This udon noodle soup is warm, hearty, and full of comforting Japanese-inspired flavour. It comes together in about 30 minutes, making it a satisfying weeknight dinner that tastes wonderfully close to a restaurant-style noodle bowl.
If you enjoy noodle soups, this easy udon noodle soup with pork is a simple recipe to keep in your regular dinner rotation.
Japanese food has become a real favourite in our home, especially when we want something deeply savoury, nourishing, and a little special. Ordering takeout is always tempting, but making a steaming bowl of udon noodle soup at home is easier than it might seem. With the right stock, a few aromatics, and chewy udon noodles, you can create a bowl that is rich, balanced, and comforting without spending hours in the kitchen.
Udon noodles are thicker and softer than ramen noodles, with a pale colour and a pleasantly chewy texture. They work beautifully in soups because they soak up the savoury broth while still holding their shape. You can usually find udon noodles in supermarkets or Asian grocery shops, and they are often sold either fresh, pre-cooked, or dried. If you cannot find udon noodles, ramen noodles or even linguine can be used as a practical substitute.
Authentic Japanese Taste
The key to a more authentic Japanese-style soup is the stock. Dashi is one of the foundations of Japanese cooking and is known for bringing savoury depth and umami to dishes. For this udon noodle soup, you can use Dashi or Tsuyu soup stock. Tsuyu is especially convenient because it already includes dashi, soy sauce, and other flavouring ingredients such as mirin.
Tsuyu has a balanced taste that is salty, lightly sweet, tangy, and full of umami. It gives the broth a deeper flavour than plain stock alone and helps create the kind of satisfying noodle soup you might expect from a favourite Japanese restaurant. It can also be used as a dipping sauce, which makes it a useful ingredient to keep in the pantry if you enjoy Japanese-style cooking.
The broth begins with onion, garlic, and fresh ginger cooked in a little oil. These aromatics give the soup a fragrant base before the chicken or beef stock is added. Soy sauce and Dashi or Tsuyu then build the savoury flavour, while the udon noodles make the soup filling enough for a complete meal.
Ground pork is cooked separately with more garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and optional mirin. This topping adds richness and makes the soup feel especially hearty, but it can be left out if you prefer a simpler noodle soup. The toppings finish the bowl with colour, texture, and freshness.
How to Make It
Start by cooking the eggs first so they have time to cool before peeling. Bring the eggs to a boil, remove the pan from the heat, and let them sit briefly in the hot water before transferring them to ice-cold water. This helps create a soft-set egg that is perfect for topping noodle soup.
Next, cook the onion until softened, then add garlic and ginger. Keep the heat low when adding the garlic and ginger so they become fragrant without burning. Pour in the stock, add dark soy sauce and Dashi or Tsuyu, then add the udon noodles. Dried or uncooked noodles will need longer to soften, while pre-cooked udon noodles only need to be heated through.
While the soup simmers, cook the pork in a separate pan. Fry the ginger and garlic briefly, then add the ground pork, soy sauce, and mirin if using. Cook until the pork is fully done and flavourful. To serve, ladle the broth and noodles into bowls and finish with pork, soft-boiled egg, green onions, carrots, nori, and sesame seeds.
Serving Suggestions
Udon noodle soup is all about balance. The broth is savoury and warming, the noodles are soft and chewy, and the toppings bring freshness, crunch, and colour. Japanese-inspired dishes are often visually appealing, but the garnishes are not just for looks. They add flavour and make each bowl more interesting to eat.
These toppings are easy to prepare and work especially well with this pork udon noodle soup:
- Soft-boiled eggs
- Green onions
- Carrots cut into matchsticks
- Nori sheets, sliced into thin strips
- Black or white sesame seeds
More Japanese Recipes to Explore
- Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry with Grilled Scallions
- Shoyu Chicken Recipe
- Teriyaki Salmon with Bok Choy
- Vegetarian Yaki Udon
Udon Noodle Soup
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 litres/8 cups chicken or beef stock
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 4 tbsp Japanese soup stock, Dashi or Tsuyu
- 300g/2 packs udon noodles
For the pork
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic
- 500g/1 lb ground pork, extra-lean if preferred
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin, optional
For the toppings
- 4 eggs, soft boiled
- 1/2 carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 4 green onions, sliced into strips
- 1 tbsp black or white sesame seeds
- 1 nori sheet, cut into matchsticks
Instructions
- Place the eggs in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 5 minutes. Drain, cover with ice-cold water, and let them cool completely before peeling.
- In a separate pot, heat the vegetable oil. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook over low heat for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the chicken or beef stock, then add the dark soy sauce, Dashi or Tsuyu, and udon noodles. Cook until the noodles are tender, about 12 minutes, or simply heat through if using pre-cooked udon noodles.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the ginger and garlic and cook briefly over medium heat. Increase the heat, add the ground pork, soy sauce, and mirin if using, then cook until the pork is fully cooked.
- Divide the soup among bowls. Top with the seasoned pork, soft-boiled eggs, green onions, carrot matchsticks, nori strips, and sesame seeds. Serve hot.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 49g
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Protein: 37g
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Fat: 24g
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Sodium: 1528mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.