Vegan Udon Noodle Soup

Name: Vegan Udon Noodle Soup (Kitsune)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 aburaage (fried tofu sheets); ⅓ cup vegan dashi; 2 ½ tsp sugar; 2 tsp soy sauce; 2 ½ cups vegan dashi; 1 tbsp mirin; 1 ¼ tsp sugar; 5 tsp light soy sauce; 1 tsp sake; A small pinch of salt; 4 medium leaves of Pak Choi; 2-3 spring onions; Shichimi togarashi (optional, for a kick of spice); 2 packets of fresh udon noodles (400g); Large pot of water to boil (about 2 litres)

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Vegan udon noodle soup, or kitsune or "fox" udon, is a classic Japanese noodle soup with thick, chewy udon noodles in a delicate broth, topped with sweet, seasoned fried tofu. The name comes from Japanese folklore, where foxes are said to love fried tofu. This vegan version stays true to the original, using a plant-based dashi for a broth that’s light but full of umami.

This vegan take on the Japanese classic is easy to make and full of flavor. The broth is light yet rich, and you can switch up the toppings to suit your taste—add tempura for extra crispiness and texture, or inari age for sweetness, like I’m using here.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
Storage
Top Tip
FAQ
Related
Pairing
Vegan Udon Noodle Soup (Kitsune)

Ingredients

Serves 2 | Prep time 10 minutes | Cooking time 20 minutes

For the inari age

2 aburaage (fried tofu sheets) – If you haven’t used these before, they’re delicious!
⅓ cup vegan dashi (recipe here)
2 ½ teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon soy sauce

For the soup broth

2 ½ cups vegan dashi (use the same recipe as above)
1 tablespoon mirin
1 ¼ teaspoon sugar
5 teaspoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sake
A small pinch of salt

For the garnish

4 medium leaves of Pak Choi
2-3 spring onions
Shichimi togarashi (optional, for a kick of spice!)

For the noodles

2 packets of fresh udon noodles (400g)
Large pot of water to boil (about 2 litres)

Instructions

A bowl of water with two fried tofu sheets (abura-age), gently pressed down with chopsticks to submerge.

1. Start by preparing the inari age: Boil half a kettle of water and pour the boiled water over the inari age sheets in a bowl. Gently dunk them for a minute to remove excess oil.

Two hands gently press folded fried tofu sheets to squeeze out moisture, over a colander and bowl.

2. Drain and rinse the aburaage under cold water, then squeeze out the moisture.

A mixture of clear and brown liquid, and powdered seasonings, simmering in a saucepan over heat.

3. Place the dashi, sugar, and soy sauce in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir gently to dissolve the sugar.

Two fried tofu sheets (abura-age) in a saucepan simmering in a small amount of brown liquid, with some chopsticks being held above ready to take them.

4. Add the aburaage and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed.

A saucepan set to medium heat, with a small plate inside to cover and gently compress the aburaage as it simmers in the brown seasoning liquid (hidden beneath the plate).

Tip: use a drop lid or small plate to compress and cover whilst cooking.

Rectangular fried tofu sheets (abura-age) are sliced diagonally, creating triangular pieces.

5. Once the aburaage is ready, let it cool, then slice it into triangles. At this stage, it’s now inari age since it’s been seasoned.

A saucepan on low heat containing a clear brown liquid broth.

6. Now, let’s prepare the broth. Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and heat gently until it starts to simmer. Then, lower the heat to keep it warm without boiling.

Scallions (spring onions), on a wooden chopping board, being finely and carefully sliced by two hands holding a large sharp knife. The dark green tops and bottom roots have been removed and are off to the side of the board.

7. On to prepping the toppings: Thinly slice the spring onions and set aside.

Pak choi being thinly and carefully sliced by two hands holding a large sharp knife on a wooden chopping board.

8. Chop the Pak Choi leaves. I like to slice the stalks thin and keep the leaves a little thicker since the stalks are firm whereas the leaves are more tender.

Udon noodles and boiling water in a saucepan over high heat.

9. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the udon noodles for 1 minute, gently separating any strands that stick together with chopsticks or a fork.

Udon noodles in a large Japanese soup bowl sitting on a worktop.

10. Drain the noodles and immediately divide them between your serving bowls.

A ladle pours clear brown broth over udon noodles and tofu in a large Japanese soup bowl sitting on a worktop.

11. Divide the inari age slices between the bowls, placing them over the noodles before pouring in the broth.

A large Japanese soup bowl of udon in clear brown broth, topped with tofu and greens, sitting on a kitchen worktop.

12. Top with some Pak Choi and spring onions. I like these fresh but you could blanch the Pak Choy first, if you prefer.

A large Japanese soup bowl of udon noodles in clear brown broth, topped with tofu and greens, with seasoning being sprinkled over the top.

13. Sprinkle some shichimi togarashi over the top if you like a bit of chili, and serve immediately while everything is beautifully hot.

Hint: Take your time with the broth, it’s the heart and soul of the dish. Taste it as you go and adjust if needed, but keep it light and be especially careful not to add too much sugar (which is easy to do!). If you want to tweak it, add a little soy sauce or sugar at a time, but go easy. A tiny bit can make a big difference.

Substitutions

Gluten free - Swap udon noodles for gluten-free rice noodles and use tamari instead of soy sauce.
Soy free - Switch out the inari age (fried tofu) for fried mushrooms or vegetable tempura, and replace soy sauce with coconut aminos, Braggs liquid aminos or Noya sauce for seasoning the broth

Variations

Make it spicy - Add a dollop of chili paste or a few drops of chili oil to the broth.
Mixed mushrooms - Fry up some mushrooms, any mix you like - enoki, oyster, shiitake, chestnut, button, white caps… Once they’re golden and even a little crispy, finish with a sprinkle of lightly toasted sesame seeds over the top of your udon.
Go green - Use a variety of green vegetables to top the udon. Choose your selection of greens and pan fry them in mirin, sugar and soy sauce - follow this recipe for soy seared pak choy - you can use the method with any green veg.

Storage

Vegan udon noodle soup is best made and served fresh, though you can store any leftover broth and inari age in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Noodles are best cooked fresh but can be kept separate for a day. Once you're ready to serve, gently reheat the broth on the stove before combining with noodles. Remember not to let the broth boil.

Top Tip

Fresh udon noodles have the best texture and are my first choice when shopping for udon. If they're not available try to get the packets of frozen udon, which also work well. I would avoid dried udon noodles where possible, though, as when dried they don't have the same bouncy texture and aren't as good at absorbing the broth.

FAQ

How do I make vegan dashi?

Vegan dashi is simple to make. Typically, it’s a quick simmer of kombu (kelp) and shiitake mushrooms in water. The result is a rich, umami-packed base. If you want to give it a try, check out our vegan dashi recipe.

Can I use instant dashi for the broth?

Absolutely! Ensure it’s a vegan-friendly instant dashi to keep the recipe plant-based.

Can I make vegan kitsune udon gluten-free?

Yes! Simply swap the soy sauce with tamari (a gluten-free soy sauce), coconut aminos or Braggs liquid aminos, and choose some gluten-free noodles like soba, brown rice or shirataki noodles instead of udon.

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Pairing

Choose some side dishes to serve with your udon:

See more Side dishes →