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Niku Udon (Japanese Beef Udon Soup)

Niku udon simply means meat udon, and it's one of the most popular bowls in Japanese noodle shops. Bouncy noodles sit in a light dashi broth, topped with thin slices of beef simmered until sweet and savoury.

Everything is pantry-led: dashi, soy sauce, mirin and a little sugar. Shaved beef from the freezer section of an Asian grocer (sold for hot pot) cooks in about a minute.

Add a soft-boiled egg or a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi if you like a little heat.

Servings
2
Prep Time
5
mins
Cook Time
15
mins
Ingredients
7
Total Time
20
mins

Pantry bits

Dashi (Japanese Soup Stock)
Dashi (Japanese Soup Stock)
Soy Sauce
Soy Sauce
Mirin (Japanese Sweet Rice Wine)
Mirin (Japanese Sweet Rice Wine)
Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese Seven Spice)
Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese Seven Spice)
Udon Noodles
Udon Noodles

Ingredients

  • 2 portions frozen udon noodles
  • 200g thinly shaved beef (hot pot or sukiyaki beef)
  • 1/2 brown onion, thinly sliced
  • Beef sauce: 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp water
  • Broth: 3 cups (750ml) dashi stock, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 spring onions, sliced
  • Shichimi togarashi, to serve (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the broth: bring the dashi, soy sauce, mirin and salt to a gentle simmer in a saucepan. Keep warm.
  2. In a small frying pan, bring the beef sauce ingredients to a simmer with the onion and cook for 2 minutes until the onion softens.
  3. Add the beef, separating the slices, and simmer for 1-2 minutes until just cooked and coated in the sauce.
  4. Cook the udon in boiling water according to the packet, about 1-2 minutes, and drain.
  5. Divide the noodles between bowls, pour over the hot broth and top with the beef and onion. Finish with spring onion and shichimi.

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