Beef Udon Stir Fry - Khin's Kitchen Yaki Udon Recipe (2024)

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Delicious Beef Udon Stir Fry, super fast and easy noodle recipe that you can make in 20 minutes! This udon recipe is simple but not bland, packed with Japanese flavour. Perfect dinner idea for busy weeknights!

Beef Udon Stir Fry - Khin's Kitchen Yaki Udon Recipe (1)

This dish is also known as Beef Yaki Udon, one of the most popular Japanese stir-fries. Yaki Udon recipes are basically made with a choice of protein, vegetables, and thick chewy udon noodles.

Cooking method is very similar to other stir fry udon noodles recipes. I've already shared my Yaki Udon with Chicken and Prawn Noodles recipes a few months back, for my friends who want to make it with chicken or prawns.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients you will need
  • How to make beef udon stir fry
  • Variations and substitutes
  • Cooking tips
  • Frequently asked questions
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Reviews

Ingredients you will need

This is a very straightforward recipe, you will only need 4 basic ingredients. Beefsteak, udon noodles, a choice of stir fry vegetables, and quick homemade stir fry sauce. Most of the sauce ingredients are pantry staples, except Japanese cooking wine.

Beef Udon Stir Fry - Khin's Kitchen Yaki Udon Recipe (2)
  • Beef: Use beef steak like, ribeye, sirloin, tenderloin, rump, or any of your favourite tender steak cut.
  • Noodles: Udon is a thick chewy Japanese wheat noodles. You can buy staright-to-wok udon at most supermarket Asian aisle or fresh/frozen udon at Oriental Chinese and Korean grocery stores.
  • Vegetables: I add pak choi, mushroom, and onion in this recipe. Pak choi is widely available in UK supermarkets and groceries.
  • Stir Fry Sauce: Japanese mirin, light soy sauce and sugar are 3 key sauces to make the sauce. I add dark soy sauce for more colour and sesame oil to bring some toasty flavour. A dash of cornstarch is to thicken the sauce.
Beef Udon Stir Fry - Khin's Kitchen Yaki Udon Recipe (3)

See the recipe card for detailed quantities.

How to make beef udon stir fry

  • First blanch the udon noodles with hot boiling for 1-2 minutes to loosen up. Drain water out, rinse with cold water and set it aside.
Beef Udon Stir Fry - Khin's Kitchen Yaki Udon Recipe (4)
  • Gather all ingredients, cut the meat and vegetables. Whisk all the stir fry sauce ingredients in a bowl.
  • Season the beef slices with a tablespoon of stir fry sauce mix, mix well and set it aside.
Beef Udon Stir Fry - Khin's Kitchen Yaki Udon Recipe (5)
  • In a large wok/pan stir fry the beef slices for 2-3 minutes then push the beef to one side. Add garlic, onion, and stir for 1 minute. Follow with the mushroom and cook for another 1 minute. Next add the pak choi and stir it well for few seconds.
  • Place the udon in the middle of the pan, pour the sauce in. Toss well, continue cook for another 1-2 minutes, until sauce and everything combine evenly.
  • Turn off the heat and sprinkle chopped spring onions.
Beef Udon Stir Fry - Khin's Kitchen Yaki Udon Recipe (6)

Variations and substitutes

  • Udon - instead of ready-to-fry udon, you can use other noodles like Shanghai, Hokkien, or any thick egg/wheat noodles. Even ramen or yakisoba noodles goes well with this recipe too.
  • Pak Choi - it can be substitute with bok choy, choy sum, kai lan, or your choice of stir fry vegetables.
  • Add-ons - other stir fry vegetables like bell pepper, snap peas, carrots, baby corns, cabbage, etc, goes well with this dish. Japanese red picked ginger gives fresh taste to the dish too. If you have it in hand you can add this as a toppings or garnish.
  • Steak - Instead of tender steak, you can swap with chicken, pork, or prawns. For vegetarians, swap with firm tofu or Quorn meat.
  • Mirin - Japanese mirin has a unique taste and flavour but if you cannot get it, use Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry instead. For non-alcochol version, substitute mirin with rice vinegar and a dash of sugar for some sweetness.
  • Chilli - Authentic Japanese yaki udon dishes are mild flavour in general. If you love to bring some heat to the dish, add some fresh chilli pepper slices in the stir fry or a tablespon of chilli oil in the sauce mixture. See my homemade chilli garlic oil on my website.
Beef Udon Stir Fry - Khin's Kitchen Yaki Udon Recipe (7)

