Kitsune Udon Soup (Japanese Noodle Recipe)

ByJuri Austin Published onNov 17, 2023Jun 2, 2024 Updated onJun 2, 2024

5 from 2 votes

Savor the deliciousness with a bowl of Kitsune Udon! This simple yet satisfying Japanese noodle soup has a taste you’ll love.

Looking for easy udon recipes? Try my Kake Udon, Zaru Udon, or Miso Udon!

I’ll walk you through the ingredients and step-by-step instructions. I hope you enjoy it!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This kitsune udon is a comforting noodle bowl featuring chewy udon noodles.
Easy to make and a perfect dish for a quick lunch.
The main topping, inari age, is flavorful and tasty.

Kitsune Udon

Kitsune Udon, also known as fox udon in Japanese, features inari age as its main topping. Inari age is a seasoned deep-fried tofu pouch and it’s said to be a fox’s favorite food. That’s why udon with this topping got the name “kitsune udon.” In Japanese mythology, foxes are messengers of the Inari god, representing good luck and plentiful harvests.

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Kitsune Udon Recipe:

Udon noodles: These popular Japanese noodles, made with wheat flour and water, are a staple of Japanese cuisine. These thick and chewy noodles can be enjoyed hot or 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.
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!

Inari Age

This Inari age is the main topping for Kitsune Udon. It has absorbed the delicious seasonings, making it tasty and full of flavor. It is also used in Inari Sushi.

How To Make Kitsune Udon: STEP BY STEP

Here are some quick visual instructions! For the video and all the detailed ingredients and instructions, go to the printable recipe card below.

Step 1

Cut the aburaage into quarters.

Step 2

Simmer the aburaage with soy sauce, mirin, and sugar to make Inari age.

Step 3

Put soup ingredients into a large pot and bring it to a boil.

Step 4

Boil udon noodles.

Serve the noodles in a bowl, pour the soup, and finish it with toppings. Enjoy these hearty udon noodles! For an added spicy kick, sprinkle it with shichimi togarashi, a delightful Japanese spice blend.

Recipe 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.