Japanese Udon Recipe — Thick Wheat Noodles from Scratch and in Broth

Udon is wheat flour, salt, and water. Three ingredients, kneaded into a dense dough, rested, and cut thick. The texture — a specific chew that's neither firm nor soft but something elastic and satisfying — is what the entire dish is built around. The broth, toppings, and preparation method (hot, cold, stir-fried, baked) are in service of that texture.

Sanuki udon, from Kagawa Prefecture on Shikoku, is the canonical style: extra-thick, very chewy, and served in a minimalist clear broth. The Sanuki preparation is so focused on the noodle texture that the broth is deliberately simple — it would be wrong to serve Sanuki udon in a rich tonkotsu or heavily seasoned broth.

Making Udon Noodles

This takes about 2 hours (30 minutes active, 90 minutes rest).

• 300g all-purpose flour (or bread flour for more chew)
• 130ml warm water
• 1 tsp salt

Step 1 — Dissolve salt: Stir salt into warm water until completely dissolved.

Step 2 — Mix: Combine flour and salted water. Mix until it comes together in a rough dough. It will be quite stiff — this is correct.

Step 3 — Knead the first time: Knead by hand for 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth. It should feel like play-dough — dense and stiff.

Step 4 — Foot-knead (the Sanuki method): Seal the dough in a zip-lock bag. Place on the floor and walk on it, pressing with your body weight. Fold the dough, replace in bag, and walk on it again. Repeat 5-6 times over 15 minutes. This technique develops the gluten structure necessary for authentic udon chew without overworking the arms. A pasta machine is a reasonable alternative: pass through the widest setting 8-10 times, folding between passes.

Step 5 — Rest: Seal and rest at room temperature for 1 hour minimum.

Step 6 — Roll and cut: On a well-floured surface, roll the dough to 5mm thickness. Fold into thirds. Cut into strips 4-5mm wide (the noodle puffs during cooking). Separate immediately and dust with flour.

Cook: Boil noodles in a large pot of unsalted water for 8-12 minutes, testing for doneness. The noodle should be cooked through with no white core but still have definite chew. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Use immediately or store in cold water for up to a few hours.

Kake Udon Broth

The simplest and arguably best preparation. Clear dashi broth, well-seasoned with soy and mirin.

Kanto style (Tokyo, darker):

• 4 cups dashi
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp salt

Kansai style (Osaka, lighter):

• 4 cups dashi
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce (usukuchi)
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp salt

Bring dashi to a gentle simmer. Add remaining ingredients. Taste — the broth should be savory but clean, with the dashi flavor prominent.

Simple Toppings for Kake Udon

• Sliced scallion (green onion tops)
• Toasted nori strip
• Tempura flakes (tenkasu) — sold in bags at Japanese grocery stores
• Soft-boiled egg, halved
• Kamaboko fish cake rounds
• Togarashi (seven spice blend) for heat

Variations

Zaru udon (cold): Cooked noodles served on a bamboo zaru with cold tsuyu dipping sauce on the side. Rinsed with cold water and drained thoroughly before serving.

Yaki udon (stir-fried): Cooked udon stir-fried with pork belly, cabbage, and vegetables in a sauce of soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil. Finished with katsuobushi.

Curry udon: Kake udon broth mixed with Japanese curry roux — a winter standard in Japan.

---

Store-bought udon noodles (fresh or vacuum-packed at room temperature) are very good and a practical everyday option. Making noodles from scratch is worthwhile at least once to understand the texture you're aiming for; once you've made and eaten fresh Sanuki-style udon, the store-bought versions make more sense because the reference point is clear.