Cooking tips

  1. Cut the steak against the grain for tender result. If you are using cheaper cuts like chuck or flank steak, add a teaspoon of corn starch and half teaspoon of baking soda, together with a tablespoon of stir fry sauce. Let it sit aside and marinade for 15 minutes. This is the simple trick to keep the meat moist and tender in your fry dishes.
  2. You can blanch the udon noodles with hot water or prepare by the packet instructions but it's important not to overcook them. Rinse with cold water and drain the water out after boiling/blanching.
  3. Use large pan or wok to give enough heat to all ingredients evenly.

Frequently asked questions

What are udon noodles made of?

Udon is made with wheat flour and water. One of the very few types of Asian noodles that doesn't contain egg inside. Soft, thick, chewy in texture and you can add in your stir fry and soups.

What does Beef Udon Stir Fry taste like?

Beef Udon has a sweet and savoury taste made with soy sauces, sugar and Japanese mirin. Loaded with juicy tender beef steak, crisp vegetables and thick chewy udon noodles. Very light, filling and satisfying noodle dish that both kids and adults can enjoy.

More Delicious Noodle Recipes

  • Easy Chicken Yaki Udon
  • Yakisoba Recipe ( Stir Fried Japanese Noodles )
  • Chicken Broccoli Noodles
  • Easy Beef Chow Mein

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📖 Recipe

Beef Udon Stir Fry - Khin's Kitchen Yaki Udon Recipe (12)

Beef Udon Stir Fry Recipe

Stir fry beef steak with udon noodles, vegetables and flavourful stir fry sauce with Japanese mirin. Super fast and easy to make at home with minimum ingredients. Perfect for quick lunch or light dinner.

4.92 from 62 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: japanese cuisine

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 709kcal

Author: Khin

Ingredients

  • 250 g Beef steak ( around 8.8 oz ) ( ribeye, sirloin, rump or any tender steak ) cut in thin slices
  • 400 g Udon noodles ( around 14 oz ) See details in note
  • 2 head Pak choi ( Or bok choy/choy sum ) Cut lengthwise or thin slices
  • 100 g Mushroom ( around 3.5 oz ) ( button, shiitake, white or oyster mushroom ) cut thin slices
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Finely chopped
  • 1 Onion Cut thin slices
  • 2 Spring onions Cut thin slices
  • 2 tbsp Vegetable oil or neutral flavour oil

Stir Fry Sauce

  • 2 tbsp Mirin ( Japanese rice cooking wine ) or Shaoxing wine
  • 2 tbsp Light soy sauce Or regular soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Sesame oil
  • ½ tsp Corn starch

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  • Blanch the udon noodles with hot water for 1-2 minutes to loosen them. Drain and rinse with cold water and set it aside. ( Or prepare by the packet instructions. Make sure not to overcooked as you are stir frying them again. )

  • Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl, whisk and set it aside. Cut the beef into thin slices against the grain. Season with 1 tablespoon of stir fry sauce mix. Gather and prepare the vegetables.

  • Heat the large pan or wok to medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoon of oil, stir fry the beef slices for 2-3 minutes. Push the beef to one side, add garlic and onion slices and stir for few seconds and follow with the mushroom. Cook for another 1 minute, then add the pak choi and toss it well.

  • next place the udon in the middle of the pan, pour the sauce mixture in. Cook for another 2 minutes until the sauce and other ingredients combine evenly.

