Vegan Yaki Udon is a savory and umami-rich dinner that is super easy to make in 20 minutes or less. This dish is sure to please the whole family, and the thick chewy noodles make this a super satisfying meal.
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Vegan Yaki Udon is a savory and umami-rich dinner that is super easy to make in 20 minutes or less. This dish is sure to please the whole family, and the thick chewy noodles make this a super satisfying meal.
Hey Internet, I love me some noodles, and I am always looking for new quick vegan dinner ideas. I recently visited H-mart, a huge Korean grocery store and stocked up on frozen udon noodles and I’m glad I did because I’ve become obsessed with this 20 minute dinner recipe!
I am excited to add this to my ever-growing list of dinners ready in 20 minutes or less. Some of my favorite quick vegan dinners include: vegan garlic noodles, vegan creamy pasta, vegan pepper steak, vegan kimchi fried rice, vegan tahini pasta, and so many others.
This Japanese-inspired dish is based on a technique involving stir frying vegetables and udon noodles (wheat noodles) in a savory soy-based sauce. It is by far one of my favorite vegan stir fry dinners to make.
Vegan Yaki Udon is a super versatile dish. You can use any veggies you like or even add a plant based protein such as panko tofu, puffed tofu, soy curls, seitan chunks, tempeh, or your favorite store-bought meat alternative.
In fact I think we’ve made it 5 or 6 times in the last 2 weeks. It’s so good!
Did you know I have books? Visit my shop page to see the various e-books I have available. My best seller is Plant-Based Jewish Recipes, and I’m in the middle of a second volume of that as well as a new book in the works that focuses on one of my favorite gluten-free vegan proteins.
My favorite part is I can use virtually any veggie in my fridge. One night I used grated carrots and frozen peas and it still turned out great.
And the frozen noodles stay good for a very long time in the freezer, so I can really make this any time I’d like as long as I have the simple sauce ingredients in the door of my refrigerator.
Traditionally a yaki udon sauce is made with soy sauce and mirin. Some folks add oyster or fish sauce and that’s definitely not vegan.
My vegan yaki udon sauce has TONS of umami flavor with zero animal products. You can definitely adjust the sauce ingredients and amounts to your own preferences.
And if you’re not up for making your own sauce, you could always purchase a vegan stir fry sauce from the store or just mix some soy sauce and hoisin together.
Anyway, I’ll get on with the recipe in a moment but first a reminder. I am not Japanese and I do not pretend to have any understanding of their culture or traditions.
This recipe is not at all meant to take from anyone’s traditions and I’m not saying my recipe is superior in any way. This is just an interpretation of a dish I’ve seen, and I’m sharing with my community in hopes of inspiring others. Thank you for understanding.
Why This Recipe Works
My version of yaki udon features shiitake mushrooms, red bell peppers, broccolini (baby broccoli, but regular broccoli works great too), green onions, and an incredible savory and sweet sauce. Plus, of course, those super thick, chewy-yet-tender udon noodles. Gosh I love those.
The first thing we do, after we’ve chopped all our vegetables and started a pot of water boiling of course, is mix the sauce and set it aside. I tend to mix all my sauces in glass measuring cups because it’s got a handle, a spout, and it just kinda feels good, you know?
And this sauce, oh my goodness it’s so good! You can adjust the sauce to your liking. But this is my new go-to stir-fry sauce. I like to use it as a tofu marinade too.
Then we start to stir fry our veggies. Not all at once, I kind of have an order I prefer to make sure everything is cooked evenly.
But once the veggies are pretty much almost there, we’ll plunk our frozen noodles in the boiling water. Watch ‘em—they’re done in a minute or so! We want to catch them as soon as they’ve started to separate from the frozen block they came in.
I like to cool down the noodles by rinsing them in cool water. This not only ensures they don’t overcook, it also rinses off some of the starch which seems to make them grab the sauce more? I tried it both ways, and I liked this method the best. But of course, do what’s best for you.
