Nabeyaki Udon Recipe

Nabemono are hearty wintertime one pot meals cooked in clay or cast-iron pots. Nabeyaki udon is an Udon soup dish that is cooked and served in these individual clay pots. It is this signature clay pot (nabe) that gives this dish its name—Nabeyaki. It’s a soup made with thick chewy udon noodles, vegetables, and a variety of toppings, depending on where you get it, from a poached egg to tempura shrimp, or kamaboko (fish cake) and chicken.

Nabeyaki udon is a very popular dish in a lot of Udon restaurants and homes in Japan, but many times it is only served during winter. Udon and soup cooked in a clay pot with a lid is super hot, and it is a perfect dish when it’s cold outside. 

If you have individual sized clay pots, you can use them directly on the stove; however, you can use any small or personal size pots you have. If you don’t have small pots at all, don’t worry, just cook it in a regular one and eat out of a small bowl.

Toppings for nabeyaki udon are usually vegetables like boiled spinach, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, eggs, shrimp, and kamaboko fish cakes. 

Shrimp can also be cooked as tempura before you add to the soup. However, as we always say, you can improvise and use any vegetables and other things you like.

It is quite easy to make this dish, and it’s very warm and tasty. Try making it for dinner on a cold night.