Image credit: Aflo Images
The perfect bowl of noodles for a cold day
Niku Udon, which means “meat udon,” is a comforting Japanese noodle dish, traditionally served with tender sliced beef in a sweet-savoury broth. As temperatures drop, this warm, hearty bowl is perfect for satisfying your hunger while keeping you cosy.
Why this recipe works
A warming Japanese comfort food made with three simple components: the broth, the beef, and the noodles, perfect for a cosy lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Serves 2
Dashi:
- 4 cups water
- 3 dashi packets (Japanese stock)
Beef and onions:
- 300g thinly sliced beef
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 scallions, sliced + extra to serve
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 cup reserved dashi
To serve:
- 2 servings of Udon noodles
- Extra soy sauce and mirin, to taste
- Togarashi (Japanese spice mixture – optional)
Instructions
1. Make the dashi
- Heat 4 cups of water in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add 3 dashi packets and bring to a vigorous simmer.
- Reduce the heat to keep it lightly simmering, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Reserve 1 cup of the dashi for the beef and onions. Keep the rest on very low heat, covered.
Image credit: Masa44
2. Cook beef and onions
- In a skillet over high heat, combine beef, sliced onion, scallions, soy sauce, mirin, sugar and 1 cup of reserved dashi.
- Bring to a simmer and stir frequently.
- Simmer, stirring often, for about 15 to 20 minutes until the liquid is almost reduced, the onion is soft, and the beef is tender.
Image credit: Generated with AI
3. Prepare udon noodles
Cook noodles according to package directions.
Image credit: SUNGMIN from Getty Images
4. Assemble and serve
- Place cooked udon noodles in individual bowls.
- Stir mirin and soy sauce into the remaining dashi and ladle over noodles.
- Divide the beef and onion mixture over the noodles.
- Top with scallion greens and togarashi if desired.
Image credit: Aflo Images
Easy swaps
- Replace beef with thinly sliced chicken, tofu or prawns.
- Add mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach or snow peas for extra colour and texture.
- Try soba, ramen or shirataki noodles if you prefer a lighter option.
Key takeaway
Tender beef and onions in a rich dashi broth make for a satisfying, warming udon bowl. Niku Udon proves that comforting, flavourful meals can be quick, customisable, and perfectly suited to your everyday wellbeing.
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