Finally, I add the sauce and toss everything together with tongs. It takes about 3 minutes to fully incorporate everything and the pasta should soak up most of the sauce.
Then you can serve up your vegan yaki udon with a good sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and inhale (I mean, please chew) it.
I am confident you’re going to love this easy vegan weeknight dinner. I can’t wait for you to try it!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- 2 bricks/packs of frozen udon noodles, about 250 grams each: Frozen udon noodles work best for this dish. I’ve tried it with fresh udon noodles and it is still good (add the fresh noodles directly to the cooked vegetables and then add sauce, unless the package directs you to cook them first, in which case I would subtract one minute from whatever cooking time the package indicates), but the texture is better with frozen in my opinion. Plus you can keep them on hand for a while. The noodles take only 1 minute to cook in boiling water before they can be added to the stir fry. You can also use dried udon noodles and cook them according to package directions. You can technically use other noodles in this dish but you may have leftover sauce since this dish is made specifically for udon noodles.
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms: Can use other mushrooms if desired.
- 1 red bell pepper: Orange or yellow bell pepper are good substitutes. Green bell pepper is more bitter; use at your own discretion.
- 8 ounces broccolini or baby broccoli: Regular broccoli is just fine for this. I get broccolini sometimes to mix it up (I eat broccoli almost daily) and it’s great for special occasions.
- 4-6 green onions: More or less to taste. 5 or 6 is what I use.
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce: If you can find this it has an amazing umami flavor. You can order dark soy sauce online or it can be found in any Asian market. You can also check the international section of your grocery store, though I have rarely found it there. You can substitute this by adding a little more regular soy sauce and perhaps some mushroom powder or even a bit of hoisin.
- 1 teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce: I like this for balancing the sauce to take out some of the sharpness without adding too much saltiness. Feel free to use half a teaspoon of regular soy sauce with half a teaspoon of water instead.
- 2 ½ tablespoons organic brown sugar: This helps sweeten and thicken the sauce. If you do not want to use brown sugar, maple syrup will work, but keep in mind that the sauce will not thicken as much so you may have excess sauce in your pan. That’s not a huge problem in my book, but I’m just letting you know.
- 1 ½ tablespoons mirin: This is optional, but it is a traditional ingredient in a yaki udon sauce. Mirin is a rice wine with a sweet flavor that compliments savory and umami flavors very well. You can also find this online, in Asian markets, and I’ve actually often found it in the international section of my grocery store (near the soy sauce). Since this recipe already includes rice vinegar, I would not recommend adding more. Substitute a bit more sugar or omit it altogether.
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar: This adds a little brightness. I use unseasoned rice vinegar. If yours has salt and sugar, be aware that this may change the flavor of your sauce. Adjust accordingly.
- ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil, optional: This is also optional, but mainly because it is not a traditional ingredient in yaki udon. I like it in my vegan yaki udon because it adds just a little more depth of flavor (especially since we are not using oyster sauce). You can usually find this oil in the international section of your grocery store, in Asian markets, or online as well. Feel free to omit if you don’t have it or if you are oil-free.
How to Make Vegan Yaki Udon
- Start by putting a large pot of water on to boil.
- In a large (2 cup or larger) measuring cup, jar, or bowl, whisk together the dark soy sauce, reduced sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil (if using).
- In a large nonstick skillet, start sautéing mushrooms on medium high heat. If you cook with oil, add a tablespoon or two to the pan and allow it to get hot before adding the mushrooms. If you cook without oil, dry sauté the mushrooms and only add liquid if they start to stick (a tablespoon of water or broth is usually enough). Mushrooms will release their own liquid after a bit. Cook the mushrooms until soft, around 3-5 minutes.
- Add the chopped broccolini or broccoli florets and stir fry for another 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add the red bell peppers and stir fry for 1-2 minutes more.
- When your pot of water is boiling, add the frozen udon noodles and set a time for one minute. They are done when they start to separate and become more pliable. Try not to overcook them.
- Drain the udon and rinse with cool water until cooled down to stop the cooking process.
