This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclaimer for details.
Need some weeknight meal inspiration? Here’s a comforting, easy, and fast Vegan Sesame Yaki Udon Noodle Recipe. This udon noodle stir fry is complete with a savory sesame garlic sauce and chewy homemade seitan beef strips (or add tofu). Similar to Mongolian beef noodles, these sesame udon noodles are packed with flavor and topped with vibrant broccolini, cilantro, and green onions.
This post was originally published on January 9, 2021 and has been updated on February 23, 2024.
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Yaki Udon Noodles
When I’m craving a quick weeknight meal, I love turning to my tried and true stir fry recipes. These vegan yaki udon noodles are so delicious and simple to make. Here are a few reasons we absolutely love this recipe and you will too!
Emily’s Recipe Notes:
- Customizable: Toss in your favorite veggies or toppings!
- Chewy Udon Noodles: Each bite has a lovely soft, thick noodle that has been coated in a savory sauce.
- Simple Ingredients: The stir fry sauce is made with pantry friendly essentials or easy to find ingredients.
- Easy & Quick Stir Fry: This recipe is a great option for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
This dish is relatively simple. It’s comprised of just a few main ingredients, listed below:
- Fresh Udon Noodles
- Broccolini or Broccoli
- Homemade Seitan Beef Strips or Baked Tofu
- Onion
- Green Onion- for garnish
- Cilantro- for garnish
- Sesame Seeds- for garnish
- Homemade Sesame Sauce- see below!
For the Sesame Sauce:
Next up… the stir fry sauce. This yaki udon recipe wouldn’t be complete without a salty, slightly spicy, balanced sweet sauce. For this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Sesame Oil: to add that sesame flavor and also to add fat to the sauce!
- Rice Vinegar: acidity to balance the salty and sweet
- Fresh Garlic & Fresh Ginger: flavor, flavor, flavor
- Agave Nectar: for a light sweetness
- Brown Sugar: to help caramelize the noodles in the stir fry
- Sambal Oelek: for some complex, deep spice
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce: for that bold, salty, umami flavor
- Cornstarch: to help thicken the sauce
Ingredient Highlights & Substitutions
- Udon Noodles: At the center of this dish are the noodles, so it’s important to use the right ones! I’m using fresh udon noodles here because they’re thick, chewy, and add an interesting texture to the dish.
I really love these pre-cooked Japanese udon noodles by Ka-Me. They only take 2 minutes to cook and are soft and thick, perfect for slurping. I’m able to find these at my local grocery store, but you could also check your local Asian markets for them.
- Sambal Oelek: This can be swapped for Sriracha Sauce.
- Rice Vinegar: You can use lime juice or another white vinegar.
- Broccolini: Use any veggies you have on hand! Baby Bok Choy would be delicious.
- Soy Sauce: This can be subbed for Dark Soy Sauce, Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce, Coconut Aminos or Tamari.
- Seitan Beef Strips: You can switch up your choice of protein by subbing in Crispy Tofu (make sure to use extra firm tofu) or Soy Curls. See below for some more tips.
- Cooked Udon Noodles: these pre-cooked chewy wheat noodles can be subbed for dry udon noodles or rice noodles. Rice noodles usually need to be soaked in hot water to soften them, but If using one of these options, you’ll want to follow the package instructions to prepare them.
- Brown Sugar & Agave Nectar: These can be subbed for maple syrup, coconut sugar, or one of the substitutions listed in this post!
Vegan Protein Options
- Seitan Beef or Tofu. To help bulk up the dish, you have a few options for different protein add ins. I’m using my homemade vegan “beef” recipe which I love to make in bulk and store in my freezer for quick weeknight meals like this. BUT…you could also add in my flavorful baked tofu recipe.
I highly, highly recommend you try out this homemade seitan beef because it will change your life! Seriously. The chewy texture is absolutely amazing and unlike anything I’ve been able to find at the store.
- Soy Curls or Tempeh. If you’re in a pinch, you could try substituting soy curls or this crispy marinated tempeh. However, please note that soy curls have a softer, spongier, less chewy texture and the end result won’t be the same. Your local Asian market may also have some premade seitan strips near the tofu section.
Helpful Equipment
To make this recipe, the following pieces of equipment are needed:
- Large Wok or a Large Pan
- Tongs or another stirring utensil
- Glass Measuring Cup: for mixing the sesame sauce
How to Make the Udon Noodle Stir Fry
STEP 1: In a large frying pan or wok, heat a tablespoon of sesame oil over medium heat to medium-high heat.
STEP 2: Sauté the yellow onion until translucent. This will take about 5 minutes.
STEP 3: Add the chopped broccolini and add 1 tbsp water. Cook for 10 minutes until soft and the water is dissolved
STEP 4: Mix all of the sauce ingredients together except for the cornstarch. In a separate small bowl, mix 2 tbsp of the sauce with the cornstarch to form a slurry. Set aside.
STEP 5: Add the noodles and ½ the sauce to the pan with the onion and broccolini. Toss until the noodles are coated.
STEP 6: Add the vegan beef (or your protein of choice) and the remainder of the sauce plus the cornstarch mixture. Heat for 2 more minutes until the sauce thickens.
