Char Siu Udon Noodle Soup. Chewy thick udon noodles in a delicious warm broth with Chinese barbecue pork, bean sprouts, bok choy and green onions. A quick and easy 15 minute meal to use up any leftover char siu!
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This char siu udon noodle soup is a Japanese twist on the classic Chinese char siu noodle soup! The udon noodles make this dish so filling and add great texture!
The classic version features either wonton noodles or rice noodles in a warm savory broth with tender Chinese BBQ pork and greens.
You'll find a variation of this dish served at many Chinese restaurants. It's the perfect meal to have when the weather is cold as the soup warms you up.
What I love most about this Asian noodle soup dish is the barbecue flavors in the char siu release into the broth and thus flavors the plain noodles!
I love making these soup noodles on busy weeknights when I have frozen udon noodles and homemade or leftover store-bought char siu from Chinese takeaway.
The meal comes together so easily in a pinch making it great for the whole family to enjoy as well!
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Char Siu: this is a naturally red colored Chinese BBQ pork that you can make at home in the air fryer or in the oven. Or you can use leftover char siu from Chinese restaurants or takeout places.
- Frozen Udon or Fresh Udon: Or substitute with wonton noodles, flat rice noodles like hor fun or thin rice vermicelli noodles and prepare according to package directions. If you're gluten-free, use rice noodles.
- Green onion: for garnishing the final dish.
- Baby Bok Choy: or substitute with regular bok choy, yu choy sum, baby gai lan or napa cabbage chopped.
- Soy Bean Sprouts: for added crunch and fiber! Or substitute with mung bean sprouts. If you're not a fan of bean sprouts, substitute with julienned carrots or omit.
Broth
- Chicken Broth: ideally low sodium chicken stock. Or substitute with beef broth or mushroom broth.
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
- Oyster sauce: this is a thick brown sauce made of oysters that adds a lot of umami flavor. Or substitute with vegetarian stir-fry sauce. If you're gluten-free: substitute with a gluten-free version.
- Mirin: a popular sweet rice cooking wine used in Japanese cuisine. You can find this at most Asian or Japanese grocers. If you can't find this, omit altogether.
- Sesame Oil: for that nutty flavor! If you're allergic to sesame, omit it.
- Garlic
- Green Onion
Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients or check online stores, like Amazon.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh bok choy and bean sprouts that are vibrant in color and crisp in texture.
- Wash the bok choy and bean sprouts with cold running water and strain out the excess water to remove dirt or any natural odors in the sprouts.
- Use frozen udon or fresh udon over vacuum sealed kind. Frozen or fresh udon is much more chewier and bouncier in texture and they don't easily break apart.
- Don't over blanch the udon or it'll become soggy in the hot broth.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make char siu udon noodle soup:
- In a large bowl, soak frozen udon noodles in hot boiling water for 30 seconds until loosened. Strain immediately. Divide between two serving bowls.
- In a medium size pot, add the broth ingredients as listed above. Mix, cover and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Then reduce to medium heat.
- Add the bok choy and bean sprouts into the broth and blanch until both ingredients are softened and remove them using a slotted spoon or tongs, about 1-3 minutes. Divide the bok choy and bean sprouts between the noodle bowls.
- Reheat the leftover sliced char siu in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or simply blanch the sliced pieces in the hot broth for 30-60 seconds until hot and place equal portions on top of the noodle bowls.
- Lastly, pour equal portions of the broth into each noodle bowl. Garnish with green onions and enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I recommend storing each component into separate airtight containers. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pot on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing this as the noodles and vegetables will go soggy.
Pairing Suggestions
Char siu udon noodle soup serves well with:
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
- other protein dishes like Soy Sauce Chicken, or Chinese Roasted Pork Belly.
- fried rice, chow mein, lo mein
FAQ
Char siu udon noodle soup can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. I recommend storing the different components into separate airtight containers so the noodles don't get soggy in the broth. To reheat, microwave or in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat.
Yes, feel free to substitute with fish balls, fish cakes, shrimp, fried tofu balls, air fryer char siu chicken, cooked pork, chicken or beef.
Udon noodles are not gluten-free because they're made of wheat flour which contains gluten. However, there are some brands that do sell gluten-free udon noodles if you search online.
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📖 Recipe
15-minute Easy Char Siu Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1.10 lb frozen udon or fresh udon or wonton noodles
- ½ lb char siu thinly sliced
- 1 green onion finely chopped for garnishing
- 2 cups baby bok choy washed & sliced into half
- 1 cup bean sprouts washed & strained
Broth
- 4 cups chicken broth low-sodium (or sub with beef broth or mushroom broth)
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- ½ tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 green onion finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, soak frozen udon noodles in hot boiling water for 30 seconds until loosened. Strain immediately. Divide between two serving bowls.
- In a medium size pot, add the broth ingredients as listed above. Mix, cover and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Then reduce to medium heat.
- Add the bok choy and bean sprouts into the broth and blanch until both ingredients are softened and remove them using a slotted spoon or tongs, about 1-3 minutes. Divide the bok choy and bean sprouts between the noodle bowls.
- Reheat the leftover sliced char siu in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or simply blanch the sliced pieces in the hot broth for 30-60 seconds until hot and place equal portions on top of the noodle bowls.
- Lastly, pour equal portions of the broth into each noodle bowl. Garnish with green onions and enjoy!
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Noodle soup sounds just about perfect for this -30 weather we're getting right now! I feel warmer already!
Caleb - Never Ending Journeys
I have never tried making soup with udon noodles before! What a fun and delicious idea!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
The luscious udon noodles and perfectly marbled pork make your soup simply irresistible!