- Add drained noodles to the pan along with the green onions and the sauce. Stir well with tongs.
- Cook for 3 more minutes, stirring frequently with tongs.
- Serve immediately with toasted sesame seeds.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I will say, the sauce flavor is just as good the 2nd day, but the noodles are a bit more limp. So as with most noodles and pasta, this dish is best the first night. Feel free to halve the recipe if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep! Omit the toasted sesame oil from the sauce and cook your mushrooms and the rest of your veggies in a nonstick skillet. If your mushrooms start to stick before they release some of their liquid, you may want to add one tablespoon of water or broth.
Yes, however those noodles are already quite soft and they won’t be as chewy in this dish. Just know that going in. If you are using fresh udon noodles, do not boil water. Just add the fresh noodles to the pan with the cooked vegetables and proceed with the recipe, unless the package directs you to cook them first, in which case I would subtract one minute from whatever cooking time the package indicates. Also a word of caution: some fresh udon noodle packs come with a seasoning packet that usually has meat bouillon powder or fish flakes in it. Make sure to discard that.
Yes, simply cook them according to package directions and add to your cooked vegetables once the noodles have been drained and proceed with the recipe.
Udon noodles are made from wheat flour, salt, and water, making them a great choice for the starch in this meal. We are adding a ton of veggies which add lots of nutrients (and not a lot of calories) to this meal as well. If you would like to add plant-based protein, you’re definitely welcome to. I think soy curls, seitan, tofu, or a store-bought meat replacement are all great ideas. My panko tofu, crispy tofu, or puffed tofu would all make tasty additions, for example.
This is a great question because you don’t have to use the vegetables I used! Snow peas, grated or matchstick carrots, baby bok choy, water chestnuts, or bamboo shoots are all great options. You could even add some baby spinach in at the end and just toss it through the hot noodles to wilt it for some extra greens.
Pro Tips for Success
- Frozen udon noodles give the best texture for vegan yaki udon. The best part is, they usually come in a large pack and they stay good for a long time in the freezer. So as long as you have some veggies and the ingredients for the sauce in the door of your fridge (they last quite a while as well!), you can have a go-to quick weeknight dinner.
- I add this tip to every recipe that involves cooking, but that’s only because it’s one thing I learned many years ago and it really makes cooking a lot easier: prep all your ingredients before you start cooking. This makes cooking so much less stressful, especially when multiple burners are being used simultaneously.
- Speaking of which, this may sound a little silly, but any time you’re cooking noodles or food that needs to be drained in a colander, make sure there’s room to do so in your sink before you start cooking. I have definitely overcooked pasta when I had to make room in a sink of dirty dishes. Now I make sure the sink is empty before cooking. Maybe it’s just me because we always have a ton of dishes to do (I cook a lot, as you might have guessed), but I figured it’s worth a mention if it helps someone.
- Make sure to carefully measure the amounts for the sauce. It can be really easy to mis-measure one ingredient and the whole sauce can taste off. Measure carefully and then taste it. People have different tastes, so you might need to add a little more sweetness or maybe you want it a little more salty. A big part of cooking is learning the preferences of the people you’re cooking for… and that includes yourself!
- Stretch this dish a little further with a third pack of noodles. I wrote this recipe for two very large servings or 4 moderate servings, but if you’re serving more people, feel free to add a third pack of noodles. I feel there is enough sauce there to accommodate it.
More Recipes Like This
- Vegan Garlic Noodles
- Vegan Lo Mein
- Honey Garlic Tofu (no real honey used!)
- Vegan Pepper Steak
- Vegan Chicken Teriyaki
- Saucy Vegan Tahini Pasta
- Vegan Chop Suey
- Vegan Beef and Broccoli
- Tofu Adobo
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Vegan Yaki Udon
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Vegan Yaki Udon is a savory and umami-rich dinner that is super easy to make in 20 minutes or less. This dish will please the whole family.
