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    Home » Recipes » Japanese (Traditional)

    Updated: Apr 23, 2023 by Marc · Leave a Comment

    Kitsune Udon

    Kitsune Udon (きつねうどん) is a delicious meatless Japanese noodle soup that's topped with a thick slice of seasoned fried tofu. The combination of the thick chewy udon noodles, clear dashi broth and savory sweet inari-agé is a match made in heaven, which is probably why Kitsune Udon is one of the most popular bowls of udon in Japan.
    Recipe Pin

    A classic Japanese noodle soup, Kitsune Udon features thick udon noodles in a light dashi broth, with a savory sweet slice of fried tofu on top.

    It is said that Inari Ōkami, the shinto god/goddess of fertility, prosperity and agriculture, is served by a legion of Japanese foxes (kitsuné). Legend has it that these kitsuné love aburaage (pronounced abura-agay), which is why dishes made with these fried puffs of tofu often have "inari" or "kitsune" in their name.

    In the case of Kitsune Udon ("fox" udon) it's topped with a piece of fried tofu that's been seasoned with soy sauce, sake and sugar, called inari-agé. If you've ever had inarizushi you're probably familiar with these flavorful fox colored pouches that are used to hold a ball of sushi rice inside, but they're equally delicious served over a bowl of steaming udon noodles.

    The inari in kitsune udon is made using abura-age (fried tofu).

    Kitsune udon is simple to make, but like a cunning fox, there are a few tricks to making it even easier and better. The first trick is to par-boiling the aburaage before seasoning it. This rids the tofu of excess oil, making the aburaage easier to season and preventing your kitsune udon from getting greasy.

    Once seasoned, the inari-agé will last for a week in the refrigerator and much longer in the freezer, so you can make a big batch of these and freeze them in single serving sizes so you have some around when you find yourself craving a big bowl of comfort.

    My other trick for making a batch of kitsune udon quickly is to always have Mentsuyu on hand. Mentsuyu, which literally means "noodle broth" is a noodle soup base made with dashi broth, soy sauce, sake and other seasonings and you can get my mentsuyu recipe here. If you end up using a bottled mentsuyu be sure to read the directions for diluting it as every brand comes in different concentrations.

    Fresh udon noodles ready to be boiled to make kitsune udon.

    As for the udon, I like using fresh noodles, but dried ones will work as well. Regardless of the type of noodles you use, be sure to cook them for slightly less than the time specified on the package as the noodles will continue to cook in the broth. You can also make this with soba noodles, which would make it Kitsune Soba (きつね蕎麦).

    Kitsune udon is Japanese comfort food at it's best. Flavorful and satisfying and yet it's neither rich nor cloying.

    📖 Recipe

    Kitsune udon is Japanese comfort food at it's best. Flavorful and satisfying and yet it's neither rich nor cloying.

    Kitsune Udon (Seasoned Fried Tofu Udon)

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    Prep Time 3 minutes mins
    Cook Time 7 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Yield 2 bowls

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    Ingredients 

    For inari-agé

    • 1 aburaage (about 50 grams)
    • 1 tablespoon evaporated cane sugar
    • 2 tablespoons sake
    • 2 tablespoons water
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

    For udon

    • 2 servings udon
    • 3 ½ tablespoons mentsuyu *see note
    • 2 ½ cups water

    For garnish

    • kamaboko (Japanese fish cake(
    • 1 scallion (thinly sliced)
    • shichimi togarashi

    Instructions

    • Fill a pan with some water and bring to a boil. Add the aburaage and boil for about 1 minute. Pressing down on it with a spatula to help coax out any extra oil.
      Boiling the abura-age first, removes any excess oil from the fried tofu, ensuring your kitsune udon doesn't end up greasy.
    • Drain the aburaage in a strainer and use something (other than your hand) to press any excess water out of it. Slice the aburaage in half.
    • Wipe-out the pan with a paper towel and then add the sugar, sake, water, and soy sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and then add the aburaage.
      The abura-age is seasoned with a savory sweet mixture of soy sauce, sake and sugar.
    • Simmer until there is almost no sauce left in the pan.
      Kitsune udon is topped with abura-age (fried tofu) seasoned with soy sauce, sake and sugar.
    • To make the soup for the kitsune udon, simply dilute 3 ½ tablespoons of my mentsuyu with 2 ½ cups of water (for 2 servings) and heat in a pot.
      Dashi broth for kitsune udon.
    • Boil the udon according to the package directions, drain well.
      The udon noodles get boiled until al dente before being combined with the dashi broth to make kitsune udon.
    • Split the udon between two bowls and then place an inari-agé in each bowl. Garnished with the sliced scallions and kamaboko and then finish your kitsune udon by pouring the soup over the top. Serve with shichimi togarashi.
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    Notes

    The ratio of mentsuyu to water assumes you use my mentsuyu recipe here. If you bought your mentsuyu, follow the directions on the bottle.

    Nutrition

    Calories 115kcalCarbohydrates 18gProtein 7gSodium 2292mgPotassium 85mgFiber 1gSugar 8gVitamin A 60IUVitamin C 3.3mgCalcium 38mgIron 1.6mg

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    Hi, I'm Marc Matsumoto, a retired chef living in Tokyo, and I founded No Recipes to empower home cooks of all levels by sharing essential techniques and my kitchen secrets.

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