ bell pepper sliced
- 3 –4 fresh shiitake mushrooms or 1–2 dried mushrooms, rehydrated
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 cup cabbage chopped
- 1 stalk leeks sliced diagonally
Sauce Mix
- ½ cup water
- 1 sachet Maggi Magic Sarap or dashi if available
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Optional Garnishes
- Bonito flakes
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sriracha for spicy version
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Noodles
- Blanch udon noodles in hot water for 1–2 minutes until softened and silky. Drain and set aside.
Step 2: Cook the Beef & Vegetables
- Heat a wok or pan. Sear beef strips until browned.
- Add onions, garlic, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and bell peppers. Sauté until fragrant.
- Toss in cabbage and leeks. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
Step 3: Make the Sauce
- In a small bowl, mix water, Maggi Magic Sarap (or dashi), soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and sesame oil.
- Pour sauce into the pan with beef and vegetables. Stir until flavors combine.
Step 4: Add the Noodles
- Toss blanched udon noodles into the pan. Mix well so noodles absorb the sauce and flavors.
- Cook for another 2–3 minutes until everything is evenly coated.
Step 5: Customize & Garnish
- Divide noodles into two portions:
- Regular Yaki Udon – garnish with bonito flakes.
- Spicy Yaki Udon – toss with Sriracha and garnish with sesame seeds.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Simpol Cooking Notes
- Noodle Trick: Always blanch udon noodles before stir-frying. If you just break them apart straight from the pack, they’ll turn crumbly.
- No Beef? No Problem! Swap with chicken, shrimp, or even tofu for a meat-free version.
- Make it Yaki Soba: Replace udon with thinner soba noodles and you have another Japanese classic.
- Balanced Meal: This dish already has carbs, protein, and veggies—making it a complete one-pan meal.