  • Turn off the heat and sprinkle chopped spring onions. Transfer to serving plate and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Udon Noodles - If you use pre-cooked or ready-to-use udon noodles, add hot boiling water over the noodles let it sit for 1-2 minutes. Then rinse with cold water. If you use fresh or frozen noodles, follow the packet instructions. To prevent the noodles from overcooked, rinse with cold water after boiling.
    Instead of udon, you can swap with any thick egg or wheat noodles.
  • Steak - Use chicken, prawns/shrimp, or pork instead of beef steak.
  • Vegetables - Other stir fry vegetables can be added or substituted. If you use hard vegetables like broccoli or tender stem broccoli, blanch them in hot water for few minutes before adding to stir fry.
  • Mirin - Mirin is a Japanese sweet cooking rice wine, similar to sake. If you cannot get mirin, substitute with Chinese Shaoxing wine or dry sherry. For halal or non-alcohol cooking, you can use rice vinegar and a dash of sugar as substitutes.
  • Salt & Pepper -As soy sauces already consist of salt intake, we don't usually add salt in this recipe. But you can make a taste test and add some salt or black pepper according to your taste.
  • Adjust sugar - If you prefer your sauce sweeter, add extra sugar or adjust to your preference.

Nutrition

Calories: 709kcal | Carbohydrates: 121g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 2730mg | Potassium: 1827mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 25796IU | Vitamin C: 269mg | Calcium: 619mg | Iron: 5mg

Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @KhinsKitchen or tag #KhinsKitchen!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bethany Tianello says

    Beef Udon Stir Fry - Khin's Kitchen Yaki Udon Recipe (13)
    Hit the Spot. . . a Great meal that comes together quickly.

    Reply

    • Khin says

      Glad you enjoyed it, Bethany.

      Reply

  2. Pastyluvver says

    Beef Udon Stir Fry - Khin's Kitchen Yaki Udon Recipe (14)
    Excellent meal. Nice thick udon noodles with juicy sauce and tender beef strips.

    Reply

    • Khin says

      Thanks, Pastyluvver. Glad that you enjoyed this recipe.

      Reply

  3. Sarah Gooding says

    Beef Udon Stir Fry - Khin's Kitchen Yaki Udon Recipe (15)
    Absolutely delicious with easy to follow ingredients list and recipe steps. A big hit with the family tonight and a very quick and easy meal to make. Love it!

    Reply

    • Khin says

      Glad that you and your family enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing your feedback, Sarah.

      Reply

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Beef Udon Stir Fry - Khin's Kitchen Yaki Udon Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is yaki udon sauce made of? ›

Pleasantly chewy udon noodles are tossed with a mix of vegetables and meat, then coated in a salty-sweet combination of soy and oyster sauce, mirin, rice vinegar and sugar in this version of yaki udon, the Japanese stir-fry dish.

What is the difference between yaki udon and udon? ›

What is the difference between udon and Yaki Udon? Udon is a Japanese noodle made of wheat and yaki udon is a stir fried dish that includes udon noodles along with a variety of meat and vegetables mixed in a soy sauce base.

How to cook udon stir-fry from Costco? ›

Pulmuone Teriyaki Stir-fry Udon is available at Costco. Add 1 tbsp of oil, 4 tbsp of water, vegetable topping and Udon Noodles into a sauce pan. Then turn on the heat and stir fry 1-2 minutes over hight heat 2. Add Teriyaki Seasoning and stir fry for another minute over low heat.

How do you cook udon noodles from a package? ›

COOKING STORE-BOUGHT UDON NOODLES

If cooking semi-dried (slightly flexible, shelf stable) udon, boil for 6-7 minutes before testing for tenderness; if cooking dried (brittle, shelf stable) udon, boil for 9-10 minutes. Test by plucking a noodle from the pot, plunging it in cold water, then biting.

What is the difference between yaki and regular udon noodles? ›

What is the difference between udon and yaki udon? Udon is a Japanese noodle made of wheat. Yaki udon is a stir fried dish that includes udon noodles along with meat and vegetables mixed in a soy based sauce. It is sweet and savory with somewhat greasy sauce.