Ingredients
Yaki Udon
- 2 bricks/packs of frozen udon noodles, about 250 grams each (see note 1)
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, quartered or sliced (or any mushrooms)
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced and cut in 2-inch pieces
- 8 ounces broccolini / baby broccoli, thinly sliced and cut in 2-inch pieces (regular broccoli is fine)
- 4-6 green onions, cut in 2-inch pieces
- Toasted sesame seeds for serving, optional
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce (see note 2)
- 1 teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce (see note 3)
- 2 ½ tablespoons organic brown sugar (see note 4)
- 1 ½ tablespoons mirin (see note 5)
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil, optional (see note 6 for oil-free instructions)
Instructions
- Boil water: Start by putting a large pot of water on to boil.
- Mix the sauce: In a large (2 cup or larger) measuring cup, jar, or bowl, whisk together the dark soy sauce, reduced sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil (if using).
- Cook the mushrooms: In a large nonstick skillet, start sautéing mushrooms on medium high heat. If you cook with oil, add a tablespoon or two to the pan and allow it to get hot before adding the mushrooms. If you cook without oil, dry sauté the mushrooms and only add liquid if they start to stick (a tablespoon of water or broth is usually enough). Mushrooms will release their own liquid after a bit. Cook the mushrooms until soft, around 3-5 minutes.
- Add the chopped broccolini or broccoli florets and stir fry for another 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add the red bell peppers and stir fry for 1-2 minutes more.
- Cook the udon noodles: When your pot of water is boiling, add the frozen udon noodles and set a time for one minute. They are done when they start to separate and become more pliable. Try not to overcook them.
- Drain the udon noodles and rinse with cool water until cooled down to stop the cooking process.
- Add drained noodles to the pan along with the green onions and the sauce. Stir well with tongs.
- Cook for 3 more minutes, stirring frequently with tongs.
- Serve immediately with toasted sesame seeds.
- Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I will say, the sauce flavor is just as good the 2nd day, but the noodles are a bit more limp. So as with most noodles and pasta, this dish is best the first night. Feel free to halve the recipe if needed.
Notes
- Note 1: Frozen udon noodles work best for this dish. I’ve tried it with fresh udon noodles and it is still good (add the fresh noodles directly to the cooked vegetables and then add sauce, unless the package directs you to cook them first, in which case I would subtract one minute from whatever cooking time the package indicates), but the texture is better with frozen in my opinion. Plus you can keep them on hand for a while. The noodles take only 1 minute to cook in boiling water before they can be added to the stir fry. You can also use dried udon noodles and cook them according to package directions. You can technically use other noodles in this dish but you may have leftover sauce since this dish is made specifically for udon noodles.
- Note 2: If you can find dark soy sauce it has an amazing umami flavor. You can order dark soy sauce online or it can be found in any Asian market. You can also check the international section of your grocery store, though I have rarely found it there. You can substitute this by adding a little more regular soy sauce and perhaps some mushroom powder or even a bit of hoisin.
- Note 3: I like this for balancing the sauce to take out some of the sharpness without adding too much saltiness. Feel free to use half a teaspoon of regular soy sauce with half a teaspoon of water instead.
- Note 4: This helps sweeten and thicken the sauce. If you do not want to use brown sugar, maple syrup will work, but keep in mind that the sauce will not thicken as much so you may have excess sauce in your pan. That’s not a huge problem in my book, but I’m just letting you know.
- Note 5: Mirin is optional, but it is a traditional ingredient in a yaki udon sauce. Mirin is a rice wine with a sweet flavor that compliments savory and umami flavors very well. You can also find this online, in Asian markets, and I’ve actually often found it in the international section of my grocery store (near the soy sauce). Since this recipe already includes rice vinegar, I would not recommend adding more. Substitute a bit more sugar or omit it altogether.
- Note 6: Omit the toasted sesame oil from the sauce and cook your mushrooms and the rest of your veggies in a nonstick skillet. If your mushrooms start to stick before they release some of their liquid, you may want to add one tablespoon of water or broth.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Pasta, dinner
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Asian
Keywords: Vegan Udon, Vegan Yaki Udon, dinner, entree
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