If you’re craving beef udon or looking for an easy niku udon recipe, this cozy noodle soup is perfect for chilly winter nights. Made with tender beef slices, chewy udon noodles, and a light soy-based broth, it’s comfort food you can whip up in 20 minutes.
One very cold night, I found myself doing what I always say I would never do after putting my daughter to bed: lying on the couch, phone in hand and scrolling tiktok while half thawing out from the cold. Newcastle winters aren’t brutal, but they sneak up on you. One week the cold has some sun laced into it, the next your toes haven’t been warm since June.
Somewhere between videos of cute Sydney cafes and people organising their fridges, I landed on a string of TikToks about beef udon soup. In each one, someone would lower thin ribbons of beef into a steaming soy-scented broth, then add plump udon noodles that danced in the pot like little cute and plump clouds. It looked rich and cosy and, most importantly, easy exactly the kind of thing you want on a cold night.
Curious to see how the pros do it, I hopped over to YouTube and found that Kenji López-Alt had uploaded a niku udon recipe on the New York Times Cooking channel. I love Kenji because his videos are packed with tips and little nuggets of cooking knowledge that make you feel like you’re not just following a recipe but actually learning how to cook. His version looked incredible, and between that and the TikTok clips still floating around in my head, I felt ready to give it a shot.
The next day, I made a beeline for the Asian grocer for udon noodles and thinly sliced beef brisket, and by dinner time, I was standing over a pot of dashi broth, soy, and mirin, letting the sweet, salty aroma fill the kitchen.
The result? A warm and cozy bowl of beef udon soup. I’ve tried making Gyudon before but this concoction might just be the best I’ve ever made at home. The broth is light yet packed with flavour and the noodles are satisfyingly chewy. The beef is perfect and tender – savoury, sweet, umami and melts in your mouth. This is exactly the kind of dinner you’ll want to make again and again.
How to cook Niki Udon or Japanese Beef Udon Soup
Niku Udon (Japanese Beef Udon Soup)
Serves 2
What you’ll need
500g thinly sliced beef brisket (or any other beef) (look for the frozen packs at Asian grocers)
3 portions frozen udon noodles
300 ml water
2 cups dashi stock (instant dashi works perfectly – I use this one from Amazon)
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sake (optional)
1 tbsp sugar
1 small onion, thinly sliced
Spring onions, sliced (for topping)
Bok Choy
Shichimi togarashi (Japanese chili mix), optional
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup water
Splash of mirin
How to make it
In a medium pot, combine the water, dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake (if using), and sugar. Bring it to a gentle simmer.
On a separate pan, add the sliced onion and cook until a little bit soft.
Cook on high heat. Drop in the beef slices a few at a time, and let the onions and beef infuse. Brown the beef a little bit. About 3 minutes.
Add the soy sauce, sugar, and water. Lower the heat to simmer and cover for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook your udon noodles according to the packet instructions. Cook the bok choy with it. Drain and divide them between three bowls.
Pour the hot broth and beef over the noodles.
Top with spring onions, bok choy, and a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi if you like a bit of heat.
This easy beef udon soup recipe comes together in under 20 minutes but feels like the kind of dish you’d find at a Japanese restaurant.
If you’ve been tempted to try making niku udon or a simple beef udon recipe at home, take this as your sign. Between Kenji’s thoughtful tips and the inspiration from TikTok, I’ve already made it thrice last month. It’s honestly become a winter staple at our household! Go give it a try and let me know what you think.
