Go Back
–+ servings

Beef Udon Noodle Soup (Authentic Niku Udon)

Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 2 portions

Ingredients 
 

Marinating the beef and onions

  • 150 g thinly sliced beef or thinly sliced pork
  • 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tsp oyster sauce
  • ½ tsp light brown sugar
  • ½ tsp grated ginger root or ginger paste
  • 3 tbsp water
  • ¼ onion
  • ¼ tsp salt

Niku Udon Broth

Cooking / Serving

Instructions 

  • Add 150 g thinly sliced beef (thinly sliced) to a container with 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tsp oyster sauce, ½ tsp light brown sugar, ½ tsp grated ginger root and 3 tbsp water. Leave to marinate for at least 10 minutes, or until the dashi is ready.
    marinate beef for niku udon
  • While the meat is marinating, finely slice ¼ onion and place it in a separate bowl. Add ¼ tsp salt, massage thoroughly and set aside until it's time to cook.
    salt onions for niku udon
  • Pour your 500 ml dashi stock back into a pot and add 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 1 tbsp mirin and 1 tsp light brown sugar.
    Place the pot on the stove and boil for 2 minutes to burn off the alcohol in the mirin. Turn off the heat but leave the pot on the stove to keep it warm. (Reheat before serving if necessary.)
    make niku udon broth
  • Cook 2 portions udon noodles according to the instructions on the packaging. Once cooked, drain the water, wash with boiling water and divide the noodles into serving bowls.
    partially cooked udon noodles in a strainer over a bowl
  • Heat a pan on medium and once hot add 1 tsp beef suet (fat). Firmly squeeze the salted onions to remove excess moisture, then add them to the pan and fry until softened.
    fry onions with beef fat niku udon
  • After the onions have softened, add the beef and marinade, and fry everything together until the meat has cooked through. Once cooked, remove from the heat.
    cook beef and marinade with onions
  • Pour the broth into each bowl about two-thirds of the way up and place the beef and onions on top. Pour the leftover sauce from the pan over the top.
    arrange niku udon in bowl
  • Sprinkle with finely chopped green onions and Japanese chili powder (shichimi togarashi).
    garnish niku udon with spring onions
  • Mix well before eating and enjoy!

Notes

The beef and broth can stretch to 3 servings if needed. Simply increase the udon from 2 portions to 3 and divide the toppings evenly.
Use thin, fatty beef cuts such as "shaved beef," chuck roll slices, or brisket slices for the best flavor and tenderness.
Choose from frozen, pre-boiled, or dried udon noodles based on preference and availability, or make your own using the homemade udon recipe.
Massage the salted onions thoroughly, then squeeze out the liquid after resting. Skipping this step makes the onions overly salty. The point is to draw out the moisture, not to flavor the onion.
Always taste the broth before adding the beef. It should be slightly under-salted at this stage since the beef mixture is intentionally strong.
Mix the beef, noodles, and broth well before eating to balance the intense beef flavor with the mild soup.
Eat immediately after assembling, as udon becomes soft and mushy when left in the soup.
For storage, keep all components separate: beef/onion mixture up to 2 days in the fridge and the seasoned dashi up to 3 days. Never store assembled bowls.
Serving ideas: Inarizushi, Sesame Spinach Salad, Spinach Ohitashi Salad, Best Agedashi Tofu