How To Make Yaki Udon (Stir-Fried Udon Noodles)

Yaki Udon is a Japanese stir-fried noodle dish featuring thinly sliced pork and vegetables seasoned in a thick and savory sauce. Traditionally, vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, and onions are used, but nowadays, people also use their favorite vegetables.

The sauce for Yaki Udon varies depending on the family and region in Japan. It can range from a thick, richly flavored sauce to a lightly seasoned soy sauce base, or even an umami dashi-flavored sauce. Instead of pork, variations using shrimp or squid, which are also commonly found in Japan, are available.

It is said that Yaki Udon originated in a diner in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, just after the end of WWII. At that time, when locals wanted to make Yaki Soba (another popular Japanese fried noodle dish), they couldn’t source the correct noodles due to a national food shortage. Instead, they opted for udon noodles, which were well-received by the locals. This is said to have been the origin of Yaki Udon. After that, many other Japanese people began experimenting with stir-frying udon noodles and creating their own varieties using different ingredients and sauces.

Yaki Udon, made with thick and chewy udon noodles, features a thicker sauce and more pronounced flavor compared to Yaki Soba, which is made with thin Chinese noodles. Japanese tend to eat Yaki Udon as a main dish at home, and it is also commonly served in Okonomiyaki restaurants alongside okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancake).

This time, we will introduce a sauce-flavored Yaki Udon recipe that is well-seasoned and, of course, tasty. Serve with toppings such as dried katsuobushi, aonori (green laver), pickled red ginger, etc., as you like. We hope you’ll enjoy our Yaki Udon recipe!