What To Serve with Udon Noodles: 8 Best Side Dishes
Be aware that any of these delectable side dishes can be used to accompany any type of noodle, so don’t worry about whether or not they would go well with udon before I start listing them all!
If you’d like, you can serve these with ramen, soba noodles, spaghetti, or any other noodle dish!
Nukazuke, a traditional Japanese dish wherein vegetables are pickled in black vinegar, brine, rice bran, and other seasonings, is first on our list of side dishes to serve with udon noodles.
The end result is a side dish that is extremely sour and crunchy and tastes great with udon noodles.
Shibazuke is one of the most well-liked pickled vegetables used to make nukazuke. Sliced cucumbers, eggplants, and radishes are marinated in sweet vinegar.
Yaki-onigiri is another popular dish to serve with udon noodles. They are essentially rice balls that have been expertly grilled and then soy sauce-seasoned.
Imagine it as being similar to Japanese arancini, which can be filled with anything from curry to tuna!
You’re probably wondering how sushi could be a side dish.
Because this is how Chirashizushi would be consumed in Japan, I wanted to include it on this list of side dishes to serve with udon noodles.
A single serving of rice with various toppings dispersed on top is known as chirashizushi. It usually contains things like sashimi, vegetables and egg.
Given that it is single-serving sized, serving it as a side dish is ideal—in fact, that is probably the best way to eat it!
Gomoku soba is a straightforward but delicious udon noodle dish. Udon noodles, dried shiitake mushrooms, konbu (seaweed), sesame seeds, and green onions are the only ingredients.
The flavor is incredibly savory and earthy, and it pairs perfectly with a bowl of rice.
Tempura is the Japanese version of fried food.
Every time I go out with friends for udon noodles, we always get some tempura on the side.
Tempura is typically a shared dish, allowing everyone to sample it simultaneously. Typically, a light battered mixture of vegetables and seafood is used.
What Soup Goes with Udon Noodles?
Simple dashi broth is the most popular soup to serve with udon noodles.
Konbu (seaweed), shiitake mushrooms, and bonito (fish flakes) are the usual ingredients.
Although this is typically how most people prepare it, you can also experiment with other soup flavors!
For instance, you could add miso to a straightforward soy sauce-based broth (dashi). This will give it an extremely thick and rich flavor that complements the noodles.
Using udon noodles, you could also try making a hot pot, which is a dish that is surprisingly simple to make.
Simply cook a variety of vegetables and meat in a large bowl, then top with dashi broth to serve.
These are merely a few illustrations of various soups that you might try pairing with your udon noodles.
Udon vs Soba Noodles
Udon noodles have a bouncy, chewy texture and are thick and white in color. Soba noodles are thin, similar to spaghetti, and are brown. Udon is typically served in cold salads, stir-fries, and noodle soups with hot broth.
FAQ
What do you serve with udon?
Typically, udon is served as a hot noodle soup with scallions, tempura, or fried tofu on top. We also enjoy including udon in stir-fries, especially in this incredible dish from Chicago chef Takashi Yagihashi, who pairs udon with shrimp, chicken, cabbage, and mushrooms for a dish that is both straightforward and flavorful.
What toppings can I add to udon?
While there are many different types of condiments that can be used to top udon, the majority of stores carry scallions, shredded nori seaweed, and hot chili peppers (ichimi and shichimi types). Depending on the retailer, agedama (fried tempura crumbs) and ginger are also offered.
How is udon noodles typically served?
Udon noodles can be served cold with a dipping sauce in addition to the traditional hot broth in which they are typically served. Some of the more popular udon dishes are: Kake udon. Udon is best served in the noodle broth known as kakejiru, which is made of dashi, soy sauce, and mirin.
Is udon a side dish?
Sesame udon noodles are a delicious side dish that can be prepared in just 15 minutes. Serve them hot or cold. One of my preferred takeout meals is cold sesame udon noodles. They’re total comfort food for me.
