This vegan curry udon recipe is really easy to make and delicious with chewy thick noodles in each slurp.
Do you crave more comfort food as the weather turns colder? I sure do. What’s best about this recipe is how simple it is to put together for a quick tasty lunch or dinner. If you like the tofu katsu curry bowl, then, you don’t want to miss this.
What you need for Vegan Curry Udon
- Kombu dashi – homemade or store-bought (usually comes in paper stick packages). For homemade, I like to make a big batch ready for my Korean and Japanese dishes.
- Curry powder or cubes – You can use S&B curry powder or other yellow curry powder. Alternatively, use 1-2 Japanese curry cubes. Many brands have a ‘no meat contained’ version that come in well-seasoned, so, you can skip the seasoning below, if using. Quick tip for curry cube: Cut into smaller pieces before adding to the dish.
- Noodles – My favorite is Sanukiya udon that I got from the frozen section at Asian grocery stores.
- Seasoning – I used mirin, soy sauce, mushrooms seasoning along with a little sugar (depending on the curry powder I used).
How to make Vegan Curry Udon
Step 1: Make the kombu dashi
Skip this step if you already have ready-made dashi in the fridge or are using the store-bought kombu dashi powder. To make the kombu dashi, place kombu (cut into smaller pieces), mushrooms and water in a pot. Set it over medium heat.
As soon as it starts to barely boil, turn off the heat and strain the stock in a jar. Reserve the kombu and mushrooms for other dishes.
Step 2: Put everything together
Heat a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium heat with a tablespoon of oil. Sauté mushrooms until golden and aromatic, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the onion and continue to cook until it turns translucent. Stir in half of the curry powder, and mix to combine. If using a curry cube, add it to the next step.
Add the kombu dashi and seasoning, then stir to combine.
Add the udon noodles (thaw if using frozen), give it a stir. Then, cover the pan with a lid.
Allow the noodles to cook through. Uncover, taste, and adjust the seasoning accordingly. I found that using Japanese curry cubes, no additional seasoning is needed. Serve warm.
Why You Need this Vegan Curry Udon
- Super easy and simple to make
- Ready in minutes
- Slurpy and chewy thick noodles
- Easily customizable – use instant kombu dashi or curry cubes to save time
- Tasty!!
If you try this recipe, I would love to hear your feedback and see your beautiful re-creation. Leave me a comment, rate it, and tag @woon.heng and #woonheng to your photos on Instagram or Facebook. Happy cooking, friends!
Vegan Curry Udon
Ingredients
- ½ oz kombu
- 8 pieces dried Shiitake mushrooms
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 2 large king oyster mushrooms julienned
- 2 tablespoons curry powder separated (see instructions)
- 2 servings of udon noodles used frozen (8.8oz or 250g each)
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon mushrooms seasoning
- ½ teaspoon sugar optional
- water
- oil for cooking
- cornstarch
- chopped scallions
Instructions
- To prepare the kombu dashi, place kombu, mushrooms, and 2½ cups* of water in a small saucepan. Set to medium and turn off the heat right before it comes to a boil.
- Strain to a large bowl or cup and reserve the mushrooms and kombu for other dishes. It should yield about 2¼ cups.
- Next, heat a large non-stick skillet with a tablespoon of oil. Sauté mushrooms until a thin brown crust forms and is aromatic. Push the mushrooms to the side of the pan and sauté onion until tender, adding more oil if needed.
- Stir in a tablespoon of curry powder and mix to combine.
- Pour in the kombu dashi, mirin, soy sauce, mushrooms seasoning, sugar (if used), and add in the udon. Cover the pan with a lid and cook until flavors meld and the udon is fully cooked through.
- Meanwhile, mix a teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water until incorporated.
- When the sauce has reduced to almost half, stir in the slurry for a thicker sauce. Note: See below for curry cubes option.
- Taste test and adjust seasoning accordingly. Garnish with chopped scallions before serving.
Video
Notes
- This kombu dashi recipe can be made ahead of time. *Add more water if you like it saucier. Reserve mushrooms and kombu for other dishes.
- If using curry cubes, skip the seasoning and cornstarch slurry. I highly recommend that you chop the curry cube into smaller pieces so it melts easily when you add that in. Some curry cubes are saltier than others, so please add them in slowly and adjust the taste accordingly.
- Udon – I used Shirakiku Sanukiya udon noodles
Feel free to pin the below picture on your Pinterest Board for easy reference.
Delicious! I didn’t have any dried shitake mushrooms so used just kombu/kelp broth. I also subbed Korean curry mix which is similar to the Japanese curry powder blocks. I love udon and curry, so this recipe was perfect for me!
So easy to make (chopping multiple ingredients really slows me down, but not this recipe) and really full of flavor. Thank you for this recipe!