This vegan udon stir fry is a quick, easy and healthy dish that’s bound to become your go-to weeknight dinner. You can have it ready in under 30 minutes, with just one wok (or pan) to clean.

What Is Udon?

Essentially, udon is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, used in Japanese cuisine. Udon noodles are boiled in a pot of hot water and then prepared in a variety of ways, served either hot in the winter or chilled in the summer.

There are different types of udon, based on how the noodles are prepared. Some of the most popular ones include:

Kake udon - one of the most basic versions of udon dishes. It is made of fresh udon noodles in a simple dashi broth. Dashi is made from cold-brewing kombu, which is a type of algae.
Yaki udon - made by stir-frying the noodles in a soy sauce. This is the recipe I share here.
Kitsune udon - noodles served in a dashi based soup stock with a large piece of fried tofu. Kitsune is the Japanese word for ‘fox’ and tofu is said to be the fox’s favourite food.
Tanuki udon - a noodle soup dish usually served in a hot dashi broth and topped with tempura bits called tenkasu.
Tempura udon - an umami-rich simple soup topped with tempura shrimp.
Stamina udon - often made with meat, vegetables, and raw eggs in addition to the udon noodles.
Zaru udon - noodles served in a bamboo basket Zaru, with the dipping sauce tsuyu, which is made from sake, mirin, soy sauce, kombu, and katsuobushi (dried bonito fish flakes).

Are Udon Noodles Vegan?

In short, yes. They are made from wheat flour, water, and salt, and don’t contain eggs like traditional noodles, which is what makes them vegan.

The confusing part is that in the West, the main difference between noodles and pasta is in eggs. In the most basic form, pasta is made by combining semolina flour and/or farina with water. When more than 5.5% of the weight comes from added eggs, the pasta is referred to as noodles. This is why udon noodles are often referred to as imitation noodles in the West.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make This Udon Stir Fry

Udon noodles: you can either opt for pre-packaged udon noodles, dried udon noodles (which you then need to cook), or try and make them yourself.

For the stir fry, you will need:

olive oil
onion
garlic
carrot
red pepper
tofu
choy sum
broccolini

And for the sauce, you will need:

soy sauce
maple syrup
cornstarch

How to Make Vegan Udon Noodle Stir Fry

Prepare the sauce by whisking all the ingredients together. Set aside.

Prepare the noodles according to package directions. This depends on whether you’re using dried or pre-packaged. Set aside.

Make the stir fry: heat the pol in a wok or a large pan, add the chopped onion and fry for about 2 minutes. Then add the garlic, carrot and pepper, and fry for about 2 minutes. Add the tofu pieces, choy sum and broccolini with a tablespoon of water, and cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Combine: Give the sauce a quick stir and pour it into the pan. Toss to coat all the ingredients, then cook for another 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the udon.

Serve with a splash of sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.