Niku Udon (Japanese Thick Noodles in Dashi Broth with Braised Beef)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 35 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Niku udon is a Japanese noodle soup built on two distinct layers of flavor.
Read more
The broth starts with a clear dashi made from kombu and bonito flakes, seasoned with soy sauce and mirin for a clean, umami-rich base. Separately, thinly sliced beef is simmered with onion in a concentrated mix of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar until each slice is glazed in a sweet, savory coating. The beef is placed atop thick, chewy udon noodles swimming in the hot broth, and the two seasoning profiles merge at the table. Chopped scallions add freshness to cut through the richness. It is a staple of both home kitchens and udon shops across Japan.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Thinly slice 120 g onion and finely chop 2 tablespoons scallion.
Loosen the 2 portions of udon noodles gently before cooking so the strands separate quickly later and do not break in the pot.
- 2Control
Add 2 tablespoons from the measured dashi and the onion to a pan and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
When the edges turn translucent, spread in 220g beef and cook until about half the red color disappears.
- 3Season
Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mirin, and 1 tablespoon sugar, then lower the heat.
Turn the beef for about 2 minutes until glossy, then stop cooking before the slices tighten and become tough.
- 4Control
Heat 800 ml dashi stock in a pot, and when it begins to boil, add 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon mirin.
Simmer for 1 minute, then dilute with hot dashi if the broth tastes too salty.
- 5Heat
Cook the udon noodles in boiling water according to the package timing.
Once the strands loosen and turn supple, rinse with hot water to remove surface starch, then drain well so the broth stays clear.
- 6Finish
Place the drained udon in deep bowls and ladle plenty of hot broth over it.
Top with the simmered beef and onion, scatter the scallion, and serve immediately before the noodles absorb too much liquid.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Niku Udon features thinly sliced beef braised in sweet soy sauce over a savory dashi broth.
- Finish cue
- Turn the beef for about 2 minutes until glossy, then stop cooking before the slices tighten and become tough.
- Avoid this
- Avoid overcooking beef to keep it tender.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
35min, 8 ingredients
Category median
35min, 9 ingredients
Based on 233 recipes
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