In this Japanese-inspired bowl, sweet miso sauce coats udon noodles, mushrooms, & tofu. Vegan with a gluten free option and takes under 30 minutes!
Jack has been requesting udon ever since we got back from Japan (over a year ago), so finally, tonight, udon he got. This is not traditional udon – and that’s my disclaimer. I would love to be able to say that we went to Japan and came home able to share something remotely authentic. The truth is that we pointed to things on menus and just hoped that no one would put something in front of me that was still moving. (Jack on the other hand is ok with food that still moves).
One day we’ll hopefully become more diligent ingredient-notating travelers. Until then, next time we’re at game night and “no tentacles or squiggly legs” comes up on a charades card, we’ve got that one in the bag.
This dish was inspired by a foggy distant memory of a dish we ate on a dark, cold, rainy night in Tokyo. We were at this restaurant where their entire menu was based around Japanese leeks (neat concept right?). They served an udon dish that I remember to be one of my favorites of the trip – it was sweet and salty, and a light glistening golden brown. And that’s about all I can remember about it except for how quickly I polished it off.
I should also mention that I added a few extras that were not part of the memory… tofu to make it a full meal with protein, these neat hon shimeji mushrooms that popped up at my store, and some chopped nori because I just like it.
Sweet Miso Udon
- 3-4 oz dried udon or rice noodles
- 1 teaspoon butter or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 4 oz mushrooms of your choice, chopped
- 3-4 scallions, chopped, whites and greens separated
- 7 oz firm tofu, chopped into small cubes
- ¾ cup water or broth, as needed
- ½ sheet nori, cut into thin slices (kitchen scissors work best)
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, lightly toasted
- Sea salt
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook udon according to package directions.
- Make the miso sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the miso paste, sugar, and mirin. Bring to a gentle boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 2-3 minutes, whisking continuously. Set aside.
- In a medium pot or saucepan, heat the butter until melted. Add the garlic, ginger, mushrooms, scallion whites, and a pinch of salt and sauté until the mushrooms are cooked down.
- Add the tofu and cook another couple of minutes.
- Add the cooked noodles (if you can time this well, add them right from the boiling water so the excess water will help to create the sauce).
- Add the sweet miso sauce 2 tablespoons at a time and taste after each addition. You might not use all of it depending on your preference.
- If necessary, add water or broth to thin the sauce to your desired consistency.
- Turn heat off and stir in half the scallion greens, nori, and sesame seeds. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more sauce if necessary.
- Portion into bowls and top with the remaining scallion greens, nori, and sesame seeds.
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Hi There! Quick question regarding this recipe. When you say: “Add cooked noodles (if you can time this well, add them right from the boiling water so the excess water will help to create the sauce).” Do you mean to add a cup or two depending on need? Thank you!
Hi Kate, sorry for my slow reply. No, don’t add a cup or two of water, just cook the noodles separately and add the hot noodles to the dish.
I love this soup. I thought about adding some fennel but decided not to, this time. I did put a sprinkle of sage in though, and it was so delicious. My friend and I had fun making the dish. Thank you for another delicious recipe.
This recipe looks really great !!!!!!!!! Excellent choice, it is perfect to use with red beans and celery seed. My friends will love it.
This was incredible! Used homemade chickpea tofu & chickpea miso because cutting back on soy. Cooked rice sticks in broth then used some of same broth for sauce. Seemed to make sauce creamy. Thx!
This was incredible! I used homemade chickpea tofu and chickpea miso because cutting back on soy. I cooked the rice sticks in the broth and then used some of the same broth for the sauce. The sauce was really creamy from the starch and yummy with all the lovely flavors – delicious! Thanks!
A restaurant based around leeks but no leeks in this particular dish? I’m definitely going to add some leeks when I try it out!
well there were all kinds of leeks at the restaurant, big and small – most of the time Japanese leeks are closer to the size of scallions (which is why I used them here). I’m sure some sautéed regular leeks would be tasty 🙂
Hi all, as a bit of a miso fanatic, i wondered about boiling it? Doesn’t that destroy all the natural properties in it? Apart from that this recipe and most of the others are ‘right up my street’ as we say in England. So jealous of food bloggers and would love the time to do one myself.
Hi – you bring it to a boil just barely and then turn it down. It’s similar to making a dengaku glaze – it caramelizes a bit and becomes a sweet/savoury sauce.
I just made this dish and it was wonderful! Nice flavors…yum! Thanks!
This sounds wonderful…. I’m an absolute sucker for udon and miso. I would just be careful, though– you really aren’t supposed to boil miso. It can turn grainy and really unappetizing. However, a simple change in the timing of the dish fixes that really easily.
Hi C – I could alter my wording in the instructions – by “boil” I just mean that you get the temp high enough (a few bubbles form) in order for the sugar to dissolve. You constantly stir it, so it never becomes grainy – it’s silky smooth but the sugar is fully integrated.
You have a lovely blog and that looks absolutely delicious and exactly the sort of thing my other half would like to eat. x
Oh, My! You had me at Miso. Tofu, Nori, Udon, It’s like you’ve read my taste buds! Yum!
Your udon dish looks fantastic! I’ve been really into soba noodles lately, but your dish seems to be closer to traditional Japanese food than anything I’ve made so far. That photo of the mushroom looks totally surreal, and I’m not sure if I could play it cool if someone set a plate with a living creature down in front of me! Jack is brave.
I’m certainly eating with my eyes right now. Great pics!