Spicy Yaki Udon
When the noodle craving hits, make this.
Easy Yaki Udon noodles with stirfried vegetables, fried tofu, and an addictive spicy umami sauce. Ready in 20 minutes!
These noodles are my quarantine invention. One night I was feeling noodles (which, I admit is often) and decided to fancy up my typical noodle stir fry. Little did I know that I would come across a ridiculously perfect sauce! It is unbelievably yummy YUMMY! Made with fermented bean chili paste (doubanjiang*), this yummy sauce meets all sauce requirements: salty, spicy, savory, and sweet.
Your noodle choices are flexible in this recipe, my preference is thick udon noodles, because they grab the sauce better and have a satisfying slurp. Udon noodles are a Japanese noodle that is traditionally made out of wheat flour. If you don't use udon noodles, yakisoba, ramen, or perhaps a rice noodle or spaghetti noodles could work too! Here is a great brand that I typically find at my Asian market I did just make these noodles with ramen noodles, and they were deliciously slurpy.
The tofu in this dish is baked till nice and crispy, but you can purchase pre-fried tofu, or you can stir-fry the tofu in oil, or my preferred way, in an air fryer! I’ve recently joined the air fryer community, and oh! the joys of an air fryer! It took me a few months of research and debating. But after much consideration (and cleaning of my pantry…) I found one! Feel free to also substitute your preferred protein.
* Doubanjiang. Fermented Bean Chili Paste. La Doubanjiang, or spicy bean sauce (là dòubàn jiàng, 辣豆瓣酱, sometimes spelled “tobanjiang”), is a paste made from fermented soybeans, broad beans, and chilies. You may also see it referred to as, “spicy bean paste,” “spicy broad bean paste,” or “fermented bean chili sauce.” This is a sauce that is found in most Asian markets, it is a Chinese sauce that is soybean-based. It has such a great savory, tangy, spicy, umami flavor that truly makes the dish. Though I understand not everyone has access to Asian markets, so for those folks I have also included a substitute sauce that matches the same flavor (see below).
Toppings. I’m 100% a fan of topping your noodles! Toppings can add such flair to a dish and heighten it to the next level. As well as, each person can adjust these noodles to what their taste buds dance for! My topping suggestions are…
- Green onion/scallions
- Garlic chives
- Cilantro
- Sesame seeds
- Furikake
- Sriracha
- Hot chili oil
- Asian pickles
- Roasted peanuts
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
1 Chinese eggplant (cut into large half moons)
½ yellow onion (thinly sliced)
2-3 medium carrots (or 1 C baby carrots, thinly sliced)
Mix all ingredients together and set aside in a small bowl.
1 C bean sprouts
1 C broccoli florets
½ bell pepper (thinly sliced)
4-5 dried shiitake mushrooms (rehydrated in 1C boiling water for 30 minutes, then sliced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2-3 servings thick udon noodles (or 2-3 servings of preferred noodles, ramen, yakisoba, rice noodles)
1 block extra firm tofu (or pre-fried tofu)
2 Tbsp neutral oil (avocado, canola, vegetable)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
Yummy Umami Sauce:
¼ C Doubanjiang/Fermented Bean Chili Sauce *(Check note below for substitution)
3 Tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
1 Tbsp white miso paste
1 tsp sesame seed oil
2 Tbsp sambal oelek chili sauce (or sriracha or omit if you’d like it not spicy)
3 Tbsp coconut sugar (brown sugar, maple syrup, cane sugar)
¼ C shiitake mushroom broth
1 Tbsp cornstarch
*Substitute fermented bean chili paste
-1 Tbsp miso paste (red or white)
- 1-2 Tbsp sambal oelek chili sauce (or sriracha)
- 1 Tbsp water
- ½ Tbsp rice vinegar
-1 tsp sesame seed oil
Assembly:
Preheat the oven now! 425F
● Crispy Tofu:
○ Preheat oven to 425 F. Drain tofu, and press tofu between a clean cotton towel and something heavy for about 5 minutes. (If you have more time to press tofu, press tofu for up to 30 minutes. I also use my cast iron pan as the heavy item, or a large can of tomatoes.)
○ In a small bowl mix together 1 Tbsp of cornstarch, 1 Tbsp water, 1 Tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce), 1 tsp oil, and set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with olive oil.
○ Cut tofu into cubes, and toss in cornstarch mixture. Lay out flat on baking sheet, and bake tofu in the oven for 25-30 minutes, flipping tofu halfway through.
*Tofu can also be pan fried in a non stick skillet with a bit of oil. Pan fry tofu first until crispy, 1-2 minutes each side. Remove from heat and then continue cooking vegetables.
● Noodle Assembly:
○ Prepare noodles per package directions. Most frozen thick udon noodles, either can be microwaved or put into boiling water for 1-2 minutes. If udon noodles are refrigerated, run the noodles under cold water until noodles start to separate. Dried udon noodles can be cooked in boiling water for 8-10 minutes. If using a different noodle, check package instructions.
● Time to bring it all together!
○ In a medium- large skillet, or wok, heat 1 Tbsp of neutral oil. Add eggplant and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add carrots, and broccoli florets, sauté for 3-4 minutes. Now add onion, bell pepper, and shiitake mushrooms. When vegetables have softened add garlic, eggplant, bean sprouts, and the Yummy Umami sauce. Allow sauce to thicken slightly then add tofu or protein choice and noodles.
○ Toss noodles throughout sauce gently, until noodles have soaked up the sauce evenly. Serve and top with your preferred toppings! (My go-to is green onion, furikake, sriracha, and sesame seeds)
