Udon Noodle Stir Fry

This udon noodle stir fry is smoky, umami and a touch spicy. Easy, quick and satisfying, it makes a great weeknight dinner. 

Jump to:

• What are udon noodles?
• How to prepare udon noodles
• Udon noodle sauce
• Vegan oyster sauce
• Ingredients
• How to make udon noodle stir fry
• Variations and substitutions
• FAQs
• Make ahead and storage tips
• How to serve udon noodle stir fry
• Udon Noodle Stir Fry

What are udon noodles?

Udon noodles are Japanese noodles made from wheat, water and salt.

When most people think of udon, they think of the thick, round noodles with a chewy texture that typically come pre-cooked in vacuum sealed packages.

However, udon can also be flat, thinner and come dried in packages like spaghetti.

Udon noodles can be used in hot soups, stir-fried, served chilled with a dipping sauce or in the famous Japanese dish curry udon. 

Udon noodles are good for stir fry because they take on the flavors of whatever they’re cooked with and like to be coated in a flavorful, sticky sauce.

This udon noodle stir fry recipe cooks the noodles with vegetables in a savory, vegan umami sauce.

How to prepare udon noodles

If you read the instructions on the package, they will tell you to add the udon straight out of the package and directly to the wok or pan.

However, most recipes recommend preparing the noodles in advance by soaking them in boiling water for about 5 minutes.

This is because the noodles are tightly packed together and it’s easier to stir fry them if they have been separated beforehand.

Trying to separate them in the wok requires a lot of stirring and can lead to breakage. 

Additionally, you might accidentally overcook your vegetables while trying to separate the noodles.

Udon noodle sauce

Most recipes for udon stir fry also call themselves yaki udon.

Yaki udon is a Japanese dish of stir fried noodles, meat and vegetables and a sauce that typically contains soy sauce, oyster sauce, sake and mirin.

My udon noodle stir fry recipe is not the typical yaki udon recipe because I don’t keep mirin and sake on hand in my kitchen.

But I was at my local Asian supermarket the other day and happened across vegan oyster sauce for the first time.

So I developed this udon noodle stir fry sauce recipe with the vegan oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup and chili crisp.

This recipe has more Chinese flavors than Japanese yaki udon, but it’s a pure invention of mine and not meant to be authentic in any way.

Vegan oyster sauce

The vegan oyster sauce that I have is made by the brand Lee Kum Kee. 

It’s probably the most widely available vegan oyster sauce and on the website you can find points of sale in your region.

It can also be found on Amazon and sometimes goes under the name vegetarian oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce.

Other options for vegan oyster sauce can be found at Sprouts supermarket, Kikkoman vegetarian oyster sauce, or Wa Ja Shan vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce.

If you’re someone who makes a lot of stir fry, it’s worth it to track down some vegan oyster sauce to whip up quick and easy stir fry sauces.

Ingredients

Udon noodles: I use the thick, chewy fresh udon noodles that can be found in vacuum-sealed packages. They are already pre-cooked but it’s a good idea to soak them in hot water to separate before stir frying.

Garlic and ginger: Some finely minced garlic and ginger add aromatic flavor.

Tofu: Smoked tofu is one of the more important ingredients of this recipe. Smoked tofu adds a ton of flavor. If you can’t find the smoked variety, you can substitute firm or extra firm plain tofu.

Vegetables: I use carrot, snow peas and oyster mushrooms for the vegetable element. Here you have some flexibility to substitute or add your favorite stir fry veggies.

Vegan oyster sauce: This savory sauce is a prepared product and I have linked some brands and where to buy them in the information above. 

Soy sauce: Regular light soy sauce for additional saltiness and umami.

Rice vinegar: Both the vegan oyster sauce and soy sauce are salty so a bit of vinegar helps to cut through the saltiness and balance the flavors.

Maple syrup: Maple syrup adds sweetness and does not taste like maple. You can substitute agave syrup or brown rice syrup.

Chili crisp: Chili crisp adds just the right amount of heat as well as texture to the sauce. I use the famous Lao Gan Ma spicy chili crisp.

Oil: A neutral oil that can withstand high temperatures is necessary to stir fry.

How to make udon noodle stir fry

As with most stir fry, it’s best to prepare all your ingredients and sauce before firing up the wok (or pan).

Prepare the noodles: While the noodles could be used straight out of the package, it’s easier to separate them beforehand.

Bring a medium pot of water to the boil. Turn off the heat and add the noodles.

Let them soak for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time to help break them apart.

Drain them into a colander and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process.

Set aside.

Prep the veggies: Meanwhile, prep the veggies.

Mince the ginger and garlic.

Peel and julienne the carrot. Chop the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. 

If your snow peas are not trimmed, cut the ends off and pull the strings out. Then cut them in half.

Drain the tofu, give it a good squeeze between your hands to remove excess water (I rarely bother to press my tofu anymore).

Slice the tofu into thin strips.

Make the sauce: Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Stir fry: Heat the oil over medium-high in a wok or large non-stick pan.

Fry the tofu, flipping it over a couple times, until it’s golden. Personally, I don’t like it too crispy in stir fry and prefer it to remain a bit soft.

Remove the tofu to a plate.

Now add the mushrooms and get them started frying. After a couple minutes when they are beginning to soften, add the carrot and snow peas.

Fry, stirring continuously, until the vegetables are crisp-tender. This just take a couple minutes.

Push the veggies to the side of the pan and add the ginger and garlic in the middle. You may need to add a splash of oil on top to get the started. 

Fry for about a minute until soft and fragrant, then add back the tofu and noodles and mix everything together.

I like to lower the heat to medium now and stir fry for another couple of minutes to heat the noodles through.

Now, turn off the heat and pour over the sauce. Stir everything well to coat it in the sauce. When the sauce is thick and the noodles are evenly coated, it’s ready to serve. 

Variations and substitutions

Vegetables: Instead of, or in addition to, the suggested vegetables try different vegetables like bok choy, broccoli, bell pepper, cabbage, shiitake or shimeji mushrooms, baby corn, edamame, peas, etc. You could also substitute a bag of a frozen assortment vegetables.

Garnish: Garnish your udon stir fry with chopped green onion or scallions or sesame seeds.

Seasoning: A touch of sesame oil would be delicious at the end. Dark soy sauce added to the stir fry sauce would add an appetizing color to the noodles.

Tofu: The smoked tofu adds a ton of flavor but if you can’t find it you can substitute plain firm or extra firm tofu. You could also use a vegan meat substitute like vegan chicken, seitan, soy curls or vegan beef tips.

FAQs

Make ahead and storage tips

This recipe is quick and easy as it is but each element can be prepped ahead of time if needed. 

Pre-soak and rinse the noodles, chop all the vegetable and mix together the sauce. Keep them all in separate containers in the fridge until ready to cook.

Leftover udon noodle stir fry can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

I don’t recommend freezing udon noodles because the texture will be compromised in the freezer.

How to serve udon noodle stir fry

Serve this udon noodle stir fry with a side of vegetable spring rolls, edamame, vegan scallion pancakes, vegan dumplings, or vegan wonton soup.