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This delicious and hearty bowlful of Quick Curry Udon topped with crispy tofu and fried shallots is the perfect creamy curried noodle soup recipe for busy weeknights! Made with a couple of packets of ready-to-wok udon noodles and a quick curry sauce this vegetarian noodle soup can be on the table in just 30 minutes – easily customisable with all your favourite fixings and toppings.
We can’t wait for you to try this Japanese-inspired Curry Udon recipe! It’s the perfect soup to make for dinner tonight, all you have to do is grab a couple of packets of udon noodles and a block of tofu on the way home.
The simple sauce really packs a punch by itself (this is a curry udon recipe made without curry roux, so you don’t need to worry about that!), but this dish is taken to the next level with plenty of contrasting colours, flavours and textures when you get to the toppings of crispy tofu, sliced chillies, fresh coriander and DIY fried shallots.
And you don’t have to stop there — we’ve added plenty more topping ideas below!
Ingredients
- cooked udon noodles (we like the ready-to-wok variety that come in vacuum packed pouches – they’re easy to find in most big supermarkets)
- cubed tofu (we like firm tofu as we can crisp it up nicely, but you can also add diced silken tofu – the Clearspring one has a really lovely texture – to the udon soup just before serving)
- shallots (buy banana shallots if you find the round ones tricky to slice!)
- sea salt
- sunflower oil (or any other neutral tasting oil with a high smoke point)
- carrot
- fresh red chilli (we used a bird’s eye chilli here for heat, but you can go for a milder variety if you prefer)
- fresh coriander
- onion
- garlic
- fresh ginger
- coconut milk
- vegetable stock
- medium curry powder (a Japanese-style powder will work best here)
- soy sauce
- honey (or maple syrup if you’re looking to make this Kare Udon recipe vegan!)
- mirin (mirin is a Japanese rice wine used in cooking that is similar to sake, but it is a bit sweeter and has a less alcohol. Most supermarkets have it but you can always substitute dry sherry or sake with a pinch of sugar instead)
- fresh lime juice
Additional Topping Ideas
- finely sliced spring onions
- jammy eggs
- sliced nori (Japanese dried seaweed sheets)
- furikake (a Japanese blend of toasted sesame seeds, dried herbs and dried seaweed)
- raw beansprouts
- stir fried greens like pak choi
- silken tofu
- stir fried shiitake mushrooms
- lime wedges
Frequently Asked Questions
Udon noodles are thick, Japanese wheat flour noodles with a really satisfyingly chewy finish. If you can’t find any pretty much any noodle that has a bit of bite would work in this soup, from medium egg noodles to thick cut rice noodles. Homemade scissor-cut noodles would also be a good choice as we think it is the chewiness of the udon noodles that make this soup special!
The recipe as written contains honey which is not suitable for vegans, but an easy switch is maple syrup – otherwise, you’re all set!
I LOVE to sprinkle crispy shallots on any kind of noodle bowl, over rice and even over pasta or salads that need a bit of crunch. Keep them in an air tight jar and remember to finish them off within three days for optimum crunchiness!
You Might Also Enjoy
- Creamy Sesame Chicken Udon Noodles
- Spicy Scissor-Cut Noodles with Chilli Oil
- Easy and Spicy Ground Pork Ramen Recipe
- Salmon and Chickpea Curry Recipe with Coconut Milk
- Coconut Fish Curry with Lemongrass
Quick Curry Udon with Tofu and Crispy Shallots
Ingredients
Udon Noodle Soup
- 300 g cooked udon noodles
- 200 g cubed tofu
- 4 shallots
- sea salt
- 300 ml sunflower oil
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 1 fresh red chilli
- large handful fresh coriander
Curry Sauce
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger
- 200 ml coconut milk
- 350 ml vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp medium curry powder
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp mirin
- juice of 1/2 lime
Instructions
- Dice the onion, grate the garlic and the ginger, and soften in sunflower oil for a few minutes.
- Add the curry powder and stir for a couple more minutes, then add the stock, coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice and honey.
- Simmer gently for five minutes then add the carrots and noodles. Season to taste.
- For the crispy shallots, heat the sunflower oil in a pan until it reaches 185c, and add the shallots and fry until golden. Tip onto some kitchen towel and sprinkle over some sea salt.
- Pan fry the tofu in a little oil until golden and crisp.
- Serve up the noodles with plenty of curry sauce, top with the tofu, crispy shallots, diced chilli and some coriander.