Serving the Vegan Sesame Beef Udon Noodles
These chewy noodles are best served warm and the recipe makes about 4 large servings.
These vegan sesame “beef” udon noodles wouldn’t be complete without garnishes! I like to top off my bowl with fresh chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime, a little bit of thinly sliced spring onion, and a sprinkle of black or white sesame seeds.
You can also serve them alongside other dishes like these vegan egg rolls!
Storage
You can store the noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for around 5 days.
If reheating, you can either pop them in the microwave for a minute or two, or you can re-stir fry them until warmed through.
Add-in Ideas
These noodles and the savory sauce work so well with a variety of different ingredients. You can sub or add in so many different ingredients to this vegetable yaki udon. Below are a few ideas:
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Bean sprouts
- Red Pepper
- Snow peas
- Vegan Oyster Sauce
- Napa Cabbage
Helpful Tips For The Best Vegan Yaki Udon
- Chop & Mix the Ingredients Ahead of Time: Prepping the ingredients and mixing the sauce ahead of time streamlines the cooking process and ensures nothing becomes overcooked.
- Prepare the Vegan Beef: Make the vegan beef (or tofu) ahead of time and freeze it so you always have some on hand!
- Don’t Overcook the Noodles! Fresh udon only needs to be cooked for a short amount of time. Don’t stir fry them too long or they’ll get too soft.
these create the best flavor & texture!
Yaki Udon FAQ
Most udon noodles are vegan. They’re usually made from wheat flour and some type of starch, like tapioca starch. The brand I use in this recipe is by Ka-Me.
Yaki Udon is a stir-fried noodle dish made with lots of added vegetables and proteins popular in Japanese cuisine. Udon noodles are made from wheat flour and have a thick, chewy texture. These Japanese noodles hold on to sauce super well and when stir fried get golden with a bit of caramelization.
If you don’t have time to make my homemade vegan beef recipe, you can substitute them with marinated baked tofu, soy curls, or another protein of choice.
More Recipes to Try
Video Tutorial
[Note: ad-blocker plugins block this video, which may be why it isn’t visible. Temporarily disable the plugins to see the video.]
Vegan Sesame Yaki Udon Noodles
Comforting, easy, and fast vegan sesame yaki udon noodles. Complete with a savory sesame sauce and homemade vegan seitan beef strips or baked tofu.
Ingredients
Vegan Proteins
- 1 recipe of TYBM's Homemade Vegan Seitan Beef, cut into strips
- OR 1 Recipe of TYBM's Flavorful Baked Tofu
Noodles & Serving
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tsp sesame oil or neutral oil, for cooking
- 1 15-oz package vegan udon noodles
- 2-3 cups chopped broccolini or broccoli
Sesame Sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 tbsp minced ginger
- 2 tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup
- 1-2 tsp sambal oelek or sriracha, adjust to taste
- 4 tbsp soy sauce or dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare the vegan seitan beef strips according to this recipe or prepare the baked tofu according to this recipe. This can be done a day or two in advance.
- In a large skillet or wok, heat a teaspoon of sesame oil. Sauté the yellow onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped broccolini and add 2-3 tbsp water. Cook for 6-8 minutes until softened and the water is dissolved.
- While the broccolini is cooking, mix all of the sauce ingredients together except for the cornstarch. In a separate small bowl, mix 2 tbsp of the prepared sauce with the cornstarch to form a slurry. Set aside.
- Add the udon noodles to the pan with the onion and broccolini. Cover for 2-3 mins to loosen the noodles.
- Add ½ the sauce to the pan. Toss until the noodles are coated.
- Add the prepared “beef” strips or tofu and the remainder of the sauce plus the cornstarch mixture. Heat for 3-4 more minutes until the sauce thickens and everything is evenly coated.
- Serve immediately and top with cilantro, green onion, and sesame seeds.
Notes
- If you are in a pinch and don't have time to prep the homemade seitan "beef" you can try using soy curls. Please note: soy curls have a spongier texture and are less chewy than the homemade seitan, so the end result won't be quite the same.
- For this recipe, I recommend using a wok. I use this one which I love!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 400Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 4gSugar: 13gProtein: 30g
Nutritional info is an estimate.
Want to save this recipe for later? Pin it to Pinterest!
Made this for lunch and was very delicious and super easy. 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you!!!
so glad you enjoyed it!
This looks so delicious, but I can’t seem to find the ingredient list and quantity. All I see under the ingredients are protein options. Help please (:
Hi Rebeccah, if you scroll to the bottom of the post or use the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the very top of the post it will take you to the recipe card which has ingredients list, quantities and the full instructions. You can also print this recipe card. If it still isn’t showing up, try refreshing the page!
This recipe will be going in the rotation. Delicious 🤤
This looks delicious!! I want to make it!. I have the packaged Nature’s promise Seitan straps I bought that I want to use. Can I substitute for the home made? If so how would I prep them?! Thank you.
Hi Andria! You can definitely substitute store-bought seitan for the homemade version. I recommend pan-frying the seitan in a skillet over medium heat until it’s nicely charred, or you can follow the package instructions if it suggests a specific method. Once cooked, add it to the noodles toward the end of cooking. Depending on the flavor of your seitan, you might want to add a splash or two of extra soy sauce when serving. Hope you enjoy it!