Beef Udon Noodle Soup Recipe (Niku Udon)

Udon is a type of Japanese noodle made from wheat flour, known for its chewy, springy “Q” texture. It’s one of my daughter’s and my favorite noodles! Today, I’m sharing our go-to way of enjoying it—beef udon noodle soup. This warm, savory bowl is comforting, deeply flavorful, and it might just become your family’s favorite too.

Beef Udon Noodle Soup Recipe

Servings: 2 people
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

For the Kombu and Bonito Dashi (Awase Dashi):
1/2 oz dried kelp (kombu)
1 cup dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
4 cups water

For the seasoning:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt to taste

For the beef:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 stalks scallions, the white part, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces (use naga negi if available)
1/2 pound thinly sliced beef (ribeye sukiyaki meat works well)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Other ingredients:
2 packages udon noodles (frozen)
1/2 stick fish cake (narutomaki), thinly sliced diagonally
3 stalks scallions, the green part, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (or mitsuba if available)
Pinch of seven-flavor chili pepper (shichimi togarashi), optional

Beef Udon Noodle Soup Instructions

1. Make the Dashi:

• Wipe the dried kombu with a damp cloth. In a pot, add 4 cups of water and the kombu. Let it soak for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
• Heat over medium-low and gently simmer for 10 minutes, skimming off any foam.
• Remove the kombu. Turn heat to high, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and add bonito flakes.
• Let them settle for 5 minutes, then strain.

2. Prepare the Soup:

• Pour the strained dashi into a clean pot. Add soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and a pinch of salt.
• Stir to combine, bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat and keep it warm while preparing the other ingredients.

3. Prepare the Garnishes:

• Thinly slice the fish cake diagonally. Separate scallions into white and green parts: slice the white part diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces, and finely chop the green part.
• Chop the cilantro (or mitsuba if using).

4. Boil the Udon:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the frozen udon noodles and boil over high heat for about 1 minute, or until noodles are loosened and separated.
• Drain and rinse under running water to stop cooking.

5. Cook the Beef:

• In a skillet, heat vegetable oil. Add the white part of scallions and stir-fry for 1 minute until aromatic.
• Add the sliced beef and cook for 1 minute.
• Then, add sugar and soy sauce and stir-fry for another minute until beef is fully cooked.

6. Assemble & Serve:

• Divide cooked udon noodles into serving bowls. Pour in the hot soup.
• Top with cooked beef, fish cake slices, chopped scallion greens, and cilantro.
• Sprinkle with shichimi togarashi if desired.

Tips & notes

• Use frozen udon for best texture—they have more bounce than dried noodles.
• You can prepare the dashi ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• For extra umami, add a few dried shiitake mushrooms when soaking the kombu.
• Mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley) gives an authentic flavor, but cilantro is a great substitute.
• If you like spice, serve with extra shichimi togarashi on the side.