Japanese Curry Udon (Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinner) (2024)

5 from 9 votes

Comfort Food: There's nothing quite like a bowl of cozy curry udon to comfort you on a chilly day. The thick, chewy udon noodles and the hearty curry soup make this dish the ultimate comfort food in a bowl!

Easy to Make: This curry udon recipe is a quick and simple one-pot meal, perfect for those busy weeknights! You’ll get classic flavors in no time!

Family Favorite: This recipe is sure to be a hit with the whole family! The soft, chewy udon noodles and comforting curry soup make this a dish that everyone will love.

Versatile: This curry udon recipe is incredibly versatile! You can use either boneless chicken thighs or wings and top with a soft-boiled egg or a sunny side up fried egg. You can even adjust the thickness of the soup to your liking by adding more stock.

All you need are some incredibly simple, pantry-staple ingredients to make this delicious curry udon recipe at home.

Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.

• Udon noodles: These Japanese noodles are the star of this dish! These thick, chewy noodles make this curry udon truly comforting. For the best texture, consider using frozen udon, but packaged vacuum udon noodles will work well too. Remember not to overcook them to maintain their chewiness.
• Chicken: You can use boneless chicken thighs or wings. This adds a meaty, savory element to the curry udon.
• Carrot: Carrots are a staple ingredient in Japanese curry. They provide a soft, sweet touch to the soup. I recommend cutting them smaller so that they quick faster.
• Potatoes: This is another staple in Japanese curry! They add a soft texture and some starch to keep the curry soup thick. Like carrots, cutting them smaller will help them cook quicker.
• Onions and garlic: These ingredients are used to give the curry more flavor and depth.
• Egg: You can make a soft-boiled egg (boil time of around six and a half minutes). A sunny side up egg can also be a delicious alternative to your curry udon, and is quicker to make.
• Green Onions: This is used as a garnish, adding a pop of color and a fresh flavor to the dish.

For the Curry Soup:

• Stock or Broth: You can use instant dashi powder for the best flavor, but regular chicken stock is simpler and easier to find. If you prefer a thinner soup, you can add more stock, but remember to adjust with soy and mirin for flavor. I use no sodium stock so that I can control how salty the soup is with the soy sauce. If you use dash powder as your stock, make sure you don't put as much soy sauce so that it's not overly salty.
• Japanese Curry Roux Cubes: These store-bought curry roux cubes are essential for making the curry soup. I used the S&B brand for this recipe because it is the most popular brand so it is very easy to find. Read the section below to learn more about them and the things you need to keep in mind.
• Soy Sauce: This adds more umami and salt to the curry soup, enhancing its flavor.
• Mirin: This balances the saltiness with sweetness. It’s key to achieving that cozy flavor in the curry udon noodle soup.

Japanese curry cubes or blocks are an instant curry roux available in block form. They’re made of curry powder, flour, oils, and various flavors and can be used instead of a Japanese curry sauce made from scratch which can take hours to prepare!

They have the look and texture of a curry block like a dense, seasoned paste that’s solid at room temperature.

Out of the common brands available in Asian supermarkets, S&B is one of the most popular brands. (I'm not sponsored, this is genuinely what I use at home).

It’s important to note the package size to determine how many bricks you’ll need because these curry bricks come in different sizes, ‘one block’ can mean vastly different things!

If you buy the 92g pack, use 3 blocks for this recipe. If you bought the 220g pack, use 2 blocks instead.

Making this incredible curry udon recipe at home is super easy and will give you great results every single time. Here's how to make it step by step:

How to Prep Ingredients

Prepare the Garnish: Start by finely mincing the green onions. Set these aside as they will be used later for garnishing the dish.

Chop the Vegetables: Next, chop your potatoes and carrots into small, bite-sized half inch pieces. Remember, smaller pieces will cook faster.

Dice Onions and Garlic: Finely dice your onions and garlic. Once done, set these aside for later.

Prepare the Curry Blocks: Chop the Japanese curry blocks into smaller pieces. This will allow them to melt more easily once added to the stock.

Prepare the Chicken: If using boneless chicken thighs, cut these into small, roughly one-inch pieces and sprinkle some salt on to it. This will help brown them better.

Cook the veggies: In a pot, combine carrots and potato and cook these on medium heat with oil. This should take around two to three minutes.

Brown the Chicken: Add your chicken to the pot and cook it until it is half way done. This will take approximately two to three minutes.

