Whip up a satisfying bowl of udon noodles in just 15 minutes! Boil the noodles, stir-fry your choice of protein and veggies, toss in a flavorful sauce, and you're ready to enjoy a quick and delicious meal.
If you’re loving this recipe, you’ll want to try some of our other quick and satisfying recipes. For a simple appetiser that’s full of flavour, check out our easy turkey wontons—they’re perfect for any gathering.
If you’re in the mood for sushi-inspired bites, these baked salmon sushi cups bring that popular TikTok trend straight to your table. Need a speedy dinner? Our 15-minute udon noodles are a go-to for busy weeknights. Or, spice things up with Japanese spicy tuna onigiri, an easy snack with a kick. Also, this sticky Chinese pork belly will make you enjoy a very nice meal.
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💗 Why this recipe works
These 15-minute Noodles are an excellent option for a quick and delicious lunch or dinner. It's a recipe that everyone enjoys and finishes quickly, particularly popular among kids who love restaurant-style dishes.
🥘 Ingredients
The use of the right ingredients is key when cooking. The overall taste of the dish improves exponentially with the quality of the ingredients used. Here is a list of all the ingredients used and my choice for making these noodles.
- Cooking oil - sunflower oil is a good choice.
- Udon noodles are thick and white, and you can find them at any supermarket.
- Shrimp or thinly sliced chicken, teriyaki chicken, beef, pork, bacon, tofu, or extra vegetables - for this recipe, you can choose from any protein you have available.
- Onion - white onion or shallots are best, as they are suitable for frying.
- Garlic helps with the overall taste of the dish.
- Cabbage - Sweetheart or Savoy cabbage is best for this recipe, as their soft texture makes them cook faster. Make sure to slice it thinly.
♻️ Substitutions
- Cooking oil: You can use vegetable oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil as alternatives.
- Udon noodles: Substitute with soba noodles, rice noodles, or even spaghetti if needed.
- Protein (shrimp, chicken, beef, pork, bacon, tofu, or extra vegetables): Feel free to use any protein or vegetable you choose. For a vegetarian option, tofu or extra vegetables work well.
- Onion: Replace with shallots or leeks.
- Garlic: You can use garlic powder or garlic paste.
- Cabbage: Swap with bok choy, spinach, or kale for a different texture and taste.
- Carrot: Substitute with bell peppers, zucchini, or mushrooms for added colour and taste.
- Green onions: Use chives or leeks as substitutes for green onions.
- Toasted sesame seeds: If you don't have sesame seeds, you can skip them or use chopped peanuts or almonds as a garnish.
- Light soy sauce - Regular soy sauce can be used as a substitute for light soy sauce, but be mindful of its saltiness.
- Dark soy sauce: Regular soy sauce can be used instead of dark soy sauce, but the flavour may be slightly different.
- Oyster sauce: Substitute with hoisin sauce, soy sauce, or teriyaki sauce.
- Mirin: You can replace mirin with rice vinegar mixed with a pinch of sugar or honey for a similar taste.
- Brown sugar: Use white sugar, honey, or maple syrup as alternatives for sweetness.
- Cornstarch - You can use arrowroot powder, potato or tapioca starch.
- Garlic - Garlic powder or garlic paste can be used instead of fresh garlic.
- Red chilli pepper - Substitute with chilli powder or paprika for a milder flavour, or use cayenne pepper for spiciness.
- Ginger - Ground ginger or ginger paste can be used as a substitute for fresh ginger.
- Hoisin sauce - If you don't have hoisin sauce, you can substitute it with a mixture of soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, and a splash of vinegar.
- Sesame oil - You can substitute sesame oil with any neutral-flavoured oil like vegetable oil or olive oil, but the overall taste won't be the same.
How to Make Easy 15-minute Udon Noodles
This recipe is a simple stir-fry Asian-inspired dish, which is perfect for a quick lunch or dinner for those busy weekdays. A family-friendly meal featuring vegetables, your choice of protein, and noodles.
Take a look at this step-by-step guide to making this delicious homemade recipe. The photos make it easy to follow along.
Step 1: Stir-fry the onion, carrot, garlic, and cabbage for 3 minutes until softened.
Step 2: Cook the Udon noodles and add them to the vegetables.
Step 3: Combine all sauce ingredients until combined and bring them to the pan.
Step 4: Finally, incorporate your chosen protein, in my case, the cooked chicken teriyaki. Stir until the sauce is evenly distributed.
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and green onion. Serve while hot!
A full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
❓FAQs
Try tossing them with a quick sesame dressing made from garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, a bit of peanut oil, sesame oil, and a splash of hot sauce. Add in some cooked veggies like bell peppers, green onions, and snap peas—it’s super easy.
Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the noodles and the soup base. Let it cook for about 2 minutes. Pour everything into a bowl, add the dried veggies, and give it a quick stir with your chopsticks. That’s it—ready to eat!
Soy sauce is a classic—try it with a bit of grated ginger and chopped spring onions for a simple, tasty combo. Miso sauce is another great pick if you’re after something richer and packed with umami.
Stir-fried udon noodles are super satisfying—chewy, quick to cook, and perfect for soaking up sauces. They’re a great alternative to regular stir-fry noodles and ready in about 30 minutes.
Just let them cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove until heated through.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
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Easy 15-minute Udon Noodles
Equipment
- 1 large pan or wok
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon cooking oil I used sunflower oil
- 500 g udon noodles
- 300 g chicken breast
- ½ medium onion sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup or ¼ small sweetheart cabbage shredded
- ¼ cup carrot julienne
- 2 green onions chopped
- toasted sesame seeds and green onions for garnish
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon Gochugaru Korean chilli flakes or red pepper flakes, optional
Chicken Marinade
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch for coating chicken or sub with potato starch or tapioca starch
- 2-4 garlic minced or sliced
- 1 red chilli pepper sliced or chilli powder or flaked to taste
- 1 medium piece of ginger sliced
- 1 tablespoons mirin
- 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
Instructions
- Start by cutting the chicken breast into small strips or chunks, transfer it to a bowl and coat evenly with the marinade mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and let it marinade for 30 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, mirin, brown sugar, and Gochugaru (if using). Set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the udon noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Now, let's get those veggies ready. Begin by thinly slicing the onion, julienning the carrot, and thinly slicing the cabbage or grating it using the large holes. Don't forget to grate the garlic after removing the skin. Place them separately on a plate and set aside.
- Once the chicken has been marinated, it's ready to cook.
- In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it's done, which usually takes about 10-15 minutes. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the skillet on a plate and set it aside.
- In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoons of cooking oil. Add the sliced onion and minced garlic. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the shredded cabbage and julienned carrot to the skillet. Stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add the cooked udon noodles to the skillet. Pour the prepared sauce over the noodles and vegetables. Toss everything together to ensure the noodles and vegetables are coated with the sauce.
- Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet. Toss everything together for an additional 2 minutes to heat the meat. Add chopped green onions and toss again.
- Serve the udon noodles in bowls, garnished with toasted sesame seeds and/or additional chopped green onions, if desired.
Deborah says
I made with fried tofu. So delicious, can't wait to make again.
Elizabeth says
Love a good and easy recipe. Appreciate that this can be done in 15 minutes!
Swathi says
Love this udon noodles I made yesterday for my dinner. Kids approved it.
Conchetta P says
My family loved this dish....and so easy- 5 Star
Nisha says
Love udon noodles and this recipe looks and sounds delicious ! Nice share .
Gloria says
We love noodles. These look and sound fantastic. Perfect for a nice easy meal. I am going to make some this weekend.