Sticky Saucy Udon
This simple and delicious Sticky Saucy Udon dish is perfect for busy weeknights, as it can be made in just 20 minutes with only a handful of ingredients
Sticky Saucy Udon combines the chewy texture of udon noodles with a sweet and savoury sauce that’s sticky and delicious. It’s a dish that’s easy to make, and it’s perfect for a quick meal or as part of a larger Japanese-inspired feast. With only 12 ingredients and 20 minutes, you can enjoy this delectable dish.
What is Udon?
If you’re a fan of Japanese cuisine, then you’ve probably had udon noodles before. Udon is a Japanese noodle made from wheat flour, salt and water. Whether you serve it hot or cold, it is a great option for quick meals when you want something different from your usual spaghetti or ramen.
Udon noodles are thick and chewy and have a unique texture that makes them a favourite among noodle lovers. But have you tried Sticky Saucy Udon? If not, you’re missing out on a delicious and satisfying dish that’s perfect for any occasion.
A Sticky Saucy Twist
Sticky Saucy Udon is a simple dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights. This is a highly adaptable dish, whether you opt for pork/chicken mince or tofu crumbles, or mix up the green veg with whatever is at hand. This recipe is all about the glossy, sticky sauce that brings the dish together. It’s perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal or a cozy night in. The combo of the chewy udon noodles, crispy protein, crunchy greens and sticky sauce are an especially satisfying combination. Therefore, go ahead and give this recipe a try and get ready to indulge in some exciting flavours!
If you’re a fan of Udon noodles and love to experiment with bold flavours, then you simply have to try my Gochujang Udon Alla Vodka.
As always, if you try this recipe let us know how it goes! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag your photo #theculinarycartel on Instagram so we can see what you come up with. Watch the full video here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this gluten-free?
Of course, simply use gluten-free udon noodles.
How long does it take to make udon noodles?
The cooking time for udon noodles can vary depending on the brand and type of udon. In general, udon noodles take about 8-10 minutes to cook.
What is lao gan ma?
It is a famous chilli oil sauce brand originating from China. The name “Lao Gan Ma” means “old godmother” in Chinese, and the sauce is known for its distinct spicy and savoury flavour. The sauce is made from chilli peppers, soybean oil, garlic, and various other spices and ingredients, and is commonly used as a condiment or ingredient in many Chinese dishes, such as noodles, stir-fries, and dumplings.
Can I use another protein in my noodles?
Pork, chicken and beef mince all work well in this recipe. Crumbled firm tofu is also a fantastic veggie alternative to meat in this recipe.
Sticky Saucy Udon
- Total Time: <20 minutes
- Yield: Serves 1 generously
Description
This simple and delicious Sticky Saucy Udon dish is perfect for busy weeknights, as it can be made in just 20 minutes with only a few ingredients.
Ingredients
- 100g pork/chicken mince or firm crumbled tofu
- 1 x 200g pack of udon
- 2 handfuls greens (aprox 150-200g) we used pak choi and savoy cabbage
- 3 Tbsp/ 45ml dark soy
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 20 ml water
- 1 tsp corn flour (also known as corn starch if in the USA)
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Lao Gan Ma , or sub for 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
- Cooking oil as needed
Instructions
*This dish comes together quickly, so prep all your ingredients before starting.
- Prep your udon according to the package instructions, being sure to undercook it slightly as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Prep the greens. Thinly slice the cabbage, and cut the pak choi into bite-size pieces. If using another green veg, prep them so they will all finish cooking at a similar time.
- Make the sauce by combining dark soy, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Mix the corn flour with the water, until well combined and add this to the soy mixture. Stir in the rice vinegar and lao gan ma, then set the sauce aside until needed.
- Place a wok on a high heat. Once hot add a drizzle of cooking oil then add the mince or tofu crumbles. Stir fry until your protein is a deep golden brown.
- Add the garlic, and cabbage, and stir fry until wilted. Add the pakchoi, half the spring onions, drained udon, and sauce and stir to combine. As the sauce cooks it will start to thicken. Toss the dish to coat the udon and veggies in sticky sauce.
- Ladle the noodles into bowls, top with more spring onions and serve.
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Serves 1 generously
- Calories: 1391.59kcal
- Sugar: 13.35g
- Sodium: 52.64g
- Fat: 55.41g
- Carbohydrates: 168.69g
- Fiber: 10.11g
- Protein: 52.64g
9 Responses
I LOVE THIS!!
Hello –
is it possible to prepare the sauce ahead of time to save time the night of cooking, or if you were going to make this while camping? I imagine you can mix all the ingredients to the sauce minus the corn flour until you were ready to cook?
Thanks!!
Yes that will work just fine! The cornflour will settle though so give it a good stir. Are you going to do this on a wok over the fire? So cool. The smoke will give great flavour. For the udon, I just soak them but they are the “fresh” easy cook type. If you get dried be sure to boil them before stir frying
Thanks for the speedy reply! I will be making this in a wok over fire, so we’re hoping for good results. Just to clarify, I CAN pre mix all the sauce ingredients, including cornflour, as long as I give it a good whisk before adding? And yes, my udon is prepacked refrigerated version, so I’ll give em a healthy soak before mixing everything together 🙂
Yes to confirm all good to premix the sauce, and then just whisk before adding it
Love this recipe but i struggled to upsize to feed the whole family, i felt like it did not get sticky enough and the sauce was runny.
Yes, unfortunately stir fries can be tricky with scaling up, as they need high heat, space to brown (aka not overcrowding the wok) and lots of evaporation, especially if making double the sauce and cooking in a standard wok. You could double the liquid but the evaporation surface area is the same. If you try again you can make less sauce (x1.5 not x2 for example for a double batch) or remove the crispy mince and veggies, and add the sauce to reduce until thick. Then add the veggies, mince and noodles back in to coat. Hope that helps. Feel free to reach out via instagram DM on our Culinary Cartel page if you get stuck again and need advise on scaling
This is one of my favorite meals to make at the moment. My hubby is also obsessed with it. Thanks so much for this absolute treat.
Thrilled you enjoyed it so much. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!