Beef Yaki Udon

Name: Beef Yaki Udon
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 packets udon noodles (, 368 g); 1 cup mushrooms (, chopped ); 1/2 cup spring onions (, chopped ); 1 cup bok choy (, chopped ); 300 g ground beef; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tsp rice vinegar; 2 tbsp oyster sauce; 2 tsp brown sugar

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Beef Yaki Udon is an easy Japanese dish known also as Beef Udon Stir Fry. This dish made with mince beef, noodles, veggies and homemade stir fry sauce.

Beef Yaki Udon is the perfect dish to prepare if you're looking for a quick and easy recipe that isn't your regular mac and cheese or cup noodles.

We all have hectic nights, where we just want to get something on the dinner table, preferable healthy and wholesome. With a sauce that's got just the right amount of salt and spice, the Beef Yaki Udon noodles take less than 25 minutes to prepare.

These stir fry noodles are popular at the dinner table thanks to all that it's got to offer; protein (the beef), noodles, fresh vegetables, and a nicely mixed sauce. Is there anything else you will need before bed?

What is Beef Yaki Udon?

The first Beef Yaki Udon was prepared in Kokura, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. After World War II, when food was scarce, yaki udon became an alternative to the famous 'yaki soba' served in noodle cafés all over Japan. Since food availability was insufficient, yaki soba, made initially from ramen-style wheat noodles, were off the racks.

That's not to say that udon is any less or a replacement for soba. They are both delicious, yet the surface of udon is very different from that of soba. The udon noodle is relatively wider, chewier and thus more filling than the soba noodles. This is perhaps why they could easily feed more people in times of food shortages. On the other hand, the soba noodle is grainier, darker in colour, and has a nutty texture.

Regardless, both noodles are prepared in a similar stir-fried method that you definitely need to give a shot.

The name 'yaki' refers to a pan-fried dish, while 'udon' refers to a noodle dish. Did you know that "guu" is a Japanese word that means "good?" The sound your stomach produces when you're hungry is also known as the "GUU" sound. We hope that's exactly the sound your happy tummy makes once you cook up this recipe.

Why this recipe?

You need to try this recipe of Yaki Udon. We heard you're looking to try new recipes that are fast, appetizing, healthy but without compromising your tendency to try new cuisines. These Japanese style noodles are just what you need to satisfy your experimental soul in the kitchen, that too without taking much of your time. Also, it is a perfect dish for lunch or dinner.

What is in the Beef Yaki Udon?

The recipe of Beef Yaki Udon consists of two components; Udon noodles and the Yaki Udon Noodle Sauce. Here's what you'll need to prepare both the components:

For The Udon Noodles

Udon noodles: You can order these online or find them in Asian grocery stores
Mushrooms: For a rich taste of Yaki Udon
Spring onions: Also commonly known as green onions
Bok choy: This is a type of Chinese cabbage
Ground beef: Just regular kind you use
Olive oil: Extra virgin is preferred

For The Yaki Udon Noodle Sauce

Dark soy sauce: You can find this anywhere, but use the one you like the most
Rice vinegar: This delicate vinegar will add so much flavour to your noodles
Oyster sauce: A staple often used in Asian cooking.
Brown sugar: Will add a bit of sweetness which helps bring out other flavours in this recipe

How to make the Beef Yaki Udon?

Preparing the udon noodles sauce:
Mix all the sauce ingredients mentioned above in a small mixing bowl and set aside.

Cooking the Udon Noodles:
Add the noodles to a pot of hot boiling water. Stir gently for 1-2 minutes or until the udon noodles are well separated. In the meanwhile, chop the veggies.

Now, rinse the noodles then and drain them under cold water.

Stir Fry:
Once the first two steps are completed, go ahead and heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
Stir in the ground beef, and let it fry for 1-2 minutes. Then proceed to add in the mushrooms, spring onion and bok choy. Allow these vegetables to cook for 2-3 minutes.

Once the fried stir ingredients are cooked in the oil, add the noodles and the noodle sauce. Cook for 3 more minutes before you serve.

Voila! Your little quick and easy Japanese dish is ready.

Top Tips!

If you're substituting seafood for beef (check recipe variations further in this blog), keep the prepared fish aside while stir-frying the vegetables. Add them back in with the udon noodles after that.
Start with the one that takes the longest to cook while preparing the vegetables. As a result, each vegetable will be cooked to perfection.
To untangle the strands of udon noodles before stir-frying, quickly rinse them under running water. Fresh udon noodles are vacuum-sealed when they come in a plastic bag. They need to be run under water beforehand or become knotted and difficult to disentangle while stir-frying.
Warm the udon noodles in boiling water before rinsing if they are cold from the fridge. Cold udon noodles take time to warm up while stir-frying, as the other ingredients become overcooked.
Don't be intimidated by dealing with noodles in a stir fry. Pre-cooked udon noodles are easy to reheat and are ideal for putting a dish together. The noodles just take a few minutes to heat up and can be tossed right into the skillet with the vegetables, meat and sauce.

Recipe Variations

In any case, if you do not find udon, you can use any thick egg or wheat noodle in this recipe. There are a lot of variations of noodles out there.
Although this particular recipe was written keeping in mind beef will be used, you can make this with any choice of protein. We recommend you go for chicken, prawns/shrimp, or fish if you don't go for beef.
Suppose you don't find bok choy, for example, a Chinese cabbage. In that case, you can substitute it for literally any other vegetable. Just keep in mind hard vegetables, such as broccoli or steamed broccoli, should be blanched in hot water for a few minutes before adding them to the stir fry.
You may be wondering, "why isn't salt mentioned in this recipe?" We don't usually add salt to this recipe because soy sauce already includes salt. You can, however, run a taste test and adjust the salt or black pepper to your liking.

Serving Suggestions

This nutritious Beef Yaki Udon recipe is perfect as a standalone lunch or a side dish for a Japanese-inspired supper. However, we'd say it's best served with friends or a particular date you would like to impress with your Japanese cooking. They'll be slurping the Beef Yaki Udon in amazement, and they'll never believe it took you less than 30 minutes to cook it.

Storage

Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days maximum.

Recipe FAQs

What is yaki udon, and how does it differ from Yakisoba?

Yaki udon is a stir-fried udon noodle dish from Japan. It's stir-fried in soy sauce and mirin sauce. This isn't the same as yakisoba because it's cooked with different noodles. Yakisoba is also a stir-fried Japanese noodle dish but with considerably thinner noodles.

How are the udon noodles made?

Wheat flour and water are used to make these noodles. This is one of the few Asian noodle varieties that do not contain eggs. You may use it in stir-fries and soups because it is soft, thick, and chewy.

What does the Beef Yaki Udon taste like?

Soy sauces, sugar, and rice vinegar give beef udon a sweet and savoury flavour. This dish is all juicy, ground beef, crisp veggies, and thick, chewy udon noodles. This light, filling, and pleasant noodle meal is suitable for little ones and adults.

Is it possible to use dried udon noodles?

If fresh udon noodles are unavailable, you can substitute dried udon noodles in this dish. The only difference between them and fresh udon noodles is that they're thinner and less chewy.