One-Bowl Soy Sauce Noodles (Shoyu Udon)

This is literally the easiest one bowl shoyu udon or soy sauce noodles recipe that was actually a spur-of-the-moment creation since I just had a short break from work and wanted a satisfying noodle dish. For this One Bowl Shoyu Udon or Soy Sauce Noodles, I used instant fresh udon noodles that I keep in the fridge. These noodles are in vacuum-sealed packets and are already cooked so I just soak them in some hot water to carefully separate these and cook them down a bit more. I mixed in all the sauces and seasonings before mixing some sliced tofu in and  I had a hearty meal in minutes.

1 serving instant fresh udon noodles or frozen udon noodles
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. dark mushroom soy sauce, optional for colour
½ Tbsp. rice vinegar or other vinegar
1-2 tsp. pure maple syrup or other liquid sweetener for hint of sweetness
2 tsp. sesame oil
1-2 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted
1-2 tsp. chili garlic sauce or chili crisp oil for heat
scallions, chopped
baked 5-spice tofu or smoked tofu, sliced (optional)

Place the instant udon noodles in a large heat proof bowl. Pour hot water into the noodles to separate these. Leave the noodles to soak for 3-4 minutes or until chewy to your liking. You can also cover the bowl to keep the steam in. Afterwards, drain the water from the bowl. You can leave some liquid just to help mix everything together better. (See below if using frozen udon)

If using frozen udon, place a 'brick' of udon in a microwave-safe bowl and cover it with a microwave-safe lid. I microwave the udon noodles for around 2.5-3 minutes or until chewy to my liking.

Add in the soy sauces, vinegar, syrup or other sweeter, sesame oil, sesame seeds, scallions, tofu and chili garlic sauce/chili crisp oil.

Mix together until the noodles are well coated. The noodles will also absorb some of the sauces as it sits in the mixture.

Taste the noodles and feel free to season with more soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, etc, if you’d like, to taste.

Makes 1 serving.