What is the difference between yaki udon and yakisoba? ›

Flour – Udon uses wheat flour for that dense and dreamy thick finish and chewy texture whereas Soba celebrates buckwheat flour with its slightly grainier texture. Color – Udon rocks that glossy white coloring whereas Soba is darker (often a brown color or grey).

Why udon is better than ramen? ›

What's the healthiest? While both dishes brim with flavor, Udon could be considered the healthier of the two noodle type dishes as it tends to have cleaner, simpler toppings and has lower sodium as it doesn't use kansui (the alkaline solution that gives ramen its unique flavor).

Is udon healthier than pasta? ›

Ramen or Udon Noodles

They have less fiber and protein than plain pasta and, unless they're enriched, fewer nutrients. Udon is thick and chewy, while ramen is thinner and springier. Serving suggestions: Instant soups can be ultraprocessed, and often loaded with sodium and unhealthy fat.

Which is healthier udon or soba? ›

Nutrition. Soba noodles contain buckwheat, making them more fiber-rich. Udon is carb-heavy, but still boasts fewer calories than soba.

Why do you rinse udon? ›

Once the noodles are done, turn off the heat and carefully drain the water using a colander or strainer. Rinse the noodles under cold running water to stop the cooking process and remove any excess starch. This step is important, as it will prevent the noodles from becoming gummy or sticky.

Do you soak udon noodles before cooking? ›

If you're using dried udon noodles, be sure to soak them in warm water for at least 20 minutes before cooking. Udon noodles can be cooked in a variety of ways - boiling, stir-frying, or even deep-frying. Be sure to add some sort of flavouring to your udon noodles, whether it's a sauce, broth, or seasonings.

How do you make instant udon taste better? ›

Let's dive in and look at some of the popular options.
  1. Switch up Your Broth. The first thing is to change up your broth. ...
  2. Add an Egg. ...
  3. Toss in Some Veggies. ...
  4. Stir in Togarashi Chili Pepper or Chili Oil. ...
  5. Add a Splash of Soy Sauce. ...
  6. Add Some Peanut Butter. ...
  7. Peruse Your Spice Cabinet. ...
  8. Butter and Brown Sugar.

How do you tell if udon noodles are cooked? ›

Test by plucking a noodle from pot, plunging it into cold water, then biting. Noodle should be tender with no hard core; outer surface should be slippery but not overly soft. (This condition is what the Japanese refer to as koshi, or "substance," just as the Italians enjoy their pasta al dente.)

Is packaged udon already cooked? ›

The beauty of the sanuki udon blocks—in addition to their unmatched texture, of course—is that they're ready in a flash. They're pre-cooked, so all they need is a gentle zhush-ing in hot water, straight from frozen, to release them from their caked state.

What do you eat udon with? ›

Udon is traditionally served as a hot noodle soup topped with scallions, tempura or fried tofu. We also love adding udon to stir-fries, particularly this amazing recipe from Chicago chef Takashi Yagihashi, who combines udon with shrimp, chicken, cabbage and mushrooms for a simple yet flavorful dish.

What is udon broth made of? ›

Udon soup is served hot. The broth is made of dashi, soy sauce, and mirin that's referred to as kakejiru. However, as with any soup or dish that's been around for a long time, there are many ways to perfect your bouillon depending on your taste.

What does yaki udon taste like? ›

I've had countless yaki udon dishes from those in convenience stores in Japan all the way to my favourite Japanese restaurants in Manila. It's has a distinct sweet and slightly sour note in terms of flavour due to its use of Bulldog sauce or tonkatsu sauce.

What does udon sauce taste like? ›

Udon sauce is a slightly sweet and richly flavored Asian sauce made from sesame oil, dark soy sauce, mirin, sugar, oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sugar. It is tossed with fresh or frozen cooked udon noodles and makes a delicious stir fry dinner.

What is the name of the broth in udon noodles? ›

The most common way to serve udon, hot udon soup is any dish where udon noodles are served in a hot savoury broth called kakejiru, which is made from a mixture of soy sauce, dashi stock, and mirin rice wine.

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