Nabeyaki Udon

Name: Nabeyaki Udon
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 piece kombu, about 5x5 inches; 3 c. bonito flakes; 1 tbsp. soy sauce; 1 tbsp. mirin; 1 tsp. kosher salt; 6 oz. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 4 oz. kabocha, butternut, or kuri squash, seeded and sliced 1/2-inch thick; 1 c. shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced; 3 scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated; 2 oz. kamaboko, sliced 1/4-inch thick; 1 c. snow peas, thinly slice on a diagonal; 1 c. spinach; 2 eggs, lightly beaten; 12 oz. udon noodle, cooked and drained; Shichimi togarashi, optional

By Myo QuinnPublished: Jan 8, 2021

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Erik Bernstein

I’m a sucker for dishes high in flavor, low in commitment. And if it comes together in one pot? All in! Nabeyaki udon is a one-pot Japanese noodle soup that is just this.

It starts with dashi, a quick stock that is at the heart of many Japanese soups (hello, miso!) – it’s briny and full of umami. I use kombu (dried kelp) and bonito (dried fish) flakes in this recipe, but dried shiitake mushrooms steeped in water overnight is vegan and delicious. Not at all traditional, but I’ve used boxed low-sodium chicken stock and didn’t feel like a cheat. Then goes in a simple seasoning of soy sauce and mirin, a sweet Japanese rice wine. A decent sub for 1 tablespoon mirin: 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar plus 1/4 teaspoon sugar.

To the simmering dashi, add a protein (chicken, beef, tofu) and hearty veg like squash, carrots, turnips, and mushrooms. Dig out whatever produce is hiding in the crisper. Cut everything into uniform bite-sized pieces so that they cook evenly in a flash. Then add quick-cooking greens like snap peas, spinach, collard greens, kales, or arugula. I go out of the way to find kamaboko, Japanese fish cakes. It doesn’t have a strong flavor, but it’s pink and oh so winsome. Finally slide in the cooked udon noodles, a thick, round, and somewhat chewy wheat noodle. Any kind of udon, fresh, frozen, or dried, works. That’s it!

The name nabeyaki refers to a nabe or pot – this noodle soup is typically cooked and served in a donabe, or clay pot. No nabe? No problem. Use a Dutch oven since it retains heat well, allowing everything to cook quickly and evenly. Plus, it looks nice enough to set right on the dining table. My gang of five gathers around the pot, dividing the noodles into our bowls and ladling the hot soup on top – some of us request more noodles less soup. I like the most veg and a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi, a bright, tangy, and spicy Japanese spice blend. Either way, we all leave the table nourished and happy.

Use up more of the kombu by making your own sushi rice!

Have you made this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!

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Yields:: 4 serving(s)
Prep Time:: 15 mins
Total Time:: 35 mins

Ingredients

1
piece kombu, about 5x5 inches
3 c.
bonito flakes
1 tbsp.
soy sauce
1 tbsp.
mirin
1 tsp.
kosher salt
6 oz.
boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 oz.
kabocha, butternut, or kuri squash, seeded and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 c.
shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
3
scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
2 oz.
kamaboko, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 c.
snow peas, thinly slice on a diagonal
1 c.
spinach
2
eggs, lightly beaten
12 oz.
udon noodle, cooked and drained
Shichimi togarashi, optional

Directions

1. Step 1Make dashi: In a 3.5 to 4-quart donabe or Dutch oven, add 9 cups of cold water and kombu. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. As soon as the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat. Add bonito flakes and let stand for 2 minutes without stirring. Remove the kombu and bonito flakes using a mesh sieve. The kombu and bonito flakes can be reused to make a lighter, but still delicious dashi by simmering in 4 cups of water. Otherwise, discard.
2. Step 2Bring dashi to a simmer over medium heat and add soy sauce, mirin, and salt. Add chicken, squash, mushrooms, and scallion whites. Cook for 6 minutes. Add kamaboko, snow peas, spinach, scallion greens, and eggs. Cook for 2 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Add udon noodles. Serve with a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi, if you’d like.