Quick & Easy Mushroom Udon Stir Fry

Name: Quick & Easy Mushroom Udon Stir Fry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1.65 lbs frozen udon noodles (or fresh udon ); 1 1/2 cups enoki mushrooms (rinsed with ends trimmed and cut into half ); 3 cups king oyster mushrooms (rinsed and sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch thin slices); 3 cups napa cabbage (chopped into 1-inch long pieces); 1 green onion (finely chopped); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil); 1 tbsp regular soy sauce; 1 tbsp dark soy sauce; 1 tbsp oyster sauce (or vegetarian stir fry sauce); 1 tsp sesame oil; 2 tsp Chinese black vinegar (or rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar); 1/4 tsp black pepper

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Chewy udon noodles stir fried with tender mushrooms and napa cabbage in a savoury sauce. This quick and easy Mushroom Udon Stir Fry is ready in 30 minutes or less! Great for the family as a meal or main dish.

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Ingredients & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
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💬 Reviews

These chewy udon noodles are packed with savory and umami flavors and are loaded with a variety of meaty mushrooms and cabbage giving you a great contrast in textures. The sauce is also perfectly balanced in taste!

This is the best udon stir fry recipe for those looking to eat more vegetables for dinner or if you have frozen udon noodles sitting in the freezer to use up.

This satisfying mushroom udon noodle stir fry is so easy to make with simple ingredients and little time making it great for busy weeknights.

Unfortunately, you won't find this udon noodle dish served at Japanese restaurants as I developed it years ago but you can easily make it at home! It is similar to a yaki udon but not as tangy and more savory.

This Asian recipe was inspired by my father-in-law! He would always make this easy udon noodle dish for my husband. So I wanted to create something similar for my guy and that's how this recipe was created!

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.

Frozen udon noodles: or use freshly made udon if you can find it. Avoid using shelf-stable vacuum sealed udon because they easily break and are not as chewy in texture. The frozen kind can be found at most Asian markets in the refrigerated section. Or substitute with fresh thick wheat noodles and prepare according to package directions.
Enoki mushrooms: or substitute with seafood mushrooms or oyster mushrooms.
King Oyster Mushrooms: or substitute with button mushrooms, cremini mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms for a sweeter flavor.
Napa cabbage: or substitute with green cabbage but napa cabbage is recommended for best taste because it's more tender.
Green onions
Fresh garlic
Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil or any heavy scented oils with a low smoke point.

Noodle Sauce

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.
Dark soy sauce: this is thicker and darker than regular soy sauce and not the same as regular soy sauce. But if you can't find this ingredient, use regular soy sauce but add it to taste at the end of the stir fry process because it can be saltier.
Oyster sauce: this is a thick brown sauce made of oysters that adds a lot of umami flavor to the dish. If you're not a fan of oysters, substitute with vegetarian stir-fry sauce. If you're gluten-free: substitute with a gluten-free version.
Sesame oil: for that nutty flavor! If you're allergic, please omit altogether.
Chinese Black Vinegar: is this is a black colored mild vinegar made of fermented black glutinous rice and often used in Chinese cuisine. The brand I use is called "Chinkiang Vinegar" and it's sold at most Asian markets in a clear bottle with a yellow label. Or substitute with rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Black pepper: or substitute with white pepper.

Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients.

Expert Tips

Use frozen udon noodles for best texture. These have the best bounciest texture unlike the vacuum-sealed kind that are stored at room temperature. The latter breaks off easily and have a denser texture.
Slice king oyster mushrooms into ¼-inch thin slices to speed up cooking time.
Make sure to trim off the ends of the enoki mushrooms and rinse them under cold water to remove any dirt or odors. These kind of mushrooms carry a scent if you don't rinse and strain them.
Only blanch udon just until loosened – do not boil. We are simply warming up the noodles to loosen them as we'll be stir frying them again later so we don't want to make them soggy.
Do not rinse off the udon noodles with cold water or you will rinse off that delicious wheat flavor. A tip I learned from a chef.
Once the cabbage softens a bit, remove off the heat immediately to prevent overcooking the noodles.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make mushroom udon stir fry:

In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients and set aside.

Fill a large pan or wok halfway with water and bring to boil on medium-high heat. Blanch frozen udon noodles just until loosened for 20 seconds. Do not boil them or they will become soggy when you stir-fry them. If you're using non-frozen udon noodles, you can skip this step.

Fill a large pan or wok halfway with water and bring to boil on medium-high heat. Blanch frozen udon noodles just until loosened for 20 seconds. Do not boil them or they will become soggy when you stir-fry them. If you're using non-frozen udon noodles, you can skip this step.

Quickly strain udon noodles in a colander. Do not rinse off with cold water.

Quickly strain udon noodles in a colander. Do not rinse off with cold water.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on low-medium heat and fry garlic and green onions until fragrant, or about 10 seconds.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on low-medium heat and fry garlic and green onions until fragrant, or about 10 seconds.

Increase to medium-high heat, stir-fry king mushrooms and enoki until the mushrooms have softened.

Increase to medium-high heat, stir-fry king mushrooms and enoki until the mushrooms have softened.

Toss in strained udon noodles and noodle sauce. Mix well.

Toss in strained udon noodles and noodle sauce. Mix well.

Then toss in the napa cabbage and cook until it softens a bit. Remove off heat. Enjoy!

Then toss in the napa cabbage and cook until it softens a bit. Remove off heat. Enjoy!

Storage

Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing this mushroom udon stir-fry because the noodles and vegetables will become mushy.

Pairing Suggestions

Mushroom udon stir-fry serves well with other Japanese dishes:

starters like miso soup, Japanese crab corn salad or salad with Japanese ginger salad dressing or Korokke
seafood dishes like shrimp tempura, panko shrimp or ebi mayo
protein dishes like ramen eggs, chicken katsu or tonkatsu, Karaage, Teriyaki Tofu, Teriyaki Chicken, or Ginger Miso Salmon.
rice dishes like Oyakodon, Omurice, Pork Katsu Onigirazu or Katsudon
other noodle dishes like Yaki Udon, Creamy Mushroom Udon, or Udon Carbonara

FAQ

Can I make this in advance?

This can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.

Can I substitute the mushrooms with other vegetables?

Yes, feel free to substitute with these suggested vegetables: carrots, peas, baby corn, zucchini, snap or snow peas, edamame, red bell peppers, yu choy sum, gai-lan, or bok choy.

What else can I add to this mushroom udon stir fry?

Feel free to elevate your udon noodle stir fry by adding any of these suggested ingredients: bell peppers, carrots, edamame, regular cabbage, bok choy, yu choy sum, baby gai lan, extra firm tofu, fried tofu balls, celery, sliced chicken, beef, pork or shrimp.

You can also season with hot chili oil for a spicy kick if you wish.

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