Homemade Udon Noodles

While ramen has become a mainstream Japanese noodle dish in the United States, udon noodles deserve attention, too. Silky, chewy and thick, udon noodles are a slurpable and filling ingredient used in many Japanese recipes.

Growing up, udon was the dish my mom would make when I wasn’t feeling well. She’d make a simple chicken broth, hard-boil an egg, add a few greens like broccoli or bok choy, and pour that simple soup over some tender udon noodles. It was ready in less than 20 minutes and instantly brought me comfort. Today, I’ve learned how to make udon noodles from scratch, which transforms that childhood experience into something fresher and chewier.

Though soups are my favorite way to enjoy udon, it can also be tossed in a stir-fry coated with sauce, served as a cold salad or paired with a warm Japanese curry. You can find udon noodles dried or frozen at the supermarket, but they’re not difficult to make at home using flour, salt, water and cornstarch (and a bit of muscle). The process is similar to making homemade Italian pasta.

Be sure to make extra udon noodles to freeze! You’ll be glad to have fresh noodles on hand for a quick meal.

What are udon noodles?

Udon noodles are white flour-based noodles that are thick, chewy and silky. What gives udon noodles their characteristic chew is a low water-to-flour ratio. This means the dough is tough to knead by hand—but not impossible—and is often traditionally kneaded with the feet!

If you don’t want to place the dough in a bag and step on it with clean socks, you can also use a pasta maker or a stand mixer with the pasta attachment to roll it out. Folding the noodles and smoothing them out a few times is what gives them their silky chew and texture.

How to Make Udon Noodles

To make homemade udon noodles, you’ll first knead to mix together flour, water and a bit of salt to create the dough. Knead it into a ball, then close the dough ball in a resealable bag.

You’ll need to gather up a little muscle strength for this part! While the dough is still in the bag, roll it out to a 1/2-inch thickness, then remove the dough and fold it over itself twice. Place the dough back in the bag, allow the dough to rest for a few minutes. Repeat this same process four more times.

Take the dough out of the bag, place it on a countertop that’s been liberally dusted with cornstarch and roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Fold the dough in half like a hot dog bun, then in half again the same direction to make an accordion. Cut the dough into 1/4-inch thick slices to form the noodles. Toss the noodles in a bit more cornstarch.

Finally, cook the udon noodles in a pot of boiling water until they’re al dente, about four to five minutes.

Ingredients for Homemade Udon Noodles

• All-purpose flour: The key to thick udon noodles is making sure the ratios are just right, and it’s especially important with the flour. Be sure you’re familiar with how to measure flour the right way so the noodles are perfectly thick, chewy and bouncy, not dense or flimsy.
• Salt: A little salt gives these mild noodles a tiny bit of flavor and brings out their natural nuttiness. Kosher salt is best for this udon noodles recipe.
• Water: Making udon noodles requires very few ingredients, but that means it’s especially important that each one is of the highest quality so the noodles can taste their very best. If you’re used to drinking water from a filtration system, use that water to make udon noodles. However, if your tap water is perfectly suitable for your everyday drinking, feel free to use that!
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch prevents the udon noodle dough from sticking to the counter while rolling it out, and prevents the noodles from sticking together after they’re cut. Plan to have at least 1/2 cup on hand for this udon noodles recipe.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the dough

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour and salt. Add the water, then stir with a fork or chopsticks until dough looks like shaggy clumps.

Knead the dough until it comes together into a ball, adding water as needed. Place the dough into a large, resealable bag, and let it rest for 45 to 60 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: If the dough is still a little dry after a few minutes of kneading, use a spray bottle to add a bit more water.

Step 2: Knead and roll out

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

While the dough is still in the bag, roll it out to a 1/2-inch thickness, rotating the bag often. Remove the dough from the bag, then fold the dough over itself twice.

Return the folded dough to the bag, and let it rest for five minutes. Repeat this rolling and folding process four more times, until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.

Remove the dough from the bag and transfer it to a lightly dusted surface. Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch rectangle.

Step 3: Cut the noodles

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

Dust the surface of the dough liberally with cornstarch. Fold the dough in half from the long side (like a hot dog bun), then in half again in the same direction to make a long strip. Using a sharp knife, work from one end of your dough to the other, slicing noodles that are 1/4-inch thick.

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

Dust the noodles with a bit more cornstarch to prevent them from sticking.

Editor’s Tip: You can slice the noodles as thin or thick as you’d like. They’ll expand when cooked.

Step 4: Cook the noodles

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the udon noodles and give them a quick stir to prevent them from sticking together. Cook the noodles until they float to the top four to five minutes.

Give one a taste to see if they’re ready! When the noodles are cooked, immediately strain them through a colander and run cold water over top to prevent them from overcooking.

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

Ways to Serve Udon Noodles

There are a variety of ways to enjoy these homemade udon noodles: swimming in a broth, served with a sauce, tossed in a stir-fry and so much more. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Hot noodle soup: Place a portion of cooked udon noodles in a bowl with warm dashi broth, sesame seeds, seaweed strips and chopped green onion. Pour in a bit of soy sauce and mirin, then add thinly sliced beef to make beef udon or fried tofu and to make vegetarian udon. Our pork and bok choy udon soup is one of our favorites!
• Cold noodle soup: In the summer, chill the dashi broth and enjoy the noodles cold.
• Stir-fry: Pan-fry the noodles by cooking them in a wok or skillet with soy sauce, oyster sauce, chili sauce and sauteed vegetables. Then toss them with cooked meat, seafood or crispy tofu. You could also pour a delightfully gingery peanut sauce into the pan and toss to coat.

How to Store Udon Noodles

The best way to store leftover cooked udon noodles is in an airtight container in the fridge. Just make sure the noodles have cooled completely to room temperature before snapping the lid on. They noodles should last up to four days.

Can you freeze udon noodles?

Yes, you can freeze uncooked udon noodles. After making the fresh dough, dust the noodles heavily with cornstarch to prevent them from sticking, then portion them into bundles. Place each bundle on a baking sheet and pop them in the freezer until they’re firm, 30 to 60 minutes. Transfer each bundle into an airtight container like a resealable bag or reusable container for easy access in the future. Udon noodles keep for about one month.

When you’re ready to eat, bring a pot of water to a boil and place a bundle of noodles in the pot directly—no need to defrost them!

Udon Noodles Tips

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

What is the difference between udon and soba noodles?

Soba noodles are different from udon noodles, as soba is made from buckwheat flour and is typically cut quite thin. Soba has a brownish tint with speckles from the buckwheat and, like udon noodles, can be enjoyed hot or chilled. Both noodles use a careful balance of flour and water, but have very different textures and flavors.

Where udon noodles are chewy and silky, soba noodles are nuttier and heartier. One major difference is that soba noodles are actually quite tricky to make at home, because buckwheat flour is so delicate to handle. Both noodles pair well with essential Japanese ingredients like shoyu, sesame oil and dashi (made from kombu and bonito flakes).

Are udon noodles vegan?

Yes, udon noodles are vegan. There are no eggs in these chewy, bouncy noodles. Udon noodles are simply made with flour, salt, water and cornstarch.

What do udon noodles taste like?

Udon noodles taste mild, with small hints of sweet nuttiness. The low flavor profile leaves room for the other ingredients in the bowl to shine. What you’re mostly getting from udon noodles is all that fun texture: thick, chewy, bouncy and silky so you can slurp them right up.