Savor the deliciousness with a bowl of Kitsune Udon! This simple yet satisfying Japanese noodle soup has a taste you'll love.
This kitsune udon is a delicious dish with a combination of chewy udon noodles in a flavorful dashi broth, topped with savory fried thin tofu called aburaage. Follow the easy steps and enjoy this comforting noodle bowl right at home!
- This recipe is for you if:
- You love Japanese udon noodles.
- You want to make kitsune udon soup.
- You are looking for a cozy udon noodle recipe.
Let's get started!
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Kitsune Udon
Kitsune Udon, known as fox udon in Japanese, stars inari age, a seasoned aburaage, as its main topping. It's a deep-fried tofu pouch and is the fox's favorite food. That's why udon with aburaage on top got the name "kitsune udon."
In Japanese mythology, foxes serve as messengers of the Inari god, representing good luck and plentiful harvests. A statue of a fox can be found at the Inari Shrine.
📋 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients (amounts are in the recipe card below).
- Udon noodles: See below.
- Aburaage and scallions (or green onions) for the toppings. The aburaage is a thinly sliced, deep-fried tofu and will be seasoned with soy sauce, mirin, and sugar to make Inari age (See below).
- Dashi powder, salt, mirin, and soy sauce for noodle soup. Dashi, a traditional Japanese soup stock, is the key ingredient in infusing the broth with savory richness (find more in What is dashi). In this recipe, I simplify the process by using store-bought kombu dashi powder. If you like to make homemade noodle soup from scratch, try this Mentsuyu recipe!
Udon Noodles
The popular Japanese noodles, made with wheat flour and water, are a staple of Japanese cuisine. These thick and chewy noodles can be enjoyed both hot and cold.
At Japanese grocery stores or Asian markets, you can find udon noodles in different forms - dried, fresh, or frozen. In this recipe, I opt for frozen udon noodles for their quick preparation, requiring just a few minutes of boiling.
Inari Age
The main topping for Kitsune Udon is this Inari age. It has absorbed the delicious seasonings, making it tasty and full of flavor. Additionally, it is also used in Inari Sushi.
Where to Buy Japanese Ingredients
If you live in the US, you can find Japanese ingredients in the list below.
- Japanese market: Mitsuwa Marketplace, Marukai
- Asian market
- Whole Foods Market
- Health food stores
- Online stores: Instacart, Walmart, Amazon
🔪Instructions
Let's go over how to make this kitsune udon soup.
1. Finely chop the scallion.
2. Remove excess oil from the aburaage with a paper towel.
3. Cut the aburaage into quarters.
4. Bring the seasonings (soy sauce, mirin, and sugar) to a boil in a saucepan.
5. Add the aburaage and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes or until it absorbs the flavors.
6. Add water, kombu dashi powder, mirin, soy sauce, and salt in a large pot and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
7. While making the soup, add the udon noodles to a separate pot of boiling water and cook them for about two minutes.
8. Drain using a strainer and quickly rinse under cold water to remove the extra starch.
9. Serve the cooked noodles in a bowl and pour the udon soup.
10. Place the aburaage and scallions on top.
Serve
Savor your Kitsune Udon with its hot dashi soup and hearty udon noodles! For an added spicy kick, sprinkle it with shichimi togarashi, a delightful Japanese spice blend.
Helpful Tips
- Adjusting Soup Seasoning: If your udon soup is too salty, you can balance it by diluting it with water. Conversely, if it's too mild, add more salt to enhance the flavor.
- Udon noodles typically take a couple of minutes to cook frozen noodles and around 10 minutes or more for dried or fresh noodles. The cooking time can vary depending on the type and brand of udon noodles, so please follow the package directions.
Thanks For Stopping By!
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Also, feel free to leave comments if you have any questions. I love hearing from you!
Chef JA Cooks is a Japanese food blog that shares simple and healthy Japanese home cooking recipes, including vegan and vegetarian. From traditional Japanese recipes to modern recipes with step-by-step instructions.
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📖 Recipe
Kitsune Udon Soup (Japanese Noodle Recipe)
Print Pin SaveEquipment
- 1 Medium saucepan 18 cm/7 inches
- 1 Strainer
Ingredients
- 2 packs Udon noodles, about 360g
- ¼ Scallion
- 1 piece Aburaage, see note for homemade option
Noodle Soup
- 3¼ cup Water, 780ml
- 1 teaspoon Kombu Dashi powder, 5g
- 2 tablespoon Mirin
- 2 tablespoon Soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Prepare scallion: Finely chop the scallion.
- Prepare Aburaage: Remove excess oil from the aburaage with a paper towel and cut it into quarters.
- Simmer Aburaage: In a saucepan, bring the seasonings (soy sauce, mirin, and sugar) to a boil. Add the aburaage and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes or until it absorbs the flavors.
- Make the Udon Soup: In a large pot, add water, dashi powder, mirin, soy sauce, and salt and boil over medium heat.
- Boil the Udon Noodles: While making the soup, add the udon noodles to a separate pot of boiling water and cook them for about two minutes.
- Drain the noodles: Drain using a strainer and quickly rinse under cold water to remove the extra starch.
- Serve: Serve the drained noodles in a bowl, pour the soup, and place the aburaage, and scallions on top. You can top it with shichimi togarashi, a Japanese spice, for an extra kick.
Notes
- Adjusting Soup Seasoning: If your udon soup is too salty, you can balance it by diluting it with water. Conversely, if it's too mild, add more salt to enhance the flavor.
- Udon noodles typically take a couple of minutes to cook frozen noodles and around 10 minutes or more for fresh or dried noodles. The cooking time can vary depending on the type and brand of udon noodles, so please follow the package directions.
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