Udon Noodles Recipe

Prepare kombu

Wipe the kombu lightly with a damp cloth to remove any surface dust (do not rinse vigorously). Place kombu in a medium pot with 6 cups cold water and let soak for 20–30 minutes (or up to 1 hour for deeper flavor).

Heat and steep

After soaking, place the pot over medium heat. Just before the water comes to a gentle simmer (bubbles appear around the edges, about 175–185°F / 80–85°C), remove the kombu and discard or reserve for another use. This prevents a bitter taste.

Add bonito

Bring the water to a boil, then immediately remove from heat and add 1 cup bonito flakes. Let steep for 3–5 minutes until flakes sink. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean saucepan or bowl, pressing gently on the solids to extract flavor. Discard the solids.

Season the dashi

Return the strained dashi to the pot and place over low heat. Add 3 tbs soy sauce, 2 tbs mirin and 1 tsp salt. Taste and adjust (add up to 1 tbs more soy sauce or 1/2 tsp more salt if needed). Keep warm but do not boil vigorously.

Prepare toppings

Trim and slice scallions thinly on an angle; set white and green parts separately. Clean and slice shiitake mushrooms. If using firm tofu, slice into 1/4-inch strips; if using aburaage, blanch quickly in hot water and slice. Soft-boil eggs: bring a small pot of water to a boil, gently lower eggs and cook for 6–7 minutes for jammy yolks, then transfer to an ice bath for 5 minutes; peel and halve.

Cook mushrooms and spinach

In a small skillet, heat 1 tsp sesame oil over medium heat. Add sliced shiitake and sauté 3–4 minutes until softened and edges begin to brown. Add baby spinach and sauté 30–60 seconds until wilted. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cook the udon

Bring a separate large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add udon noodles and cook according to package instructions: fresh/frozen 1–3 minutes, dried 8–10 minutes, until tender but still chewy. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Reserve 1/2 cup of the noodle cooking water, then drain noodles in a colander and briefly rinse under warm water to remove excess starch (optional for texture).

Assemble bowls

Divide the cooked udon evenly between 2 large bowls (about 6 oz noodles per serving). Reheat the dashi if necessary and pour ~2.5 cups broth over the noodles in each bowl, adding a splash of reserved noodle water if you want a slightly silkier broth.

Top and garnish

Arrange sautéed mushrooms and spinach, sliced aburaage or tofu, halved soft-boiled eggs, and scallion whites over the noodles. Sprinkle scallion greens and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds over each bowl. Finish with a light dusting of shichimi togarashi if desired.

Serve

Serve the udon immediately while hot. Provide extra soy sauce or shichimi at the table for personal seasoning.