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A bowl of Japanese Udon Noodles with tofu and a kimchi miso broth, with chopsticks.
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Japanese Udon Noodles with Kimchi Miso Broth

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
Course: Bowls, Pasta and Noodles, Soups
Cuisine: Asian, Japanese, Korean
Keyword: Japanese Udon Noodles with Kimchi Miso Broth
Servings: 4
Calories: 641kcal
Author: Kevin Schmidt

Ingredients

Broth

  • 1 ounce dried kombu (kelp) (or 5 pieces)
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
  • 6 shiitake mushroom caps thinly sliced
  • ½ red bell pepper cut into thin strips
  • 4 green onions sliced
  • 3 tbsp miso paste
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ cup kimchi chopped
  • 1 lime juiced
  • salt & pepper to taste

Tofu

  • 7 ounces (½ a packet) tofu cut into cubes
  • Canola oil for frying

Noodles

  • 1 pound Udon, lo mein or ramen noodles

Roasted tomatoes (optional)

  • 2 large tomatoes (could use 4 small instead)
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • salt & pepper

Instructions

For roasted tomatoes if using

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Slice the tomatoes in half crosswise through the middle. You will have a top and a bottom half. Place into a large bowl and toss with toasted sesame oil, the whole garlic cloves, salt, and pepper.
  • Roast on a parchment lined sheet pan for 30 minutes. Turn the heat down to 275°F and cook for an additional 1-2 hours depending on the size of the tomatoes. Let cool.

For the noodles

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the udon noodles and cook until tender. Drain and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

For the broth

  • In a large soup pot, make the dashi (broth) by adding the kombu and water. Bring to a gentle simmer and then turn off heat. Pour the dashi through a fine sieve. Discard the kelp. Pour the dashi back into the soup pot.
  • Add the rest of the broth ingredients to the pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and check seasoning.

For the tofu

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet. Fry the tofu on both sides and set aside on paper towels to drain. Add the tofu to the broth.

Serving

  • Divide the noodles into 4 bowls. Ladle the hot broth mixture over the noodles and serve immediately.
  • If using the roasted tomatoes- pull the skin off the cooked tomatoes and add one half to the top of each bowl.