Add the Aromatics: Add the onions and garlic to the chicken and cook it for another one to two minutes.

Add the Chopped Curry Blocks and Half the Stock: Now, add in your Japanese curry block and half the amount of stock. Stir until the curry blocks fully dissolve. Once dissolved, add the remaining stock, soy sauce, and mirin.

Let It Simmer: Set the stove to Medium-Low heat and let this simmer with the lid closed until the carrots and potatoes are soft. This should take around fifteen to twenty minutes.

Prepare Soft Boiled eggs: While your curry soup is simmering, prepare your soft boiled eggs. To do this, slowly add eggs into a separate pot of boiling water and boil for six and a half minutes. Once done, shock the eggs with cold water to stop the cooking process. Peel once fully cooled. I like to add the cracked eggs back into the cold water to soak for a few seconds to make it easier to peel. Cut the eggs in half lengthwise.

Prepare the Udon Noodles: If you're using frozen udon noodles, place them in a colander and run cold tap water over them until they're thawed. If you're using vacuum-packed udon, there's no need to do anything to the noodles.

Check the Curry Soup: Once the potatoes and carrots in your soup are soft, it is done. I like to use a knife or fork to pierce the carrots to test for doneness.

Add Noodles to the Soup: Stir the udon noodles into the curry soup and let them cook for thirty seconds to one minute. This will warm them up.

Serve: Finally, place the noodles in a bowl, ladle the soup over them, and top with a halved soft boiled egg. Garnish with the green onions you prepared earlier. Enjoy your delicious curry udon!

Joyce’s Tips For Making the Best Curry Udon

Choose the Right Udon Noodles: For the best texture, use frozen udon noodles. They provide a thick, chewy consistency that tastes incredible. Vacuum-packed udon noodles are a good alternative.

Prep Your Ingredients To Bite-Sized Pieces: Finely dice your onions and garlic, and chop potatoes and carrots into small, half-inch pieces for quicker cooking. Remember, the smaller the pieces, the faster they'll cook.

Don't Overcook Your Udon Noodles: To maintain their chewiness, add the udon noodles to the curry soup and cook for only about 30 seconds to a minute. Overcooking can lead to mushy noodles.

Top It Off With an Egg: For a delicious topping that looks great too, add a soft-boiled egg or a sunny-side-up fried egg.

Tweak the Curry To The Consistency You Like: If you prefer a thinner curry soup consistency, add more stock but make sure to adjust the soy and mirin for a balanced flavor. To get the cozy thick curry, leave it as the way the recipe is.

Check the Japanese Curry Blocks Package Size: There are 2 different package sizes if you buy the S&B brand. 92g and 220g. If you bought the 92g box, use 3 blocks for this recipe. If you bought the 220g box, use 2 blocks instead.

This delicious curry udon recipe is so flavorful and easy to make, you'll want to try out some of these delicious variations! Here are some great ideas:

Make it Vegetarian: For those who prefer plant-based meals, simply omit the chicken. You can add extra veggies like bell peppers or mushrooms to keep the dish hearty and flavorful. It is a great way to enjoy the rich curry udon without the meat.

Different Meats: Instead of chicken, feel free to use thinly sliced beef, ground meat, or even hot pot beef! The thinner slices are easier to cook and will give you udon noodles are heartier flavor.

Make it Spicier: If you love spicy food, add some chopped chili peppers or a dash of chili oil to the curry. It'll give your curry udon a spicy kick that will warm you up from the inside out.

Creamier Consistency: If you want an extra creamy curry udon, add a splash of coconut milk. It gives the curry a smooth, rich texture and a slightly sweet flavor that balances the savory flavors beautifully.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have leftovers, you can easily store them! First off, it is important to note that you should only store the curry soup, not the udon noodles. The noodles are best when they're fresh and chewy. If you store them in the curry, they may become soggy and lose their chewiness. So, make sure to cook your noodles fresh each time you want to enjoy your curry udon.

Now, let's talk about how to store the curry soup. Once it is cooled down, transfer the soup into an airtight container and store it in the fridge. It can last for up to three days. When you're ready to enjoy it again, you can reheat it in a pot or microwave and add your noodles to it.

But what if you want to store it for longer? Well, you're in luck because curry soup can be frozen! Just like with refrigerating, make sure to cool the soup down before transferring it into a freezer-safe container. The soup can be frozen for up to three months.

To thaw it, leave it in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat it in a pot, and remember to make your udon noodles fresh.

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