Japanese Udon With Mushroom-Soy Broth, Stir-Fried Mushrooms, and Cabbage (Vegan) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is Japanese udon vegan? ›

Generally yes, udon is vegan-friendly as it's simply made from wheat flour and water. They're one of the few types of noodles that don't commonly contain egg. However, it's always worth double-checking an ingredients list or asking at a restaurant to make sure.

Aside from the flavourful textures and all-around taste that's tied to udon soup, the soup as a whole is greatly beneficial for you to eat. After all, it's filled with essential vitamins and minerals from its broth, noodles, and veggies that are in it to consume. Udon soup is such a versatile cuisine.

Udon (うどん or 饂飩) is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, used in Japanese cuisine. There is a variety of ways it is prepared and served. Its simplest form is in a soup as kake udon with a mild broth called kakejiru made from dashi, soy sauce, and mirin.

The slurping enhances the flavors and helps cool down the hot noodles as they enter your mouth. If there is a broth, it is drunk directly from the bowl, eliminating the need for a spoon. It is not considered rude to leave some unfinished soup in the bowl at the end of the meal.

Japanese food can be delicious and wholesome for both vegans and vegetarians. Rice and vegan-friendly noodles make up the base of most dishes. Tofu is available in a staggering variety of shapes and textures. Miso, a seasoning made of fermented soybeans and koji (a fungus) is in many dishes.

Soy sauce is usually divided into 'light soy' or 'dark soy'. Both varieties are vegan, however. Light soy is lighter in texture and much saltier than dark soy, which is a lot thicker and a lot darker but not quite as overpowering in terms of taste.

What's the healthiest? While both dishes brim with flavor, Udon could be considered the healthier of the two noodle type dishes as it tends to have cleaner, simpler toppings and has lower sodium as it doesn't use kansui (the alkaline solution that gives ramen its unique flavor).

For example, two ounces of dry uncooked udon noodles made from a whole grain flour can contain approximately five grams of fiber, which fulfills 20 percent of daily fiber requirements for the average person. A high-fiber diet helps prevent constipation, which also promotes greater intestinal health.

Health Benefits of Udon Noodles

They also contain complex carbohydrates, which help to improve weight loss, as well as reduce the risks of various heart diseases and type 2 diabetes.

Meaning of udon in English

thick noodles (= long strips made from flour or rice) used in Japanese cooking: You can choose between thin noodles and thick udon. I made this salad of raw cabbage mixed with cold udon noodles. kf4851/iStock/Getty Images Plus/GettyImages.

What is the pink and white thing in udon? ›

What is the pink thing in Udon? The fish cake called kamaboko. Made from mixture of finely pounded fish (mostly pollock or cod), egg white, potato starch and seasonings, pressed into a log and subsequently steamed, it's a common topping for many noodle dishes.

Made from wheat flour, water, and salt, udon noodles are typically two to four millimeters thick and commonly served in a hot dashi broth or served chilled in the summer. They also tend to be chewier and thicker than soba noodles (which are made using buckwheat).

Udon calories from wheat flour are low in fat and cholesterol, but they don't have high levels of healthy nutrients like calcium, vitamin C or vitamin A. You'll also want to be careful what type of noodles you're buying and check the nutrition labels.

Mizusawa Udon, a speciality of Gunma prefecture, is considered to be one of the three most delicious varieties of udon in all of Japan. Made from Gunma wheat flour, pure water, and specially selected salt, mizusawa udon noodles are firm, thick, and turn out slightly transparent when cooked.

Udon noodles are made out of wheat flour; they are thick and white in color. Best as fresh, they are soft and chewy. Due to their neutral flavor, they are able to absorb strong-flavored ingredients and dishes. Dried udon is also good, however, the texture is more dense.

However, beyond that, it is not really an at-all authentic Japanese recipe. Generally, a true Japanese udon noodle soup recipe is usually made with dashi, a traditional Japanese broth. This broth is typically made kombu (seaweed) and bonito flakes (dried tuna flakes — so not vegan).

Udon noodles themselves (not the dish) are just flour, water, and salt. That's good news because they are quite yummy and there are tons of ways to prepare them. So the actual noodle is vegan.

As a general rule, udon noodles and soba noodles are vegan, while the majority of ramen noodles are not. (The soup or sauce that comes with udon, soba and ramen in non-vegan restaurants contains animal products like fish stock, etc.).

Japanese Pan Noodles: Containing caramelized udon noodles in a sweet soy sauce, seasoned tofu, broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, black sesame seeds, and cilantro, this Noodles & Company staple is vegan as-is!