Easy Miso Noodles

• The mellow yet umami-rich taste of white miso creates a flavorful stir-fry sauce. To save time, you can mix the miso sauce ingredients in advance.
• Toasted sesame oil adds a nutty flavor while also preventing the udon from sticking together.
• A combination of colorful vegetables, chicken, and udon makes for an easy and balanced one-pan meal.

Ingredients for Miso Noodles

• Udon Noodles  – Thick, chewy, and satisfying, these wheat noodles are ideal for this recipe because they will absorb the beautiful flavors of the sauce without becoming soggy. Defrosted frozen udon works best, but you can also boil dry noodles according to the package directions. Cooked ramen noodles, soba noodles, or rice noodles are all alternatives that would work for this recipe.
• White Miso -This fermented soybean paste is the star of our miso noodles recipe. It’s milder and slightly sweeter than red miso, making it perfect for a light yet umami-packed dish.
• Sugar – A touch of sugar balances the saltiness of the miso. Brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup can be used as alternatives.
• Toasted Sesame Oil – Adds a rich, nutty flavor to the sauce mixture and helps prevent the udon from sticking. If unavailable, you can experiment with other flavorful oils, such as olive oil or pumpkin seed oil.
• Chicken – This noodle recipe was made with boneless skinless chicken thighs for their juiciness and flavor; breast meat will also work. Alternatively, you can use any fast-cooking protein such as shrimp, beef, or pork. For a vegetarian version, firm tofu or mushrooms are great substitutes.
• Garlic – A generous amount of minced garlic infuses the chicken with flavor.
• Soy Sauce – Marinating the chicken with Japanese dark soy sauce adds umami flavor while ensuring the protein is seasoned all the way through. Light soy sauce, low sodium soy sauce, or oyster sauce both make suitable substitutes. Tamari or coconut aminos are gluten-free alternatives.
• Vegetables – A combination of carrots, cabbage, and green onion (spring onions) add color, flavor, and sweetness to this easy noodle dish. Bell peppers, snap peas, yellow onion, and bok choy are other great alternatives.

How to Make Miso Noodles

To make the miso sauce, whisk together the white miso paste, water, sugar, and toasted sesame oil until the sauce ingredients are smooth.

Next, marinate the chicken pieces in minced garlic and soy sauce. You’ll want to do this regardless of your choice of protein. For an extra boost of umami, try marinating the chicken in oyster sauce.

Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Spread the marinated chicken and carrots out in a single layer so they’re making direct contact with the pan. Once the chicken begins to brown on one side, stir-fry the mixture until the meat is nearly cooked through. Add the cooked udon and cabbage and continue stir-frying until they start to caramelize at the edges. Drizzle the miso sauce over the udon and veggies and toss the mixture to coat the noodles in the sauce. Finish this easy stir-fry recipe with the green onions and toss them in.

Spicy Miso Noodles

For a fiery variation on this simple recipe, try adding chopped fresh chili peppers, hot sauce, chili crisp, or doubanjiang (chili bean paste) to the miso sauce.