Ramen noodles meet curry and it surely doesn’t disappoint. I paired lean ground pork with plenty of fresh veggies and turned it into this Curry Udon Recipe which is full of rich coconut curry flavors you won’t be able to get enough of!
Why I love this Curry Noodle Dish
My husband and I simply cannot get enough of Curry Noodles/Soup variations. I first developed the Curry Ramen Recipe after being inspired by the cooking class we took together on our honeymoon.
We’ve tested out 4 different noodles now and in the last round we said: “udon noodles would be incredible in this”. So now we have a little spicier, thicker noodle based curry dish that is fantastic!
This Japanese Curry Udon recipe has quickly become a favorite, too. It’s a hearty, nourishing and absolutely delicious one pot dish. It has plenty of veggies including bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms (with room to customize as you please) and lots of umami flavor thanks to sesame oil, gochujang and curry paste. I think you might surprise yourself with just how yummy it turns out, because I know I sure did!
And if you love udon noodles, also try my 15-minute Udon Noodles with Miso Mushrooms or this Sheet Pan Chow Mein that I think you’ll really enjoy, too!
Recipe Ingredients
- Lean Ground Pork – Use lean ground pork (or less sesame oil). We don’t want to end up with too much grease in the pan.
- Veggies: This recipe calls for bell peppers, jalapeño, white onion, and mushrooms (shittake mushrooms, beech mushrooms, etc.)
- For the sauce: Garlic, sesame oil, brown sugar, curry paste, coconut milk, and beef broth all contribute to the flvorful curry sauce.
- Coconut Milk – Use full-fat coconut milk. Lite makes it very watery and no one wants that.
- Udon Noodles – I use Kame Udon Stir Fry Noodles. Two packets of chewy udon noodles are inside and I use both.
- Garnish: Jalapeño slices, cilantro, green onions, and red pepper flakes. Dial up the red pepper flakes as desired for more heat.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add more vegetables – Diced/shredded carrots, baby bok choy, snow peas, green peas, edamame, etc.
- Swap out the pork – Try ground chicken, ground turkey, thinly-sliced beef, pork belly or use go with seafood like cooked shrimp or flaked salmon. Or keep it vegetarian with a soft-boiled egg on top.
- Curry Paste – You can try this recipe with yellow or green curry paste if you please! Use a paste with a spice level of your choosing and desired curry flavor.
- Turn up the heat – If you prefer things spicier, add more gochujang, a tablespoon or two of sriracha or extra red pepper flakes on top.
How to Make This Recipe
1. Heat a large pot to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil (or a neutral oil) and ground pork. Break apart ground meat into small bite-sized pieces. After a couple of minutes (once the pork is 80% cooked), add minced garlic. Stir until fragrant and meat is cooked through.
2. Remove the pork bits from the pot and set aside. Do not clean the pan and heat another tablespoon of sesame oil then add the diced red bell pepper, white onion, and jalapenos. Stir. Cover and let cook for 4-6 minutes.
3. Add soy sauce, gochujang and brown sugar to the pot and stir. After the brown sugar is dissolved, stir in the curry paste and mushrooms. Continue to sauté for a few minutes or until mushrooms begin to soften and take on a golden brown color. If the veggies begin to stick to the pan add a splash of rice wine vinegar to deglaze the pan.
4. Pour in the coconut milk and beef broth to the pot. Bring to a low boil, then add the dry udon Cover and let cook for a few minutes so you get chewy noodles. Use chopsticks to break apart the noodles if they’re sticking together (particularly important if you’re using fresh udon noodles from Asian grocery stores).
5. Turn down to medium-low heat and put the ground pork back into the pot with the noodles and stir. Taste the curry and adjust the spice as needed. I added ½ tablespoon of red pepper flakes as I like the heat!
PRO TIPS
Mise en place! What does that mean? You may ask. This is a French culinary phrase which means “putting in place” or “gather”. For this recipe, I recommend you prep all of the ingredients prior to beginning the steps listed. Measure out the key ingredients, chop the veggies, open any packaged ingredients. This will make cooking the dish much quicker and much easier.
Recipe FAQs
Store leftover curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The udon noodles may absorb a good amount of the sauce as it sits. I suggest adding a drizzle of sesame oil and/or soy sauce to keep it from drying out.
To make vegetarian or vegan udon soup, swap out the pork with crumbled tofu or tempeh, or leave out all together and use veggie broth instead of beef broth.
After you add the coconut milk and broth, be patient and allow the dish to cook so the sauce thickens. If after a few minutes it still is too liquidy for your liking, stir in a few teaspoons of water with arrowroot powder or cornstarch slurry to help thicken the broth. This is a cross between a curry soup and a noodle dish, so we still do want some dashi broth in the pot but a homemade curry roux is a great way to achieve the perfect rich curry base.
Serving suggestions
This ramen noodle dish pairs well with light and refreshing sides like a simple cucumber salad, pickled vegetables, or a side of edamame. Maybe try out this Oriental Coleslaw as a starter. You can also serve it with Japanese gyoza, crispy tempura, or a drizzle of sesame oil for extra richness.
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Curry Udon Recipe
Equipment
- large stock pot
- spatula
- knife & cutting board
- strainer
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 3/4 lbs lean ground pork
- 2 tbsp sesame oil, divided
- 3-4 cloves minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium jalapeño, diced
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- ½ tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp red curry paste
- 8 oz diced mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, beech, etc
- 1 can full fat coconut milk, 15oz
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 package Kame Udon Noodles, 2 noodle packs in 1 package
- Garnish: Jalapeño slices, cilantro, green onions, and red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat a large pot to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil (or a neutral oil) and ground pork. Break apart ground meat into small bite-sized pieces. After a couple of minutes (once the pork is 80% cooked), add minced garlic. Stir until fragrant and meat is cooked through.
- Remove the pork bits from the pot and set aside. Do not clean the pan and heat another tablespoon of sesame oil then add the diced red bell pepper, white onion, and jalapenos. Stir. Cover and let cook for 4-6 minutes.
- Add soy sauce, gochujang and brown sugar to the pot and stir. After the brown sugar is dissolved, stir in the curry paste and mushrooms. Continue to sauté for a few minutes or until mushrooms begin to soften and take on a golden brown color. If the veggies begin to stick to the pan add a splash of rice wine vinegar to deglaze the pan.
- Pour in the coconut milk and beef broth to the pot. Bring to a low boil, then add the dry udon Cover and let cook for a few minutes so you get chewy noodles. Use chopsticks to break apart the noodles if they’re sticking together (particularly important if you’re using fresh udon noodles from Asian grocery stores).
- Turn down to medium-low heat and put the ground pork back into the pot with the noodles and stir. Taste the curry and adjust the spice as needed. I added ½ tablespoon of red pepper flakes as I like the heat!
- Serve into bowls and garnish with fresh green onion, red pepper flakes, jalapeño slices and pinch of fresh cilantro pieces. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Video
Notes
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I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
we LOVE this recipe. Such an easy weeknight meal too!
unbelievably delicious
dorm room ramen got a serious coconut curry glow-up
Wow, this recipe is fantastic! My whole family loved it (and that’s coming from some who claim they “don’t like curry”.) The udon noodles brought it all together.
Loved this recipe! Came together so easily and was delish! Will be adding to the regular rotation for sure!
LOVE to hear that. Thanks for the glowing review!
This is seriously amazing! Especially as we are entering into this fall weather it’s great to chef up.
My husband told me this was the best meal I’ve ever made!!! (And I cook every night)
NOW THAT IS SOME PRAISE!