Japanese Curry Udon

Japanese curry udon consists of thick, bouncy udon noodles smothered in a rich, savory curry sauce. The noodles cling to every drop of that deeply flavored sauce. It is everything you love about Japanese curry, but faster — ready in under 20 minutes. And if you are lucky enough to have Japanese curry udon leftovers, even better: the flavors deepen overnight, turning tomorrow’s lunch into something even more craveable

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Rich flavor: The Japanese curry broth is savory and slightly sweet.
• Customizable: Easily swap proteins, add vegetables, or adjust spice to match your taste.
• Filling: Thick udon noodles make it a satisfying meal on its own.

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion, sliced
  • Adds natural sweetness to he curry base
• Beef Slices
  • Thin beef slices that soaks up the curry
• Udon noodles
  • Chewy noodles that goes well with the curry sauce
• 2 curry cubes
  • The key flavor ingredient
• Chili flakes (to taste)
  • Adds heat to cut the richenss of the curry
• 2 cups water
  • Helps create the broth
• 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
  • Enahnces umami flavor
• 1/2 tbsp mirin
  • Adds subtle sweetness
• 2 eggs
  • Additional protein for the dish
• Oil for cooking
  • Used to saute the onions and beef to deepen the flavor
• Optional: green onions, veggies of choice
  • Adds texture and nutrition

Click on the images for the direct link to the ingredients/tools I used:

Japanese Curry Udon Instructions

Prepare udon noodles according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water, drain well, and set aside.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook until translucent.

Add beef slices and sauté until just browned. Season with chili flakes.

Add water, soy sauce, and mirin. Stir to combine.

Add curry cubes and stir until fully dissolved. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.

Drizzle in the eggs and let them cook gently in the curry until just set (you can lightly stir for egg ribbons or leave them as soft pockets).

Add udon back in.

Place the udon noodles in a bowl and pour the curry over the top.

Top with green onions and any extra vegetables you like.

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Japanese Curry Udon Cooking Tips

Don’t rush the cooking process for the onions. Sauté until they are soft so they add natural sweetness to the curry.

Control the thickness to your desired consistency. Add more water if it is too thick, or simmer longer to thicken it.

Add the noodles at the last minute so they don’t get overcooked.

Storage Tips

Store the noodles and broth separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Udon noodles are best eaten fresh so try to eat it as soon as possible.

When reheating the curry sauce, add a splash of water if it is too thick.

Ingredient Substitutions

Chili Flakes –> Chili Oil

Onions –> Shallots

Mirin –> Sugar +. splash of rice vinegar

If you enjoyed this Japanese curry udon recipe, you might also like my coconut curry soup dumplng recipe.

Coconut Curry Soup Dumpling

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