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.

Beef Udon Noodle Soup Recipe (Niku Udon)