This udon noodle stir-fry is made with shiitake mushrooms, baby bok choy, tofu and a flavorful sesame soy sauce. It's absolutely delicious and easy enough for a busy weeknight!
I'm big on noodles in all forms, but udon noodles are definitely one of my favorite varieties. They're just so squishy and comforting, with an amazing chewy texture, and they work so well in so many dishes. A couple years ago I shared one of my favorite ways to enjoy them, in udon noodle soup. But I think I love them even more in a stir-fry!
Udon noodles work great in stir-fries because they're great for sucking up lots of flavorful sauce. In this recipe I took full advantage of that quality and paired them up with a super savory sesame soy sauce, along with tender mushrooms, pan-fried tofu, and baby bok choy. It's really simple to throw together and so scrumptious!
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Udon noodles. Use frozen udon noodles, not dried. Dry udon noodles just aren't as plump and squishy, and honestly I think the sauce would totally overpower them.
- Soy sauce.
- Dark soy sauce. Look for this in the international aisle of your store, or at an Asian grocery store. While you could technically just use some additional regular soy sauce, you'd most certainly be missing out on flavor.
- Vegan oyster sauce. This is another item you'll probably find in the international foods aisle, or in an Asian market.
- Brown sugar. We're using organic brown sugar, as conventional brown sugar may be processed using animal bone char, so it's not vegan.
- Toasted sesame oil.
- Sriracha sauce. Leave this out if you prefer a milder dish.
- Peanut oil. Your favorite high-heat oil can be substituted if you'd like. Vegetable oil, corn oil, and coconut oil will all work.
- Super-firm tofu. Extra-firm or firm tofu can be substituted, but will need to be pressed before cooking.
- Shiitake mushrooms.
- Baby bok choy. Regular old bok choy will work if that's what's available. Chop it up into bite-sized pieces. You could also substitute another green, like broccoli, snap peas, or cabbage, if you'd like.
- Garlic.
- Ginger.
- Scallions. Also known as green onions.
- Toasted sesame seeds.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Begin by getting all of your prep work out of the way. Cook the noodles, chop the vegetables, dice the tofu, mince the garlic and grate the ginger.
Stir the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. This will include the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and sriracha.
Heat some oil in a large wok, then add the diced tofu. Cook the tofu cubes for a few minutes, flipping them once or twice, until they're browned and crisp. Move the tofu to a plate when it's done.
Tip: Tofu is one of those foods that can really stick to a cooking surface! If you don't think your wok is up to the task, consider cooking the tofu in a separate vessel, such as a small nonstick skillet.
Add some more oil to the wok, then add sliced shiitake mushrooms. Let them sit on the hot cooking surface, only flipping them once while they cook.
Once the mushrooms have browned, you can crank up the heat and add your baby bok choy. Stir-fry it with the mushrooms until it wilts and turns bright green.
Push the bok choy and mushrooms to the edges of your wok, making room to sauté your aromatics, including minced garlic, grated ginger, and the white parts of your scallions.
Combine the aromatics and veggies, then add the noodles, cooked tofu, and sauce to the wok. Be super careful when adding the sauce — pour it over the noodles and not directly on the cooking surface.
Mix everything up and stir-fry the mixture briefly, making sure to combine the ingredients well.
Take the wok off of heat and add sesame seeds and the green parts of your scallions.
Your udon stir-fry is ready to enjoy! Divide it onto plates and go get it! This dish is best enjoyed immediately.
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover udon noodle stir-fry will keep in an airtight container for about four days. The noodles will continue to absorb sauce as they sit, so the leftovers can be a bit dry. Try adding a bit of water when you reheat them, if needed.
More Noodle Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Udon Noodle Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 26 ounces frozen udon noodles (three servings, see Note 1)
For the Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegan oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon organic brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
For the Stir-Fry
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
- 8 ounces super-firm tofu, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
- 8 ounces baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 2 scallions, white and green parts separated and chopped
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the udon noodles according to the package directions, then drain them into a colander when they're done.
- While the noodles cook, stir the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Coat the bottom of a large wok with half of the oil and place it over medium heat (Note 2). Once the oil is hot, add the tofu in an even layer. Cook the tofu for about 10 minutes, flipping the pieces once or twice, until they're browned and crispy on multiple sides. Remove the tofu from the skillet and transfer it to a plate when done.
- Add the remaining oil to the wok. Add the shiitake mushrooms in an even layer. Cook the mushrooms for about 4 minutes, flipping them once, until they're browned and have shrunken a bit.
- Raise the heat to medium-high, then add the baby bok choy to the wok. Stir-fry the baby bok choy and mushrooms for about 2 minutes, until the baby bok choy has begun to wilt and turned bright green.
- Push the mushrooms and baby bok choy to the side, making some space in the bottom of your wok, then add the garlic, ginger, and white parts of your scallions. Sauté the aromatics for about 30 seconds, until they become very fragrant, then stir them in with the baby bok choy and mushrooms.
- Add the cooked noodles to the wok, return the tofu to the wok, then carefully pour the sauce over the noodles and tofu. Stir-fry everything for about a minute, until the sauce has reduced a bit and evenly coats the noodles. Remove the wok from heat.
- Sprinkle the stir-fry with the green parts of your scallions and sesame seeds.
- Divide onto plates and serve.
Notes
- Frozen udon noodles are usually sold in single serve pouches, with each pouch having between 7 and 9 ounces. Use three servings, even if the total weight is off by a couple of ounces. I don't recommend substituting dried udon.
- A large skillet will work if you don't have a wok. I recommend using something with a good, non-toxic nonstick surface that's suitable for high-heat, such as cast iron, as the tofu has a tendency to stick.Â
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Made this recipe last night for dinner. Very tasty! I am working out how to use my stainless steel work on my new gas stove and could have done better with the tofu.
Made this last night and the kids loved it! Definitely a keeper!